Instead of coolly thinking about the long term consequences of the Sikh sponsored boycott of the Punjab election, Indias behaving as if Sikhs do not exist. The Beant Singh ministry which represents a bare 10% of Punjab’s population is being projected as a “popular government.” So much so a British team headed by Mark Lenne Boyd, British Parliamentary undersecretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, had a well-publicized meeting with the chief minister last week to hand legitimacy to his Hindu supported regime in the same way as a Canadian team of parliamentarians had met /Amarinder Singh on the eve of the February election. These meetings are exercises in international diplomacy by the Indian state to be little the political message of the Sikh boycott of India. The British and the Canadian representative’s diplomatic forays into Punjab expose either their ignorance of Punjab or active connivance of the Indian states designs. Encouraged by his ill-advised western support, India is going ahead reportedly with plans to announce some sort of a so called package even as thousands of Sikh activists, including Akali leaders, remain locked up in jails. No such “package” will help. The proposed transfer of Chandigarh to Punjabis not much an issue. The main issue is the future of Punjab along with its natural resource savior, Is India willing to respect the view of the Sikhs that they want separate, independent state of Khalistan along with its natural wealth water? Punjab and India for that matter will ever remain in turmoil if India refuses to discuss modalities of the creation of Khalistan (long with its wealth water) It is in Indias own interests that it follows a sensible course in Punjab just as the British did on the eve of Indias independence by voluntarily and peacefully transferring power to Sikhs in Khalistan, No amount of deceptive “package” will do the trick. This message has clearly to be understood by India’s new masters whosoever they may be.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 20, 1992
