To the knowledgeable Sikhs, it is a foregone conclusion that an independent homeland for Sikhs in the Punjab is an inescapable necessity, not only to be able to live with honour and dignity, but also for their mere survival. But to those Sikhs, who are not so well informed and also those who are ‘confused due to misinformation, the question of independent homeland for the Sikhs appears to be irrelevant, and its creation unnecessary. I, therefore, am of the candid opinion that even before we are able to successfully convince foreigners and their governments of the unavoidable necessity for Sikhs to give an independent home land if they are to service, there is a dire and urgent need to disseminate among the Sikhs the true background and information regarding the internal and external threats that the Sikhs are facing today; there is an urgency to inform them that if they do not squarely face these challenges with a view to brush aside the grave threats that they are facing, then their safety, honour and dignity is in grave danger of being annihilated.

I therefore feel that our efforts towards creation of an independent Sikh homeland should be phased (because of the lack of required efforts) and directed towards the following four facets covering the problem in totality:

1. To dispel ignorance as well as to amend the contents of misinformation fed into the minds of Sikhs through the malicious and mischievous propaganda by the Indian Government and Indian Press. This is necessary to stop the “internal bickering” among the Sikhs and to unity their psyche so that their efforts can be directed collectively and concentratedly towards attainment of our aim of creation of an independent Sikhs homeland.

2. To inform Americans and others (including their governments) Of the true background and facts regarding the Hindu fascist psyche ‘aiming at extermination of Sikhs and other minorities through long term preplanned manipulations and resultant chain of actions and reactions. It is necessary to create worldwide opinion in favour of the Sikh Nation so that political opinion can be built against Hindu rulers of Delhi and political pressure can be brought on the Government of India to grant an autonomous or independent status to Punjab.

3. To put up a case to Amnesty International with minimum of 5000 cases of victimization as well as political torturing and killings of Sikhs proving that the Hindu Fascists rulers of India are subversively ‘committing genocide of Sikhs with Jong term aim of totally exterminating them,

4. In case the world opinion and political pressure fails to effectively move the Indian Government to grant independence or autonomy to the Sikhs in Punjab, then to make all out concentrated, and united efforts to create a war machinery to achieve the Sikh Nation’s aim of independent and sovereign state of Khalistan.

I feel that production of books like “Internal and External Threats to Sikhism” is a commendable effort towards achievement of the first facet mentioned above. It deals with the “Internal” as well as “External” threats to Sikhism, because unless “internal erosion” is checked, the “external threat” from Hindu Fascism cannot be effectively challenged and overcome.

The point will become clear if we have a glance on the various categories in which our Sikh brothers are divided due to their opinions and conduct. They may be classified as follows:

  1. Those who are true Gur Sikhs in “content” and “form” (Bani and Bana), and believe that Khalistan is the only option for survival o Sikhs and therefore are putting in their best efforts towards achievement of the same.
  2. Those Sikhs, who, even though true to the Bani and Bana aspect ‘of Sikhism, feel that creation of an autonomous Sikh homeland is no an inescapable) necessity for the survival of Sikhs; that a workable ‘compromise can be chalked out with the Indian Government; and that such a compromise is in the best interests of the Sikhs,
  3. Those Sikhs, who, even thought ‘do deviate from “form” or even dc not keep “form of a Sikh” at all but strongly believe in and support the creation of Khalistan as the only option for safety, survival, ‘honour and dignity of the Sikh people.
  4. Those so called Sikhs, who neither follow the “content” and “form” nor believe in creation of ‘an independent homeland for Sikhs, but still prefer to cling. to Sikhism as their religion for some ‘unknown reason.

‘The contents of the book mention ibid strengthens the faith and belief of the first category of Sikhs; it dispels the ignorance as also the “misinformation input” injected in the psyche of second category of Sikh is regarding the nonexistence Of the “external threat”; it dispels the ignorance regarding the “internal erosion and threat” to the third category of Sikhs; and it helps the fourth category of Sikhs to retrieve themselves out of the confusion they are in due to ignorance regarding internal as well as external threats.

It may thus be noted that the contents of the above said book are directed towards the first facet of the problem. Papers on “Lurking Dangers to Sikhs” and on the “Khalistan Issue” logically determine the imminent dangers to Sikhs and in a way predict as to what is likely to happen to Sikhs in future. The author has suggested in each paper as to what Sikhs should do to avert the internal and external threats, particularly the external threats. Thus one may observe that the value of the book lies in the two aspects: firstly, it spells out the threats to Sikhism; and secondly it exhorts the Sikhs to take Certain actions to safeguard their life, honour and property.

It may not be out of place here to mention that Dr. SS, Dharam, the author of the above said work, had also logically made certain predictions in his book “The Only Option For Sikhs” on pages 31 (first para), 167 (last para), 17 (para 1 and 2), 178 (para 3), 181 (last 2 paras), 182 (first 4 paras), 183 (last para) 184 (last 4 paras), and 185 (last para). Some of these predictions have already come true and others have partially come true, The present political situation is clearly indicating that those, which have come true partially, ‘Appear to be proceeding in a direction which will logically terminate in fulfillment of these predictions, It may be noted that the book “The Only Option For Sikhs” was printed in October 84 before the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi.

I think there is an urgent need to simultaneously initiate action on the second and third faces of the problem. The second facet of the problem demands production of a comprehensive, yet brief, work, which will set forth logically and cogently all the historical facts portraying the treacherous psyche of Hindu leaders and rulers, who have worked out a long term strategy to repress, subjugate and ‘exterminate Sikhs and other minorities in India, The third facet of the problem demands initiation of a soundly planned action to collect and collage the information in respect of about 5000 cases of political torturing, killing and victimization of innocent Sikhs, and submit a case to the Amnesty International, United Nations Human Rights Commission so that the Fascist Hindu rulers of India could be pressurized to halt the victimization, torturing and killing of innocent Sikhs on the ground of religion and political ideology, as well as to grant an autonomous and independent status to Punjab.

It is a matter of great alarm for us that no worthwhile effort has been made in this direction by any Sikh institution or Sikh writer. Neither any book of real worth has been written for the American Public and for other nationals about the Sikh problem nor a worthwhile case with sufficient record has been put up by any institution to Amnesty International and United Nations Human Rights Commission. Anybody who is devoted and capable of completing action on these two facets of the problem should be encouraged and financially supported to undertake the projects.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 21, 1986