Dear Sir,
I do not understand why India is raising the issue of Pakistan Nuclear development. Pakistan has every right to continue with its Nuclear Program of developing even weapons if necessary.
Pakistan has been a victim of two wars which were initiated by the Indian Government; the plans for the third war in the making were fortunately exposed last year. India with its Russian partner is all out to choke Pakistan and threaten its freedom. Knowing the crooked past of India all Nations of the world should extend full support to the efforts of Pakistan in its endeavor. I would not worry about the Indian indigestion in this matter.
Sincerely,
Hajit S. Bala
Dear Editor,
“World Sikh News” is a remarkable effort and in this publication there is hope that the Sikhs will have their press to propagate their cause.
There appeared two articles in The Los Angeles Times about the Sikhs recently. I wrote a letter to the editor and it might appear in that paper. If you consider it worthwhile you can also publish it in your Letters to the Editor section.
“Dear Editor,
“The recent article in your paper about the Sikhs dated April 12, 1985 by Ron Tempest, gives an objective review of the long standing problem. The plight of the Sikhs in India today is deplorable. The whole state of the Punjab is under virtual seize by 300,000 Indian troops in addition to paramilitary forces. There are still shoot at sight orders in the Punjab. The atrocities that Indian troops have committed and are committing are a shame to the name of democracy in India. There are thousands of widows and orphans who have taken shelter in the Sikh temples in the Punjab and New Delhi. There are 1700 women in Delhi only whose husbands have been selectively murdered. There are 10,000 shoes lying in the Golden Temple complex which are unclaimed and are a bitter reminder to the number of people massacred at the Golden Temple by the Indian Army.
“There are about 5,000 youth still being held in the special concentration camps. The manner, the youth are rounded up is a grim reminder to previous historical tragedies. The army and police go in villages and any Sikh who is baptized i.e. Khalsa or anyone else, who appears to be religious, is arrested and sent to a concentration camp without informing the family. To further describe the misconduct of the Indian Army, the village after village is rounded up, all the villagers are taken out and tied up and beaten and soldiers go to their houses, loot all the valuables and shoot anyone who raises his voice.
“Above all this is being done under strict press censorship. All the local newspapers are censored. No foreign reporter is allowed to visit the Punjab. I fail to understand if government has nothing to hide then why press banned. The fact is that human rights for the citizens of the Punjab are virtually nonexistent. The greatest patriots the Sikhs are suspected and are under the guns of those who depend on the work of the sikhs for Hale food. During their holy festival of Baisakhi, the troops were posted on the rooftops. Even in the same country, you require a special permit to visit Punjab. What happened after the death of Indira Gandhi shows the insecure position of the Sikhs in communal Hindu India and exposes the hypocrisy of Rajiv Gandhi who failed to protect the Sikhs.
“The book, ‘Who is Guilty’ written by Hindu’s of People’s Union for Civil Liberties and People’s Union for Democratic Rights, exactly pinpoints the blame on the Indian government and its agencies of police and the army. Highly placed Congress leaders and Cabinet rank members were involved in the organized carnage of the Sikhs. The systematic approach and the uniformity of the destruction show the organization behind the rioting. Further India was not perturbed over the death of Indira Gandhi more than the death of Mahatma Gandhi. There was no rioting at that time and no wrath was taken against the community of the assassin in 1948.
“Furthermore, the Sikhs wanted more rights for the states in India like states have in U.S.A. The Sikhs were supported in these moves by nine other southern states. But real tragedy is that Indira Gandhi branded this social, economic and political problem of the Punjab into a communal demand of the Sikhs. She compounded the whole problem and did not seek any political solution in the right earnest. She wanted to show herself as the Savior of the Hindus to gain votes in December, 1984 elections at the cost of the unity of the country.
“At present the Sikhs are hurt beyond repairs and are completely alienated. All the Sikhs are expressing it by wearing Saffron clothes expressing their willingness for Sacrifice to achieve their present goal of Khalistan —where the secular democracy can ensure safety of culture, religion and property of the Sikh and all other residents.
Our model government will be that of the USA.
Sincerely, Amrit Singh, M.D,
Article extracted from this publication >> May 17, 1985
