DEAR EDITOR:
I have read reports and comments on the persecution of Sikhs in India by U.S. Congressmen and other public figures, in various newspapers. I feel that the facts are not being correctly reported to the Congressmen and the media by some enthusiastic Sikhs. In their attempt to draw the public attention and concern some people tend to exaggerate and distort facts. For instance, a Congressman in recording his comments in the Congressional records mentioned that 20,000 Sikhs were killed in November 1984 in Delhi alone, whereas, the actual number was 10,000. Against the official figure of about 3,000. Now another Congressman has put the figure of those killed in Bidar at 60 whereas the actual number is 7 killed and 60 injured.
I believe that such tactics would in the long run recoil on the credibility of the Sikh community here; a brutal killing need not necessarily be on a mass scale to arouse the concern of the international community. Persecution of a single individual is revolting enough for any freedom loving person.
It would be in our interest to feed only the well documented facts,
Himmat Singh Orange County, CA
Article extracted from this publication >> October 28, 1988
