By: Harbir Singh, Paramus, NJ
Who in his right mind would want to, support an inept, and compute indecisive, brutal, procrastinating Indian government that enjoys little support within its own party ranks or outside? What political solutions have they found to the burning problems of Punjab, Kashmir, Assam, Nagaland and other states in the last decade other than showing military or police strength over civilians and installing puppet government as in Punjab in orchestrated elections, ‘where the majority of the population stayed away in protest? And now the centers trying to find the same forcible solutions in Kashmir where the Muslims want UN monitored referendum for independence instead of Indian elections in which they have no faith, how much have they lost touch with the people it is ruling or the realities of time?
Was TADA an ant minority legislation which India adopted to curb dissent (Terrorist & Disruptive Act) a solution to the alleged terrorism or was the alleged terrorism bred by a brutal system that believed in administering forcible solutions instead of tuling by compassion and fairness?
Were the original Sikh demands (continued in their charter) for justice and fairness in Punjab was so out of the world that over 100,000 Sikhs had to be killed to bring so-called peace in Punjab? Was the destruction of Golden Temple (the Sikhs most revered Shrine) in 1984, necessary to control alleged militancy in the state or was it done to prove the power was intact with the center and nobody dare raise their voices of dissent in Hindu fascist India? The problem lies with the foundation of the country that obviously was built on shaky grounds and imposed Hindi on non-Hindi speaking population and considered all non-Hindi speaking population as anti-Indian, Secondly an inordinate power rested with the corrupt center with the state governments only acting as puppets, ‘Moment the state government disagreed with the center, the chief ministers were summarily dismissed and the state was ruled by the center until another puppet could be: installed: (This happened in several states during the last several decades for those familiar with the India political scene.) If this is not an example of Banana Republic India then what would be one?
‘Yes, it’s all right to lump India today with Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and China the countries that have the worst human right records in the world. India has used some of the most brutal means to suppress minority dissent in the country where over 100,000 Sikhs have been eliminated in Punjab alone, Did the Indian constitution or TADA’ ‘approve Of torture and killing of minorities only?
Why hasn’t the government punished the guilty involved in the 1984 massacre of the thousands of innocent Sikhs following Indira’s assassination? Why does India have two sets of laws, one for the Hindu population and one for the non-Hindu population? Why docs India allow Bal Thackeray and his Shiv Sena gang, along Janata Dal to indulge in fascist anti-minority propaganda and killing in Bombay or elsewhere in India? Yes, the minorities no longer feel safe in India and cannot ‘trust the center any longer and that is reason for their demands for: ‘Autonomy in states where they are in majority. If India cannot explain answers to many of these troubling questions, then may be it is time for autonomy to be granted to all Indian states so that they can all truly enjoy the glow of freedom that the founding fathers of the country envisioned in 1947, Times have changed and so should the Indian continent, India needs to replace all powerful center with a decentralized India with most powers with the states as in US, Only defense environment matters hands of the center. The corrupt Indian politicians should let the reigns of power be shared before they have none, the policies of divide and rule the minorities (which Thaw 2180 Used by the British during their 200 years of ‘Subjugation) have not worked in the past and will not Work in future.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 9, 1995
