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The Sikhs in Punjab (India) are passing through a painful and challenging ordeal. Their religious, political and social identity is at stake. Their holiest shrines mave been desecrated and thousands of innocent men, women and children have been brutally massacred. This willful annihilation of the Sikhs is continuing unabated. The Sikhs living in other parts of the world including Canada are naturally hurt with this miserable condition of their kith and kins and they have a moral and social right to express their concern to the outside world. But even a word of sympathy irritates the government of India, who, with its treacherous designs and unaccounted black money, is now managing, one way or the other, to brandish the entire Sikh Community living abroad as terrorists and their glorious and pious past and their present image is being damaged, The Sikhs, being unable to combat this sinister propaganda with the meager resources at their disposal, are watching all this as helpless spectators,
A meeting of the representatives of the Khalsa Diwan Societies of (i) New Westminster, (ji) Abbotsford, (iii) Vancouver and Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Delta/Surrey which represent the Sikhs in the lower mainland of British Columbia was held to-day to discuss this painful situation,
It is unanimously felt that, whereas the Sikhs in Punjab are justified in fighting for a separate independent state Khalistan as the only solution thrust upon them to Keep their religious and political identity alive and the Sikhs living abroad do support their cause from the bottom of their hearts, we want to make it clear to the whole world that Sikh faith does not at all preach any violence, much of Guru Nanak, for the universal peace, health, happiness and welfare of humanity as a whole, We stand for peaceful but respectable solution of every problem. We categorically condemn any such act in which violence is involved.
We would like to assure the government of Canada that Sikhs here are as loyal, faithful and law abiding Canadians as anybody else, but their way of peaceful living and rich contribution to the development of Canada should not be ignored at the behest of the government of India’s sinister propaganda to cover its black deeds, The possibility of the involvement of government of India, direct or indirect, in any evil act in which violence is involved should not at all be ruled out and the concerned authorities and media should always keep this in mind.
In the end we appeal to each and every Sikh living abroad especially in Canada to refrain from being involved in any such act which may help the sinister designs of the government of India to tarnish their image in the eyes of the world, Let us take a pledge that, as Canadians, we will do everything within our powers to respect and obey the laws of the Canadian soil.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 27, 1986
