Immediate Reasons
- The role played by official news agencies such as the
United News of India (UNI) in the present crisis is blatantly partisan, On the strength of information obtained as usual from ‘official sources,” UNI floated the theory of a “clash between two groups over the installation of an idol.” This story, incredibly filed ‘on September 16 from Bidar, was picked up by the Indian Express of September 17. It was repeated by the same paper on September 19, 1988. It was left to the Deccan Chronicle of September 19 to deal a death blow to it and to highlight the fund collection drive as the real cause.
- The most favorite of such theories is generally sold as “an island of affluence in a sea of poverty.” It suggests that Sikhs at Bidar are very affluent and arouse the jealousies of others. The fact is that they own humble establishments such as a small restaurant, a homoeopathic dispensary or a cold drinks store. The list of articles lost by students and other Sikhs does not show affluence either. They own small shops in blocks in which others own similar ones. Only one Sikh Mr. Joga Singh can pass off as an affluent person.
In any case, 11 Sikh families owning nine shops could not have inspired such widespread resentment. What really knocks the bottom out of this theory is that although the economic condition of Muslims is much worse than that of Hindus, not a single Muslim was so consumed by jealousy as to join the mobs.
- It has been suggested that the students indulged in eveteasing. To have become a menace inspiring a holocaust of this nature, it should have been noticeable enough before the incidents. Yet neither the gurdwara management nor the college Principal ever received a single complaint of this nature. The personnel of “the Central Intelligence Department were clear that this was not a problem in Bidar. The Deputy Inspector General of Police supported them. As an afterthought, however, the Director General of Police waved a file at our team and did try to suggest that eve-teasing might bave happened but agreed that it did not merit notice. “The Inspector General of Police himself confirmed that there was no record of cases registered against them for such offences,” Indian Express October 4, 1988 page 3. Mr Veerashethy Kushnoor told our team on September 30 in the presence of several respectable persons that stories of eve teasing were circulated on the eve of Chief Minister’s visit after the riot in order to malign the students.” This statement was used by our team at a press conference the next day. Subsequently when Mr. Kushooor gave his statement in writing he committed this portion. His spontancous reaction appears to be more correct than the considered version he penned later.
- Mr J.S Aurora, a Member of Parliament, was partly original because apart from subscribing to the affluence theory, he proposed one of his own, “The college needs to change its complexion and approach and shed its exclusiveness. Only then can it be acceptable to the locals and one of the tensions that led to this tragedy eliminated” he told the press. The Constitution of India permits minority institutions to function and maintain “exclusive character, Quite apart from that, his theory does not hold water, because Guru Nanak Engineering College has only 43 percent (forty percent according to Indian Express of September 24, 1988) Sikh students Shedding of this complexion is not even possible as there are nine such colleges functioning in the area and many locals prefer to study in other colleges. Last year as well as this year no local student who approached the college authorities for admission was refused admission, according to the management.
Maximum damage was, however, done to Guru Nanak Public School! which has only 46 Sikh students on its rolls. Rest are all local non-Sikhs.
It has been repeatedly asserted that the real cause of jealousy was that a medical college, sought by several other rival organizations, was finally sanctioned in favor of Sri Nanak Jheera Sahib foundation. The Chief Minister had to clarify (Indian Express dated September 26, 1988) that the Congress (I) Member of Legislative Council Mr. G. M. Bhimanna Khondre bad not applied for a medical college as was propagated. In spite of that this rationale regularly incidents has been loudly proclaimed by the media. It is also a fact that by a letter dated 18 7.85 the Government of Karnataka had rejected the request of the Foundation for affiliation. This letter could not have been unknown to the rival organizations as it was also marked to them all.
The real causes thus must be sought elsewhere.
Historical Reasons
The real cause must be sought in the fact that there are historical contradictions between those upholding the caste system and those human and oppressive, Sikhism, adherents, is an supporting and opposing it as in- according to its independent dispensation establish a casteless world order based on equality and justice under the Fatherhood of one God. A lot in this is not acceptable to Brahamanised Hindus. This aspect is said to be at the root of the present Sikh situation in independent India.
This sort of situation has not developed overnight. In fact it was vividly envisaged. Sir Vincent Churchill and Swami Dharam Tirath were such discerning minds. With prophetic insight both these great men predicted the consequences of power falling into “Brabmanised Hindu bands.
