Open Letter

Dear Ramandeep Kaur Ji,

The Hostess of “Dhur Ki Bani” program

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

You being a young Canadian bom Sikh, I consider you an innocent, clear minded young person, unspoiled by the wicked jealousies of the older generation that is inflicting grievous harm to the Sikh cause at this crucial time in Sikh History. This self-destructive behavior of many members of our community is regrettable, but we can only hope and pray that Almighty Waheguru give them understanding to control their egoistic deeds that harm the Sikh cause.

I am writing this letter to you to explain to you that your announcements in the opening sentences of the “Dhur Ki Bani” program broadcast on June 11, 1994, showing the protest march at Parliament Hill onJune4, 1994, were incorrect and unbecoming of the “Dhur Ki Bani” program.

The opening lines that I heard on this program were: I would like to explain to you that there were only five WSO members (Ajit Singh Sahota, Harjit Singh Hothi, life member of WSO and President of Ottawa Sikh Society, Manjit Singh Sandhu, Jaspal Singh Paneser, and Mohinder Singh Gidha) who would have to be in the WSO International Convention in Toronto, that was already planned in November, 1993. This was one of the several programs that were planned to commemorate Saka Akal Takhar Sahib. There Were more than 70 other WSO members and their families in Ottawa that took very active part in the protest march on Parliament Hill on June 4, 1994, Several WSO members from Toronto, Montreal and other areas also took part in this protest march, The conspicuous Kesni banner “Sikhs for an Independent Sovereign Nation Khalistan” and Several (more than 20) other posters depicting human Rights violation of Sikhs were specifically.

Supplied by me from the WSO office in Ottawa. I specifically instructed my children Tegh Singh and Deep Kaur to carry these, banners and placards to participate in this march. They collaborated with all the young sons and daughters of WSO members from Ottawa, along with their Close friends from Sikh Resource Center, and marched peacefully in this protest. The families of five persons who went to Toronto for WSO International Convention (not dinner), and several other families who are life members of WSO, not only took part in the protest march, but also helped in Preparing and serving Langar to the Sangat at Gurdwara Sahib, The list of all the WSO members (more than 250) who took part, can be examined at WSO office, Among the speakers that you showed on this program, Dr. S. Singh Batth (a life member of the WSO) and Dr. Inderjit. S. Sambi, were both WSO executive members in the previous years. The third speaker Kiran Kaur Bhinder, her whole family is a member and supporter of WSO. Since 1984 it was WSO members who got the road name changed to Gurdwara Road in Ottawa. The plaque in front of the Gurdwara Sahib dedicated to the Martyrs of Khalistan and all the photographs of the Martyrs of Khalistan on both floors of the Langar Hall were all prepared and installed by the WSO members in Ottawa, The Gurdwaras managed by Ottawa Sikh Society and Ontario Khalsa Darbar are life members of the WSO and supported this Protest march financially, it is very sad that you have to falsely announce that WSO did not participate in this march.

If you scrutinize the activities of WSO in Toronto and Ottawa on 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th of June 1994, and compare with the expenses incurred and results obtained for the Sikh cause and human rights, you will be convinced that WSO has done the type of things that need to be supported by us all. We at WSO and OSS were all for holding the demonstration on Parliament Hill, but from the community not Just three persons who controlled everything including the messages and speakers in this event. In this case the Ontario Gurdwara Committee did not play responsible role, all people know very well thar there were not more than 1000 people who participated in this protest march. Why it was necessary to exaggerate the figure to 5000 is really beyond our comprehension, particularly on the “Dhur Ki Bani” program.

 

We know it very well that this Protest march was stubbly arranged) and controlled by only one person, and two of her associates. These people have done a great deal of harm to Sikh interests since 1979 and were barred from membership of the OSS and the WSO. They are notorious for their anti-Sikh and anti-WSO activities for the last 10 years. Even when the time and date for this march was discussed, it was evident that they are not interested in protesting the human rights violations of Sikhs, but their sole aim was to defame WSO, In spite of all the requests from OSS executives and community at large, just one person decided upon the date and published a full page advertisement for the protest, in Chardikala, Then they Started consulting local Gurdwaras, committees, etc. and blackmailed them into this egoistic show called “demonstration on Parliament Hill.” These are the people, who opposed WSO from its very inception in 1984, and recently tried to sabot are one of our important projects by writing lies in the Ethnic Press. “Dhur Ki Bani” is Sachi Bani, Amrit Bani. If any program named on Gurbani tells lies and tries to distort the truth it will be doing a great deal of injustice to the Gurbani and Sikh cause. This Gurbani tell us and it also tell us Dhur Ki Bani (T,V.) is a member of the recently formed Sikh Media Association whose vice-president is Sardar Beant Singh Ji, L would like to bring to your attention, articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Sikh Media Association, published on page3 of World Sikh News of June 10, 1994, and humbly request that Corrections to the opening statements of Dhur Ki Bani program of 11 June be made on the basis of factual information, I myself, and the Ottawa Sikh Society Committee are prepared to ‘Supply to you all the factual information that you may need in this regard.

Surinder Kaur Member, Ottawa Sikh Society

 Nepean, ont Canada

c.c, Ontario Gurdwara Comity

and Sikh Media Association members.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 8, 1994