Dear Editor,

Recently, a friend of mine asked me to read “Viewpoint; A Time For Reconciliation” by Khushwant Singh, published in News India, May 20, 1988. After an in-depth reading and analysis, I concluded this viewpoint was way out of focus with the given title. It was hopelessly irrational. Those of us who have watched Khushwant Singh over the last few years, this pathetic showing was hardly a surprise. The readers should know a bit more of this man. I shall concentrate and limit my comments to what Khushwant told others in times of crisis:

  1. In mid-seventies, during Emergency Rule, the criminal activities of Sanjay Gandhi against poor Hindus, Moslems and Sikhs was no secret. Naturally, good minds were questioning and showing their dislike for this Prince-Sanjay. Our own Khushwant, while trying to support the Prince, made a statement saying, “How can he be a bad man? The poor boy doesn’t even drink tea!” Just like that.
  2. After her triumphant return to power, Mrs., Gandhi personally awarded Khushwant for remaining a loyal, obedient servant during the bad times. The award was, guess what, — the Editorship of something called Hindustan Times. There goes out of the window the hollow dream of free Indian Press.
  3. The Akali government gained momentum. Our Khushwant felt those Sikhs demands were genuine and constitutional. But, events took an ugly turn, leading to GoIden Temple attack. At this moment, on ABC News, Khushwant condemned the military attack, coupled with threatening notes to the Government of India.
  4. After the Deity of darkness — Indira Gandhi was herself assassinated, her Hindus were outraged. Large Hindu masses with State behind them, started relentless attacks on Sikhs. One group of them found its way to Khushwant’s house. As fate had it, our “hero” narrowly escaped death. At this proper timing, again on ABC News, he stated “now they are holding 13 million of us as hostages…if killing continues soon this nation will again partition…” the word “they” clearly meant those brutal Hindu masses, and their government. Let there be no doubt about it, And since taking hostages is generally the business of terrorists, our “hero” was right on the point. This terrible experience finally made him the plight of Jews in Nazi Germany! What a realization and an experience, however short lived. Unless I have become unobservant, the “terrorist” nature of those Khushwant’s enemies has not changed to date. Probably it got worse. But, then, our “hero’s” “inner nature” changed. Now, the “terrorist guards” are protecting his house, just in case, “a fellow Sikh” strikes, Jews were intelligent enough to smell their future. But Khuswant and his groupings have actually regressed probably to the point of no return. Friends tell me now our hero has found another master, or at least trying to please this time Princely King Rajiv. Now, you can see why I am reluctant to accept lessons from this highly compromised soul.

At this point, let me tum to his compromised “Viewpoint”. Khushwant Singh describes his reasons to travel overseas, also to include the sorry state of India’s academic community (intentionally not mentioned is the horrible state of the political and journalistic community). After describing the western settled Sikh community (in case we didn’t know), spends a whole lot of waste effort in trying to analyze their activities, also, to include what he labels terrorism type. Mind you, this is all done by brief halts in London, Ottawa, and three months stay in Washington, D.C. (mostly at the library, if you can believe it) This is truly a remarkable performance! It seems that all this time he was spoon fed by Indian Officials. Then, he meets Ganga Singh Dhillon. After striking a low blow to him, he questions wisdom of a name “GANGA.” Well, Mr. Khushwant Singh, if you feel Mr. Dhillon is polluting the holy waters of Ganga, you can purify it just take a dip into it by yourself. That will be a marvelous feat to get purified by a meltdown from the sewer system of India, I am pretty sure, that will work on you and you need it badly. Next time when you come to North America for another yourself in person to Mr. Dhillon and let him look and feel your purified body. Maybe, there is some revelation in store for Mr. Dhillon. Then, our “hero” tells us Dr. Aulakh as “a person of caliber,” but, issuing propaganda material concerning with violation of human rights in India. This statement is a prime example of vagueness and possibly even instant self-contradiction. Just read more of ‘our hero, you will find plenty more there in his written books and other writings. In the last few paragraphs, Khushwant elaborates three points (just like mantras) that will put us and the Indian embassies on the proper path to reconciliation. This is all baloney.

He says, “Hardly any Sikhs are seen at Embassy receptions.” I ask what ever happened to those quite a few Sikhs who were always there as proud members of Indian Diplomatic Corp. Khushwant was appalled to hear what the church radio station said about the Sikhs. I can bet you our hero hardly did anything to correct such misgivings. I would have certainly contacted that radio station to present counterviews supported by facts. Finally, he narrates a silly incident that happened to a “Sikh wife of a senior diplomat (probably married to a Hindu).” That was no reason to be speechless with shame. A fitting reply at that very moment was more appropriate than moping around later on. For that endeavor, very few Indians possess such talents.

In conclusion, Mr. Khushwant Singh needs to grow, and then only, we can reasonably expect a better job from him. Despising consistency, and never checking his own earlier statements, this so known famous Sikh has certainly fooled Indians, many of whom are perfectly content with their peaceful state of ignorance,

G.B. Singh Fort Gordon, GA.

MASSACRE OF THE SIKH STUDENTS IN KARNATAKA STATE

Dear Editor,

The massacre of the seven Sikh students and injuring more than 70 others of the Guru Nanak Engineering Institute, Bidar, Karnataka (in the second week of Sept. 88), by the Hindu mobs is indicative of State-Sponsored terrorism. It leaves no doubt in my mind that it had the blessing of the administration. Further, the silence maintained by the leaders of all major political parties on this matter and a total black-out of this news for four days following the above incident exercised by the All India Radio and television stations (state controlled agencies), and screening of the news by the Indian newspapers provided ample evidence that (i) the Sikhs have no place in the so-called largest democracy and secular nation of the world; (ii) the Government of (Hindu) India has failed to provide adequate protection and safeguards to the minority Sikh community; (iii) the Government of (Hindu) India, e., is involved deeply and heavily in the systematic extermination, persecution, and execution of the hard working, peace loving, law abiding, innocent Sikhs of the Punjab state in particular, and other ethnic communities as well; (iv) the administration has failed to secure the trust of the Sikhs of Punjab; (y) it was Rajiv Gandhi who said that the blood should be avenged with blood, and let us teach these ‘bastards’ (the Sikhs) a lesson before he left Calcutta for New Delhi in 1984. In lieu of this, the Punjab problem, created by the Government of India since 1947 and thereafter fueled by other fanatic Hindu leaders, such as the Kashmiri Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Govind Vallabh Pant, Indira Gandhi, GuIzarilal Nanda, H.K.L. Bhagat, Jagdish Tytler and sycophants like Buta Singh, Darbara Singh, Zail Singh, Khushwant Singh (he so called moderate Sikh), etc., is no longer an ‘internal’, problem of India. In fact, it is an ‘international’ problem as none of the Sikh leaders, including S. Hukam Singh, of early 1940’s or post-independence era of the Hindu India is signatory to the constitution of the Republic of India adopted on 26th January 1950.

Indian administration to date has failed to prosecute those who organized the massacre of the Sikhs in 1984, has been terrorizing the Sikhs of Punjab since the Operation Bluestar of June 1984, and I do not think that the Hindu mobs which killed and terrorized the Sikh students will ever face a judicial enquiry and trial, as they carried out their work with the blessing of the administration.

Rajiv Gandhi’s policies are not any different than those of South Africa, which India critizes in the United Nations and elsewhere. What a hypocrisy! The present incident is one more nail in the coffin of Hindu India.

Awatar Singh Sekhon, Ph.D., CLD, F.LB.A.

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Article extracted from this publication >> October 21, 1988