The Yuba City function to commemorate the coronation of the Guru Granth Sahib was an uplifting and exhilarating experience for the 20,000 Sikhs gathered there. It reinforced the impression that was such a gathering allowed in Indian held Punjab it would gladden the hearts of all Sikhs. Freedom would have been achieved as no Indian govt will allow even a peaceful gathering of Sikhs. Many felt the congregation was like a Sarbat Khalsa that is the writing on the wall which Indi: refuses to acknowledge. Sikhs will not rest until they achieve independence. And when the single resolution to continue the struggle for a sovereign Sikh homeland was read out 20,000 voices rose as one in a roar of Khalistan Zindabad!

The Sikh struggle for independence is alive, well and gaining every day. The corrupt and defunct government of Delhi is cutting its own nose in spending millions in suppressing insurgencies on all borders. It should be a matter for great shame for the repressive Indian govt that two US law makers should join in the condemnation of its terrible human rights record.

The freedom this great country allows its people will never cease to amaze those of us who have lived in India. Even as we celebrated the Gurgaddi divas here, Sikhs were not allowed to attend prayer service in the memory of our hero and martyr Bhai Beant Singh in the holiest of our shrines. Instead people were asked to attend the official functions in memory of Indira Gandhi who responsible for starting the genocide of the Sikhs in 1978. She ordered the attack on the Holy Harmandir Sahib in 1984. Thousands of Sikh pilgrims died in the barbaric assault and scores of Guru Granth Sahibs were desecrated, shot at and burnt.

It was a sad reflection that while the Guru Gaddi diwas is celebrated with such enthusiasm a demonstration to protest against the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib is largely ignored by our community.

One demonstration, just one, with 20,000 Sikhs outside the UN or the US Congress will awaken the conscience of the world to the terrible plight of our people in our homeland, We can do it. We must do it unless we are willing to divest ourselves of our roots a magnificent tradition, heritage, history and home

Article extracted from this publication >> November 8, 1991