LUCKNOW: Hindu fundamentalists are making feverish preparations for the genocide of Terai Sikhs, local media indicated, Thousands of pamphlets are in circulation calling upon Hinduism annihilate “militants” and “their sympathizers” without mentioning any one by name or allegations against them. The pamphlets have been issued by the self-styled Hindu Jana Jagran Sangharash Samiti, The propaganda against the Sikhs is being made in Nainital, Pilibhit and other Terai districts. The police have taken no notice of the fascist campaign. No one has been identified much less arrested. Another unidentified Hindu organization which describes itself as Guru Nanak National Forum has circulated a”*black list” of 100 Sikhs who are being dubbed as “sympathizers” and “supporters” has called upon Law in their own hands “if the authorities do not act” against Sikhs,

Meanwhile, leading Sikh groups have formed a Sikh Sangharash Samiti to protest against police atrocities against Sikhs, staging of fake encounters against the Sikh youths of Terai and arrests of countless Sikhs under the anti-terrorist law. Those arrested include Giani Harinder Singh whom no one can accuse of being a sympathizer of Sikhs. There is great resentment among common Sikhs against the B.L.P. government and its police force, The Sikhs feel that the attitude of the Congress (D), Samajani Janata Paty and the Janata Dal is no different from the BJP.

The anti-Sikh phobia as crossed all Limits. Rumors against Sikhs ate the order of day. The administration is firmly on the side of Hindu fundamentalists, There is great tension in the air and at any time attacks on Sikhs could star, The atmosphere has been vitiated to much that the administration issued orders to stop work on a bridge over the Kanaut river near

Shahjahan pur Pilibhit   border, The work was started by the villagers on a voluntary basis. Since the beneficiaries of the wholly private effort are Sikhs, the Hindu fundamentalists stared rumors that the project has been undertaken by Sikh militants. Initially, the local BP. legislator Frashuram Ganga wrote a letter on December

29 praising villagers for voluntary efforts ABP. Minister Ram Sa ran Verma directed the District Magistrate i cooperate with the villagers, He described the bride building as a monument of national unity.” After six months, the state government ordered that the work be stopped. The sub divisional magistrate sent a crisp note to the organizers to stop the work as it was without authorization.”

This sudden change in the state government’s altitude reportedly came about in the wake of rumors that the project had been started by militants, The government or its local officers never verified the rumors. Most people are wondering as 1 how the militants would gain from the bridge. The state government’s attitude clearly shows that it neither undertakes any development activity in the Sikh dominated region on its own nor does it allow  any voluntary effort to be made by them to improve their It. It also shows that Hindu fundamentalists are by anti-Sikh phobia which is a strong as is the Babri masjid issue.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 24, 1992