Dear Sardar Jasbir Singh,
It is the love for the Guru’s Teachings that compelled me to write this letter to the management of the World Sikh Organization. It was with pleasure and pride that I learnt recently about the intention of the W.S.O. to commemorate the 10 years of struggle undergone by Sikhs since the attack on Golden Temple. This, I understand, you intend to do by preparing a video about the events and of the history of W.S.O., and possibly a book about the same subject.
It is regarding this matter that I am writing this letter. When the name of Ian Mulgrew came to my attention, I read his book, the “Unholy Terror.” I was shocked and astonished by the highly scornful, contemptuous and derogatory remarks made through- out the book about our Gurus, Sikhism, and Sikhs. I understand about the freedom of speech and expression of opinions – we cannot prevent such calumny from being written but I want to discourage you from awarding any contract or extending any help to Ian Mulgrew, I am enclosing for your information several quotes from Mulgrew’s book. I am told that the man has changed and is now close to Sikhs. That certainly was not the impression he gave when he spoke at the W.S.O. banquet on Parliament Hill in Ottawa a few years ago. He never apologized even once for all the garbage in his book. His written words are insidious and age in his b noxious. How can we tolerate these words?
Some of the things Mulgrew writes about: That Guru Nanak Dev Ji founded a commune. That Guru Gobind Singh Ji wrote about the heat of lovers trysting (meeting secretly) by a river. About Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, he writes that “The first scriptures were poems ascribed to Nanak and the holy men who assumed his mantle. Later, canonical works, hagiographies, and others poems were added to the body of Sikh literature.” (Page 24). That Jats farmers are still growing opium poppy on their lands and that donations to help the victims of oppression in India comes from crime.
I have included with this letter a sample of the serious insinuations and accusations made by this man. If by any misfortune, we cannot find a suitable person for undertaking this work, then it will be better to leave this work undone rather than allowing such an enemy of Sikhism to portray us in such devious ways. If the man has changed and has such affection for the Gurus and the Sikhs then let him become a Sikh first before you entrust him with such a job. We had a very bad experience with Mr.Spellman, please let us not repeat the nightmare.
It is the responsibility of the W.S.O. management to prevent such a happening now that you have the evidence of his book before you. I am following this matter with great concern, and should you wish to contact me I would be willing to discuss this matter further so that you keep away from this man.
Lise Kaur Chawla
Ottawa, Ontario.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 4, 1994
