Repeated pictures in Indian papers, including in India Abroad, of dubious no representative Sikhs of questionable characters, elevated by Delhi to serve its selfish interests in containing separatism in Punjab, is not going whitewash the horrendous Punjab police crimes. These crimes committed in the name of containing alleged terrorism or the orchestrated last state elections held which installed late Beant Singh is not going to solve the political problems of the state; rather this is more like sprinkling salt on the fresh wounds of ’84.
The problems in burning Punjab will only resurface at the right opportunity when Sikhs will once again demand autonomy as in the case of Kashmir where even a large Indian military presence has not been able to contain the wave of separatism. Yes, India has been able to buy time in Punjab by bringing in ruthless officers like KPS Gill who followed no rules or laws in killing all who allegedly associated with name of Khalistan in Punjab but that is as hollow of a solution as devaluing the Indian rupee against the dollar to boost Exports without having to raise Indian productivity or quality of products.
Indian political leaders have made no earnest efforts nor have they displayed any moral courage to address to the aspirations, or political grievances of the people of Punjab; with the result the problems have been longing for over a decade now & who knows how much longer the state will continue to suffer economically. It is to be recalled that 50 years ago, when the world was sleeping & India started a new life & freedom rang across the Indian subcontinent, it became a nightmare for the Sikhs who were fleeing with only their clothes on their back towards the Indian Punjab from their ancestral vs in Western Punjab. Million *
They were slaughtered at the hands of Muslims of Pakistan. Stories of horror ¢Y preened by the survivors & how mercilessly their relatives were killed or taken away still haunt most of us today. Unfortunately similar nightmare still continues for the Sikhs in Punjab or Delhi today, as just about anyone can be picked, taken away, brutally tortured and perhaps never to be seen again. If one is lucky the matter might be reported as another dead in police encounter or the tortured body might be cremated in police compounds as unclaimed or unidentified. There is nobody to question anyone unless one wants to join the dead. Tam sure, this is not the freedom that our parents & grandparents envisioned when they agreed to join India in; 1~. I think our community was much better of when the British were ruling over the Indian subcontinent of many diverse ethnic communities & Desh Punjab was a single state with complete freedom for all Sikh worshippers to visit the birthplace of their founding Guru Gur Nanak Dey jee in Talawandi, Lahore & many other decaying Gurdwaras of historical imps” trance left behind in Pakistan, which the Sikhs pray every day in their “Ardas” to be united again. Harbir Singh, Paramus, NJ.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 28, 1996
