The article by Prem Shanker Jha in India Abroad, dated May 22nd is nothing but distortion of historic facts. Let us set the record straight.
- “No one forced Punjab where Sikhs are in majority to join with the Indian Union.” It is a historic fact that Sikhs were wooed and persuaded by the leaders of India to join India, The resolutions of all India National Congress, the statements of Jawahar Lal Nehru, the writings of the Father of India Mahatma Gandhi are the proof of the promises made to Sikhs by which Sikhs were to enjoy glory of freedom in the north of India. Mahatma Gandhi further said that Sikhs will be entitled to the use of sword if the promises are broken and they are betrayed or;
- “In the U.S., a man who opens fire on a mob would be called a lunatic and hunted down, SWAT troops would come and surround the building in which they finally trap him and if he does not walk out, they would probably riddle it with bullets.”
Can Mr. Jha quote a single example in U.S. history where a trial was not held and the man was shot dead? Sucha scenario was possible during the pre-civilized era or is possible in India where young Sikh or Kashmiri Boys are arrested without any charge and without registering the case, and then killed in a fake encounter.
It is in India that convicted murderers and killers are recruited by the government into murder squads to kill both Hindus and Sikhs and blame the Militants. To look real, these members are dressed like militants. (This information is from a news item published in New York Times.)
Can Mr. Jha name one law comparibic to TADA N.S.A. J&K Public Safety Act, the Armed Forces Special Power Act, the Armed Forces J&K Special Powers Act. The introduction of justice in India Act. (The House Resolutions 2, 3, 4) in the U.S, House of Representative clearly shows how Americans fee] about violation of human rights in India,
Let us compare the L.A. riots with November 1984 riots in India. Here in the U.S., the government wasted no time to take action and spared no expense to provide the healing touch. But, in India, during November 1984 riots, the government of India participated in massacre of Sikhs. The horrible stories reported by human rights groups are hair raising. The Sikhs were not only killed ruthlessly, but were burnt alive. Their women were gang raped, Burning tires were put around the necks of innocent children and the barbarians called it a disco dance. The present prime minister was then Home Minister, He took no action for three days. What talk of the healing touch, even two minutes silence was too much for them.
3.” The religious wars that shaped Europe, the brutal suppression of ad Kurds, Amentias and Jews and no parallel in India.”
Jha could say that because he belongs to the ruling class. It is only the wearer who knows where the shoe pinches, Minorities in India— Sikhs, Muslims, Christians and Dalits are not only discriminated against but are being systematically eliminated. Sikhs, Muslims and Christians believe in ONE GOD, and brotherhood of MAN. This is their only crime, The ruling class Brahmins believe in multitude of gods and goddesses and believe in inequality of men. They are staunch followers of caste system and they take these minorities as threat to their faith. Hence, they planned theirs elimination or conversion. Christian missionaries were asked to quit India, Muslim mosques are being demolished (Babri Masjid is the most recent example). The operation Blue Star is another recent example of their intentions. Very recently, Muslims were killed in Meerut riots and Sikhs in November 1984 riots. Sikhs have army-agriculture and transport as the most favored profession, In the Army, their number has been drastically reduced. Agriculture has been made nonproductive by taking Punjab water to other states and fixing the price of agri-products below cost. The transport has been nationalized,
Punjab, where the Sikhs are in majority, is being robbed of its water—hydropower and its capital. They are not allowed to appeal in the Supreme Court against this high handedness.
Punjab is denied the permission (license) to start any big industry on the flimsy excuse of being a border state.
Can Mr. Jha tell us why the Sikh Museum was destroyed onJune9, 1984, after operation Blue Star?
- “Above all, the militants do not have a convincing explanation as to why they have chosen armed rebellion over the electoral system to achieve their ends.” Basically everyone in India is of religion conscience, Hindus, who are 85 percent, form the real vote bank. No political party worth the name can dare to antagonize them. Babri Masjid and operation Blue Star are the glaring examples of how far parties can go. V.P. Singh tried to help the biggest minority Dalits and he lost badly. The B.J.P. fought the election on demolition of Babri Masjid and won in U.P. In such a situation, the electoral system cannot help the minorities to achieve their ends.
Again in India, all the power rests with the union government. State governments have no role in any policy making. Even in agriculture, education and industry all the policy decisions are taken by the union government, A state government can be dismissed at will. Punjab ministry has been dismissed fourteen times. A mayor of a town in U.S, has more powers than the chief minister of a state of what use is being elected to such a body. ,
Can Mr, Jha and his Correligiousits agree to a referendum in Punjab and Kashmir?
Sikhs abhor violence, Sikh history is a witness to it, The Nankana Sahib episode, Jallianwala Bagh, Jaito Kamorcha and Morchas of Guruka Bagh, Panja Sahib, and Punjabi Suba are the few of the many examples of their implicit fait in nonviolence, The Sikh nation watched the judicial system fail in India when murderers of 13 Sikhs in 1978 were set free. Sikhs launched a peaceful agitation in 1980 called the Dharam Yudh Morcha. Thousands of Sikh men and women courted arrests. To suppress the agitation, the government of India let loose the congress youth workers who physically beat them and hurled humiliating abuses.
The Sikhs planned a peaceful demonstration in Delhi. Every person who had a turban on his head was taken out of the bus or train and was beaten and humiliated. When this could not subdue the spirit of the Sikhs, operation Blue Star was executed. Punjab’s borders were sealed and foreign and Indian correspondents were driven out so as to hide the heinous crimes. The Golden Temple and 34 other Sikh shrines were attacked with armored cars and tanks, Operation Blue Star clinched the issue. Sikhs were left with no choice. In 1985, they held a Sarbat Khalsa and with heavy heart declared the armed struggle to achieve complete independence from Indian slavery.
Our guru has said, “When all the peaceful means fail, it is rightful to take up the sword. To find the truth, an inquiry by international jurists of known integrity should be held. Can Mr. Jha or government of India accept this challenge?
Article extracted from this publication >> June 10, 1994
