Dear Editor,
I read the letter of Mr Balbir Singh Ragi in the March 18,1994 issue of the World Sikh News I am a strong believer of open and candid debate on the issue based on the facts and merits of the issue and not on the individuals beliefs and/or perceptions. Unfortunately, Ragi focused all his energy and efforts on personal attacks on me and Congressmen Vic Fazio rather than focusing on real issue If we want to discuss and debate any issue, we must first learn to accept and respect other persons right to disagree We must understand that we have no right to impose our will on others nor do we have any right to bully them around. We must learn that we cannot demand help and/ or respect, we must earn respect by doing good deeds.
The contents of Ragi’s letter also indicate their either he is ignorant or biased or both about the issues he raised in his letter. For the benefit of WSN readers and true supporters of the Khalistan movement I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight Who started the controversy? In January 1994, ISO mailed a letter to various Gurdwara Committees and urged them to obtain their members signature on this letter and mail the signed letter to Honorable Congressman Vic Fazio. The letter was very demanding, rude, and full of false accusations. Just as an example the letter read “The Sikh people are dying while simply asserting their God-given right to self-determination and you are not supporting us It is a shame.” When I read this letter full of false accusations, consciously I could not close my eyes and cars, while at dedicated public official and close ally of the Sikhs was maliciously, unjustly and unfairly bashed by mischief mongers. Since I had the opportunity to work with Congressman Vic Fazio on Sikh issues and had factual knowledge of his contribution and commitment to the Sikh cause, I felt it was my moral obligation to state the facts and let the blame fall where it belongs. In my letter published in the March 4, 1994 issue of WSN, I only stated the facts and Ragi did not dare to challenge Congressman Vic Fazio’s record, instead he choose to direct his attack on me and Congress- man Vic Fazio personally. Throughout his public carver Congressman Vic Fazio has been an honest and sincere friend of the Sikhs. It would have been cowardliness on my part not to stand for a friend who was being falsely accused. During the past 10 years Congressman Vic Fazio has repeatedly condemned the violent acts of the Indian Government in the Punjab and Kashmir His support for the Sikh cause is on the record. He has done more for the Sikh than any other Congressman and he is very proud of his accomplishments. He is a very stronger defender of human rights. He is absolutely determined and committed to use all his influence and energy to protect the lives of innocent Sikh men, women and children from the brutal acts of Indian Security forces. Distractions like the circulation of the misinformation letter in January and Ragi’s letter to the editor of WSN are very regrettable events and are very damaging to the Sikh cause.
In my previous letter I had given a few examples of specific actions Congress man Vic Fazio has taken to hold the Indian Government accountable for its acts against innocent Sikhs. It is my open challenge to Mr.Ragi and the author of misinformation letter to match their own Congressman’s performance and record with Congressman Vic Fazio and compare who speaks for the Sikhs and who doesn’t. A true Sikh never abandons or backstabs a friend and al- ways remembers and acknowledges the support given by a friend. It is a historical fact the Navab of Maler Kotla was blessed by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Je for expressing sympathy for the innocent Sahibzadas. Congressman Vic Fazio has repeatedly condemned the violent and brutal acts of Indian security forces against the Sikhs and he is being criticized for these actions by some individuals who call themselves Sikhs. Are these individuals really Sikhs?
There are 435 members in the U.S. House of Representatives and 100 members in the U.S. Senate. Sikhs need the support of all 535 members of US Congress and entire Administration. I question the sincerity and honesty of those individuals towards the Sikh cause, who want to promote only those select members of the U.S. Congress who endorse and promote them on public stages and are willingly and knowingly alienating the others from the Sikh cause. If the acts of these individuals are considered friendly and sympathetic to the Sikh cause, then Sikhs do not need any enemy because they are doing their job. Mr Ragi wrote in his letter that Congressman Vic Fazio is a politician and his dict is our votes. They are very ignorant, childish, and offensive re marks. Mr.Ragi let me take this opportunity to educate you about Congress man Vic Fazio, Congressman Vic Fazio is serving his seventh term as a member of the House of Representatives. During his first six terms he contested elections from the fourth congressional district of California which did not include Yuba or Sutter counties. The majority of the congressional districts have 500,000+ registered voters. There were less than 100 registered Sikh voters living in the fourth congressional district. He won most of the election with 70% or more votes. He won these elections based on his honesty, dignity, integrity, and leadership qualities. It is absolutely ridiculous even to think that he took the Indian Government to task for 12 years for 100 votes.
