Dear Editor:

The recent happenings in India, the bombings of buses and railway stations, resulting in the ‘deaths of scores of innocent people, including women and children, is something nobody would be proud of. The blame for this unfortunate occurrence is being given to the Sikhs and over one thousands of them have been apprehended so far.

Ever since the beginning of Sikh history, Sikhs have been made victims of persecution time and again by the rulers of the period. However, never have they resorted to such an act of cowardice as indiscriminate killing of innocents (including women and children). It is therefore my belief that in spite of savage acts of a few months ago in which several thousand Sikhs were mercilessly burnt alive and killed, and no perpetrators of these gory crimes have been punished, or even arrested by the administrators of law and order, Sikhs would never result to such shameful acts of cowardice.

There are three possible scenarios that need serious consideration before reaching any conclusion, because a hasty conclusion may lead to irreparable damage to the unity of the whole country:

  1. A foreign power with malicious designs is responsible for all that happened. Undercover agents of this power are taking advantage of the existing situation in Punjab and Delhi. If this is so then the Government of India is required to use more restraint and statesmanship to handle this situation.
  2. The Government of India is trying to buy some more time to solve the Punjab problem at the cost of lives of several innocent people. If this is true (and I sincerely hope it is not) then only God almighty can save the country from a major disaster.

Some Sikhs are actually responsible for the act. If this is true then I feel that these people are not true disciples of our great gurus who sacrificed their lives and the lives of their children in order to set examples for us that compassion was one of the greatest virtues of Sikhs and that under no circumstances a true Sikh would ever stoop down to an act of cowardice that involves harm to the weak and innocent.

Sincerely,

Dr. Hakam Singh.

(How about the possibility of Hindu fundamentalist organizations playing the sinister game in order to further fuel the wrath of the power drunk majority community against the Sikhs, so as to exploit their anger for yet another holocaust.)

Dear Sir,

At a bus stop in Haryana, a man exploded a hand grenade strapped to his body, says a report published in Time Magazine, May 20, 1985. With such elements around the states of North India going about in their activities, does the govt. of India seriously believe that the latest “‘sternest measures” proposed by it would restore peace and order? Would it not be advisable to search for a political solution to the problem within the framework of the Indian Constitution based on the acceptance of the Anandpur Sahib resolution which is not secessionist? Must the growing alienation of Sikhs nursing a feel of humiliation and injury be further aggravated by the arrests, tortures and killings of innocent young men in the countryside of the Punjab state?

The problem brooks no delay.

Sincerely,

 Balwant Singh Buttar.

Dear Mr. Editor,

It seems the visiting Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr. Bhajan Lal made a perfect gesture of faithfulness towards his national leader Rajiv Gandhi who is coming to U.S.A. Bhanjan Lal cannot be forgiven by the Sikhs for his active participation in atrocities committed against them, which include burning of sacred Gurdwaras and massacre of innocent Sikhs. The purpose of his visit appears to be to (1) create bitter animosity between Sikhs and the Indian government (2) arrest growing sympathy for Sikhs in this part of the World by making them suspects in the eyes of the law enforcing agencies. (3) Ensure greater security for Rajiv through manipulated and stage managed dangers and risks. The whole operation of involving Sikh young men in alleged plots against Rajiv and Bhajan Lal was successfully hatched with the close coordination and support of India’s Mission in Washington, U.S.A. and its counterpart in Canada. Someday the truth will come out.

Sincerely,

L.S. Aujla.

General Secretary.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 31, 1985