Santokh Singh Ottawa, Canada.
Notwithstanding the frank declaration by international Human Rights agencies about total violation of basic human liberties in India, western press has not changed its practice of reporting news about India without examining or balancing, prior to publication.
Their pet terminology describing the Sikhs as ‘terrorists’ or demanding more powers, as fed to them by the government of India remains totally unchanged.
Both these statements are fantastic lies and a ruthless campaign by the government of India to purposely and deliberately malign and slander the Sikhs in India and abroad.
Sikhism never sanctions ‘terrorism’ under any circumstances nor does it tolerate to be terrorized by others and they never demand anything which is not their most legitimate entitlement. I appeal to the western press in the interests of morality and fair play to use due care while publishing news about this great community the Sikhs. How can a handful of men terrorize a government with a million men under arms?
Turning to Fridays’ bombing in India, Sikhs are again being made a scapegoat as usual. The entire show has been arranged and created by the government itself to put the blame on the Sikhs. Justice and morality took wings and fled, with the exit of the British from India. A state based on justice and morality and rule of law so industriously created by the British in India, its entire fabric was completely torn to pieces as soon as they left the country in 1947, by the native ruler.
About the concessions given to the Sikhs by Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, so triumphantly publicized, enquiry into November last riots in the country should have been ordered immediately after the riots and the culprits punished. Why did he wait for six months and that too he did it under pressure from public How does he classify it as a concession to the Sikhs During November carnage 5,000 were burnt alive or brutally massacred and the government did not even utter a word of sympathy for the victims and it allowed this heinous crime to occur unchecked, rather encouraged it officially. Now that 70 people died in Fridays bombing the entire Army has been mobilized and curfews clamped all over.
Is this not discrimination? Western reporters in Delhi are requested to sift the news themselves and not depend on the government statements or government owned or controlled electronic or print media.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 24, 1985
