The happenings during the past one decade in the Land of Five Rivers have not only affected society in a variety of ways but has also famished the image of the Sikhs in the eyes of the Mewing outside is border THN age has been created by the national press which more or less failed to understand the political maneuverings of the vested political interests and also the aspirations of the Sikh community in the given political set-up. The national press blindly carried on an antiSikh propaganda which made the situation like November 1984 possible when a spark led to the massacre of the community in Delhi Kanpur Bokaro and elsewhere.
Fortunately every community has its spokesmen to set things in the right perspective and the volume under review is one such attempt to prove the obvious fact that the Sikhs are not anti-national of terrorists and they are second to none in their role of patriots.
The work is a compilation of documents which focus on two aspects. One to understand the present crisis of the Sikh community one must approach history. Two during the struggle for freedom it was the attitude of the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League that created a difficult situation for the Sikhs. According to the author the ambition of the leaders of the Congress particularly Jawaharlal Nehru to assume power provoked the political competitors of the Muslim community to demand the partition of the country.
The emergent confrontation suited the British colonial rulers who were Keen on controlling both political Organizations by pitting one against the other
Subsequently the Congress and the League accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan which however completely overlooked the interests of the Sikhs On the assurance of the Congress leaders the Sikh Leadership decided to go with it
The authors view is very appropriate that the Sikhs never demanded a Separate state or Khalistan instead they wanted a commitment to Safeguard the interest of the community in the changed political Set-up so that they had equal and honorable opportunities to florins’ Gurdial Singh also makes the point that conflicts still persist across the border and inside it. In other words the country has failed to evolve the kind of structure in which pluralism can thrive in an amicable atmosphere. He reminds the reader that history will continue to cast its shadow across the present and the future.
The work makes its point clear but the reader will have to have lot of patience to go through the pages. The author seems to be unaware of the historical research methodology.
Naytej Singh.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 10, 1994
