A recent political assessment of the Punjab situation by Babbar Khalsa International is quite realistic and deserves support by all sections of Sikhs. The B.K.I is right in criticizing various Akali groups for being disloyal to the idea of Khalistan they supported through are solution al Anandpur Saheb early this year. Its suggestion that all militant groups should agree to set up a united front to promote a mass movement in favor of Khalistan to supplement the armed movement is also unexceptional. Broadly speaking the B.K.I. suggestions is correct There may be differences on the shape of the mass movement. A mass movement must involve the masses. It will have to raise a variety of slogans in the process. Any undue impatience will not promote a mass movement. But a mass movement in Punjab should be aware of the fact that the turbulent state is no longer governable in the traditional parliamentary politics in which Akalis have been specializing all these years. The Punjab government is financially bankrupt and any proposal to form a government and run it on a long term basis is totally unrealistic. Such a government to stay in power must necessarily rely on Delhi for financial props. That will be unacceptable to Sikhs. Thus the over ground movement will have to think of ways to demonstrate to the world that it really has popular backing in support of a free vote under international supervision. If for that purpose and for no other purpose contesting elections under the present Indian Constitution is necessary there need be no taboo on that. The Indian Constitution must be rejected. But not by the politically advanced sections of Sikhs such as militants alone. It should be done by the Sikh masses themselves. That cannot be done overnight. Sikhs first must learn to live without being dependent on India. Can they do without India and yet maintain their existing levels of agricultural and industrial production in Punjab? The answer cannot be “yes” Therefore the over ground mass movement must think of dispensing with dependence on India at least for a few years. The mass movement cannot concentrate only on political actions such as gherao of police stations. It can be the point of culmination and not the starting point. In so many other ways the might of the Indian state can be checkmated But such a movement to grow will take time. All said and done the B.K.I. initiative is on the correct lines Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar according to reports was thinking along the lines suggested by the new B.K.I. leadership before he met with his premature unfortunate end. This view is also shared by such leaders of the panthic committee as Dr. Sohan Singh and Bhai Daljit Singh Khalsa. What is required is serious consultation and meaningful action rather than dramatic announcements.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 27, 1992
