Dear Editor:
We deeply appreciate your Page story about the trial of S. Sukhminder Singh Sandhu and Sardar Ranjit Singh Gill, Sentiments and support for them is wide spread amongst Sikhs of U.S.A. and the financial contributions were made by Sikhs for their defense. While such support will be forthcoming from Sikhs, we hope the World Sikh News will keep their cause on the front page and in full in contrast to Dr. Gurcharan Singh Dhillon’s letter to the editor where he had made statements against Dr. Aulakh of the Khalistan Council. It is very frustrating for us to see the familiar element of unproductive criticism amongst Sikh leaders. Only our enemies can benefit from these negative public statements.
Dr. Aulakh has initiated efforts to assist Sardars Gill and Sukhminder in other ways. We recognize Dr. Gurmeet Singh Aulakh’s efforts in the field of public relations and committee who have appointed him to the Khalistan Council, recognizing his efforts. We would request others who want to serve the Sikh cause to assist him. This is possible only if a soul searching is attempted by all these who want to lead us. They should probably take a crash course in communications and sociopolitical behavior. Dr. Dhillon would contribute a lot more to the Sikh cause by opening a dialogue with Dr. Aulakh rather than rushing to the newspaper for credit grabbing. Dr. Aulakh should also encourage such a dialogue with others. Sikhs in India and elsewhere continue to suffer from dearth of good leaders. The followers have a wide spectrum of different political and religious convictions which make it rather difficult to accomplish much. The problem of Sikh leadership is so vast that it needs help at all levels and in all forms. May we suggest to the editor of the World Sikh News, the newspaper which is well poised to serve the Sikhs in America and Canada, to begin by making some ground rules for accepting material for publication that fosters good leaders and discourage division amongst the Sikhs. To those who truely want to serve the Sikh nation, we request that they go through a training programme to learn the science and art of leading. The money would then flow generously from the Sikhs at large who have never been found to be lacking to do their part to put upa fight against suppression of human rights from dearth of good leaders. The followers have a wide spectrum of different political and religious convictions which make it rather difficult to accomplish much. The problem of Sikh leadership is so vast that it needs help at all levels and in all forms. May we suggest to the editor of the World Sikh News, the newspaper which is well poised to serve the Sikhs in America and Canada, to begin by making some ground rules for accepting material for publication that fosters good leaders and discourage division amongst the Sikhs. To those who truly want to serve the Sikh nation, we request that they go through a training program to learn the science and art of leading. The money would then flow generously from the Sikhs at large who have never been found to be lacking to do their part to put up a fight against suppression of human rights and Justice for the common man.
Dr. Jasbir Singh Mann Surinder Singh Kahlon Opjit Singh Ghuman Dr. Parvinder Singh Wadhwa Dr.Sohan Singh Sahota Dr. Piara Singh dagishwar Singh Grewal Darshan Singh
Dear Editor:
I want to congratulate the organizers of the free food distribution in New York as per the news in your last issue. Similar commendable services have been arranged by other societies in Chicago, Canada and elsewhere. Undoubtedly these events do help us in following the footsteps of our Gurus and improve our image. I will suggest that we should go one step further. We should make these charity programs more permanent, because we do not feel hungry on Guru Gobind Singh’s birthday or Christmas or Thanksgiving days only, we need food every day. Our Gurus also did not arrange free langar on Diwali or Vaisakhi days only, they made arrangements that any needy traveller or any hungry person could have free food and shelter any day he needed.
This concept has already been put into practice in Topeka (and perhaps other places as well). In Topeka, an arrangement was made with the local social service agency and a fast food chain so that any hungry person could approach this agency any day for a food coupon worth about #3.00 and redeem it at the restaurant for the food he needed. This arrangement brought so much good publicity to the Sikhs that even local Americans came forward to share in this venture. With cooperation from the people like these another charitable project of providing free medicine to the needy persons was put into effect (as already reported in your paper). This event was covered by all the three — local TY channels and the local newspaper. The immediate result was that the pharmacy which was contacted for providing these medicines not only agreed to supply these at cost but also pledged to match the cost dollar for a dollar. The net result is that with only $50.00 per month commitment from the Sikhs, $500 worth of medical aid is available to the needy persons every month at least for a year. The appreciation and compliments from all the local community have been so frequent and so profound that one bows his head in humility to Waheguru. I will humbly suggest that Sikh organizations and individuals should seriously consider institution of similar permanent programs in their communities which in my judgment is a sure way to have blessings from our Gurus and improving the Sikh image.
Daljit Singh Jawa Topeka, Ks.
Dear Editor:
The Democratic and Republican primary elections are in full swing. In the months ahead the two political parties will hold their national conventions to select their national conventions to select their nominees for election of U.S. President.
I am suggesting that the Sikhs residing in the United States should gather (over two thousand people) in a Midwestern city, possibly, Chicago and invite the nominees of both parties to address this Sikh gathering. This presents a golden opportunity for the Sikhs to enhance their image. Details of the meeting place, platform and program can be worked out in the near future.
This letter is presented as a feeler to test the genuine interest and commitment to this idea. I, therefore, humbly request that the interested individuals contact me as soon as possible but no later than April 13, 1988.
Many Sikhs from the Chicago area, when presented with the idea, were quite enthused but much depends on the rest of the Sikhs. A good response will encourage us to proceed with the formation of a committee to discuss the details.
I look forward to hearing from those who wish to improve the image of the Sikhs in and around this country.