His present Congressional District include Glen, Coloussa, portions of Sacramento, and Sutter counties and does not include Yuba county. The number of Sikh voters living in Sutter county is substantially less than the number of Sikh voters living in the Bay area Congressional Districts. If Sikhs have the financial and vote power, why don’t they use their power in the Bay Area and force their Congressmen to endorse Khalistan’s sovereignty? Ragi the majority of the members of the U.S. Congress are men and women of great honesty and integrity. Their vote is based on their conscience. They don’t yield to malicious rumors or threats from self seekers. Congressman Vic Fazio’s support for the Sikh cause is based on his commitment to speak for the oppressed and against State oppression and his personal relationship with a few hard working Sikhs who never exploited his friendship for any personal gain, Mr.Ragi’s other grievance against Congressman Vic Fazio is why he wrote a separate letter to President Clinton instead of signing the letter written by a group of other Congressmen. I wish Mr.Ragi done his home work before accusing Congressman Vic Fazio for his good deed. Mr.Ragi, Congressman Vic Fazio is a personal friend of President Clinton. Congressman Fazio is a strong supporter of President Clinton’s programs and policies. The majority of the signatories on the other letter did not support President Clinton on his deficit reduction package and on NAFTA. They are also opposing President Clinton’s health care plan. When these people refuse to support the Democratic Leadership on crucial issues, then it is natural for the leadership not to align with those who refuse to support to leader ship on crucial issues. It appears that Mr.Ragi and the author(s) of the January letter would like Congressman Vic Fazio to seek their approval prior to taking any action. Then and only then would these individuals consider Congressman Vic Fazio as a supporter of the Sikh cause. The Congressman does not need your approval. His Sikh friends know, who Vic Fazio is and where he stands on Sikh issues.
It is very unfortunate that even after 10 years of sufferings, some Sikhs still do not know the difference between friend and foe. These misguided and misinformed Sikhs instead of expressing their appreciation for the good and noble deeds which Congressman Vic Fazio had done and continues to do for the Sikh cause, they falsely accuse him at the instigation of self seekers. Congressman Vic Fazio is an outstanding statesman and an honest leader. He has achieved the party leadership role be- cause of his support and his leadership and they don’t care what self seekers think about Congressman Vic Fazio. There is also misconception in the minds of some innocent Sikhs that per- haps Khalistan’s freedom will appear from the halls of the U.S. Congress. It is a historical fact that only those Nations achieve freedom whose leaders are honest, selfless and have the power and the courage to lead their people to the right path. ANC and PLO are two living examples. The end of Racial segregation in South Africa and Self Rule in Gaza became reality because their leaders spent more than half of their lives in exile or behind bars and not roaming through the halls of the U.S. Congress. They are succeeding because they did not operate in a vacuum. They worked with their people and willingly shared their pain and sufferings. Similarly Khalistan can’t be created by operating in a vacuum. If Sikhs want Khalistan they can’t afford to forget the sacrifices made by Dr.Sohan Singh, Ranjit Singh Gill, and Sukhmander Singh Sandhu just to name few. If our self proclaimed leaders are afraid even to identify with these patriots who are the pillars of the Khalistan movement, then raising loud and empty slogans at the Gurdwar stages are not going to accomplishment anything.
I would like to close with common that any man or woman who works hard and earn his/her honest living from hand work with the grace of God has every right to enjoy the comforts of bister hard work. Those who choose not to work hard to earn their living and depend on the contribution from others have to make some compromise Gurcharan S. Dhillon
Guru’s Relics still in Nabha
Dear Editor,
I am writing this letter with reference to the news item published in the newspaper of March 25,1994 under the heading “fraud on the Sikh community” and I want to say that the original relics of Guru Gobind Singh ji bestowed on Pir Budhu Shah and later on purchased by the Maharaja Bharpur Singh of Nabha from the descendents of Pir Sahib are still with the descendants of Pir Sahib are still with the descendents of Maharaja Nabha In 1966 when the third century anniversary of birth of Guru Gobind Singh was observed in Punjabi and the sacred vapors of Guruji were brought back from England and shown through the Punjabi state the then Maharaja of Nabha Gurcharan Singh s/o Maharaja Preidaman Singh made public the sacred relics of Guru Gobind Singh ji Maharaj which were in their Tosha Khana and were previously shown to public only once a year on Duschara day.
These relics were put in a special building which were put in a special building which was used as gurdwara in the Hira Mahal and everyday in the morning and evening public could look these relics there and the “Granthi” used to explain every relic to the visiting public. Perhaps for two years these relics remained open to public. These relics were put back to Tosha Khana only when news appeared in the newspaper that these sacred relics should no longer remain with the Maharaja of Nabha but should be with the Sikh gurdwara parbhandik committee and like Shastars’ brought from England should always be put in some of the stoic gurdwara. I remained at Nahha from 1965 to 1976 and my all relatives had the occasion to have darshan of these sacred relics and I always accompanied them to show the relics. At that time I was working as senior instructor in Agriculture at Gram Sevaks training center Nahha.
I do not exactly remember that when I read a news that some descendents of Pir Budhu Shah are carrying some faked relics and are collecting offerings from Sikhs who have no knowledge that the original relics are with Maharaja Nahha and not with the so-called” descendents of Pir Sahib.” Sewa Singh (Sangha)
Jalandhar.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 15, 1994