In Menace of Hindu Imperialism (Lahore 1946) the Swami predicted perpetual strife and constant suppression of Dalits and minorities. Both he and Churchill were of the opinion that the only way to avert great misery in the sub—continent was to deny freedom to India. Liberals were of the opinion that the same result could be achieved by constitutional safeguards to Dalits and minorities, by federal structure and communal representation. Dr. Ambedkar attempted to immunize the Dalits by providing fixed quotas for them in bureaucracy and reservations in elections to legislatures. None of these remedies appear to have worked. Juggernaut rolls on remorselessly. It was Bhiwandi yesterday. It is Bidar today. In India, about 35 lakh Sikhs live outside Punjab. These are settlers who migrated at various stages particularly after the Partition of the country in 1947 when most of their State became a part of Pakistan, (At Bidar Mr. Joga Singh and few others are descendants of troops sent by the Sikh empire to help the Nizam of Hyderabad around 1830 AD.) Several others joined them in 1947 and there is at least one Mr. Iqbal Singh Bhatia who has settled only recently after his retirement. Most of the evacuees from Pakistan settled at Delhi and other towns of Uttar Pradesh. Some spread out all over the Hindi speaking areas. Bengal has a substantial Sikh population.
Local Sikhs who converted to Sikhism early in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries are to be found all over the country.
It has also been generally observed that these migrants are imbued with the pioneering spirit of diasporas and have economically prospered. There is no doubt also that the spirit of Sikhism which encourages industry, modern scientific approach, adventurous life, casteless ritual-free society and above all service of mankind through productivity has much to do with the prosperity of Sikhs in India and elsewhere.
Sikhs are generally known to be steadfast in their religion and have built shrines (Gusdwaras) wherever they have gone. These symbolise democratic behavior, ritual and caste free society, This is perhaps the main cause of resentment against them. Stoning, desecration and even destruction of their gurdwaras has been taking place at the slightest pretext.
Gurdwara Sis Ganj, where the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded on orders of Emperor Aurangzeb (in 1775, A.D.) for upholding the right of Hindus to worship in their own fashion, has been no exception. The Sikh holy book, regarded by them as their “eternal living has never been spared.
This basic feeling of distrust, in the background of doctrinal incompatibility, has been fully exploited by politicians of the Indian National Congress party It has further been Promoted as a considered response to the assertion of their Constitutional rights by the Sikhs of Punjab. Pandit Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, took the lead in declaring. the Sikhs outside the Punjab to be hostages depending upon the mercy of local Hindus “Sikhs were advised not to press their demand as it would result in their eviction from other States of the Union. It is alleged that Nehru and other national leaders went as far as holding out the threat of persecution of Sikhs by Hindus outside the Punjab if the former insisted on Punjabi Suba”. (ef. Petti- grew, Joyce, Robber Nobleman, International Library of Anthropology, London 1975 p. 92).
His daughter Indira Gandhi echoed that same sentiment both inside and outside the Parliament during the present Sikh agitation for securing certain constitutional rights to Punjab. This refrain was in keeping with her new policy of henceforth depending upon Hindu votes. The elevation of her son to prime minister ship in 1984 was inaugurated with the indiscriminate massacre of Sikhs all over the northern States governed by the Congress (I) party he heads.
The same spirit is working in Bidar and Janwada. That is also the cause of anti-Sikh propaganda incessantly pouring out of the State-controlled media. Matters have been further aggravated by the undeclared but nevertheless effective immunity extended to all those who perpetrated such crimes in November 1984, Going still further, the guilty ones of that massacre have been rewarded with ministerial berths in the Central Cabinet, A number of others have been similarly adjusted in the Hindi belt.
A systematic vilification campaign against the Sikhs was launched by the Congress (I) at the time of December 1984 elections. Both State owned and private media was used to whip up anti Sikh feelings. It paid dividends. Politicians found it cost-effective. The malicious ones find it sate to hate the Sikhs who are just 2 percent of the total population. Congress (I) particularly discovered in it a goldmine to bolster up its dwindling fortunes.
It is in that context that we must view the happenings at Bidar.
Muslim population of the town is nearly 50 percent, (that 18 about 60,000), Hindu-Muslim tensions have been usual at the time of Ganeshpuja. Because of the above mentioned factors, and because of dramatic increase m the number of Sikhs seen at Bidar with the opening of Engineering College, the Muslim-Hindu conflict transformed itself into Sikh-Hindu conflict. Helpless students were available for harassment and extortion. Particularly for the last two years, lots of people made hey while the sun was shining. This evil grew and grew until it engulfed the entire town on the occasion of Ganeshpuja this year, it is significant that although people from outside joined them, main body of attackers consisted of locals of all ages, many of whom have been identified by the students. The irony is that a new locals (and Punjabi students) were also in the forefront of criminal groups.
No other explanation for what happened at Bidar is therefore possible.