Balwant S. Hansra Chicago,I I.
Dear Editor:
Addressing a mass contact meeting at Gakhal Village near Jullundur, Mr. Yash, a former Congress Minister said, “The Akalis never participated in the freedom struggle and supported the British” (The Tribune, Chandigarh, Dec. 30, 1987).
Nothing can be farther from the truth. Mr. Yash’s lie can be nailed by Mahatama Gandhi’s telegram to Veteran Akali leader late Baba Kharak Singh in which he said, “The first decisive battle of India’s freedom won”.
It may be recalled that this event marked the successful culmination of Sikhs’ fight against the British. This fight started from Nankana Sahib Morcha to Golden Temple keys including Guru Ka Bagh and Jaitu da Morcha. I wonder what are Mr. Yash’s basis to say that Sikhs supported the British.
The Akali contribution to India’s freedom movement was recognized by one and all including famous Arya Samaj leader Lala Lajpat Rai by Muslim writers like Syed Habib. The following couplets were very popular in the 1920s.
Amarjit Singh Buttar Vernon, Ct.
Dear Editor
WHO IS THE BIGGEST TERRORIST IN INDIA TODAY?
WITH reference to Mr. Venkataraman, the President of India’s broadcast on the eve of the Republic Day, his regrets over communal violence and cult of “terrorism”, now prevailing in India, is very much justified. He has very correctly rooted the cause of the Terrorism in “fundamentalism” and “communalism”, leading to the cowardly attacks on poor and innocent citizens, who often have nothing to do with the real issue. But, 1 am afraid, he has omitted to identify as to who the terrorists are. Are those handful of so called militants the terrorists, who supposedly demonstrate violence, all other nonviolent democratic means having failed, to shake up the government from their slumber to redress their grievances, and kill some perpetrators of repression here and there, so that the authorities may appreciate the urgency of the problem; or the Government who with full-fledged military at its disposal launched an unprecedented attack on the Sikhs’ holiest shrine, injuring sentiments of the entire community massacred thousands of innocent Sikhs, young and old, women and children visiting the Golden Temple as pilgrims on Guru Arjan Dev’s Martyrdom Day who engineered carnage of Sikhs, killing thousands of Sikhs, without mercy and reason, subsequent to the murder of Indira Gandhi, not to the murder of Indira Gandhi, not to mention countless cases of rape, arson and loot besides thousands of those rotting behind bars, without trial who mounted massive military attack, killing thousands of innocent Muslims in Meerut (UP), or who indulge in fake police encounter on Indo Pak border, in utter disregard of basic human rights and in violation of all commons of Law and Justice, with-out trial and record. Maybe Sikhs and Muslims tend to be “terrorists” as defined by the President, out of anger and vengeance; but by the same token, who are the bigger terrorists?
The government or the public?’ Who initiated the terrorism and who is responsible for the shamble? Who are the real terrorists —— the poor helpless public or the mighty government resorting to unscrupulous corruption, favoritism, nepotism, bribe and kick bakes, let alone murdering and plundering of innocent jaanta? While the government seemingly is in no mood yet to yield to honest and fair play, in order to solve the problem, she is continuously sacrificing Secularism at the altar of “fundamentalism” and communalism, under the protection of Presidential Rule, Army Rule, and so on. The public naturally loses confidence in the government, gradually and resorts to “nonviolent” activities, to voice their grievances and to express their anger and dissatisfaction. The area of terrorism, thus, keeps on escalating, affecting the lives of more and more people.
Narendra Singh
Dear Editor:
SUBJECT — DOT BUSTERS
RECENTLY in New Jersey, a group of hooligans emerged under the name of “Dot Busters”. It was reported that this group was responsible for unpro. Voked attacks on peace loving yet industrious hardworking Indian community settled there. The rea son for these attacks was attributed to the economic success of this community in a relatively short period of time. Whereas the Indian community deserves to be congratulated for this, these attacks de serve to be condemned by all sections of fair-minded people. Appropriate steps should be taken at each and every level to nip this evil in the bud before it raises its ugly head somewhere else in the United States.
Is not this precisely the reason why Sikh community in India is also the target of majority community’s latent and blatant attacks ‘on the minorities? The Sikh community in India by dent of its sheer drive hard work established itself in national mainstream as leaders in agriculture (Punjab U.P. Rajastan) industry (Punjab Delhi U.P. Bihar) transport (Delhi Bengal. Mahrashta education sports etc. Their success w viewed as a threat by the majority community to its wellbeing. Through its hold on India’s national government, it caused all kinds of restrictions, i.e., ceilings in land holdings, nationalization of transport, quotas and permits to open new industry, denial to open engineering and medical colleges, in order not only to economically strangle the Sikhs but even physically liquidate them. A perfect example of this is November, – 1984, riots in Delhi and other places in India which established how the majority community intoxicated with power treated this hard working minority.
It is about time the members of India’s majority community who find themselves in a minority in United States realized the predicament of India’s Sikh community. It is these economically choking Circumstances which initially led to the drafting. Passage and acceptance of the famous Anandpur Sahib resolution by the Sikhs in 1970s. lts non-implementation by Government followed by Operation Blue and other draconian laws and the Operation. Wood rose have now Driven the Sikhs to call for the establishment of Khalistan in 1980s. It is destined to become a reality very soon.
Amarjit S. Buttar
Article extracted from this publication >> February 19, 1988
