‘Sikhs living in foreign countries have tremendous concern and under stable curiosity for the happenings in Punjab. At every social occasion, be it a marriage, a birthday, an anniversary, a private gathering, a bhog or a weekly Kirtan at the local Gurdwara., the conversation inescapably and almost compulsively drifts to the unfortunate situation in Punjab. What is the nature of violence there? How far has it affected Hindu Sikh relations? Will the government succeed in suppressing the movement? Will Centre do justice to Punjab? Is Khalistan a popular demand? How can Khalistan become a reality, How long will it take? are some of the questions that agitate the Sikhs abroad, Consequently, it is only natural that all should flock to one who has either returned from his visit to Punjab or has directly come from there to seek first-hand information.

Each visitor to Punjab or a visitor from Punjab comes out with his own version of the situation. Stories narrated by them are typical of the proverbial blind men describing the elephant according to the part of its body that each ‘touched. Besides, motivated reports add to the confusion. To clear the confounding mist, objective survey can help. World Sikh News has decided to contact cross section of people both in urban and rural areas in an effort to answer some of the questions and learn the misgivings. We reproduce below random interviews of our reporter.

Karam Singh is about 50 yrs. old and has lived in Muktsar town ever since his birth. He runs a successful business and also owns agricultural land in a village about 16 kilometers from the town

Reporter: What do you feel about the violence in Punjab?

Karam Singh: No sensible person likes violence. Violence never solves any problem. But violence itself is never the problem. It is the result of a problem. Punjab is bleeding and nobody is interested in solving the problem. Government talks of peace but encourages killings, Instead of deciding the issues; it deliberately complicates them and unnecessarily drags its feet. Reporter: What do you think of Hindu Sikh relations?

Karam Singh: That’s the most unfortunate part of the story. Akali Party’s quarrel was with the Centre, Operation Blue star changed it to Sikhs versus Centre and killing of Sikhs in Delhi and other towns after Indira Gandhi’s assassination made it Sikhs versus Hindus. Today the situation has reached a point where, whatever be the external postures, Hindus do not trust Sikhs and Sikhs do not trust the Hindus. There is a tangible divide between the two.

 Reporter: What have you to say about the killing of the bus passengers near this town? Karam Singh: It was a terrible thing. Killing unsuspecting passengers like that, But it was a natural corollary of events that form a chain of actions and reactions. According to one story the bus was attacked by Sikh gunmen because Shiv Sena activists were travelling in it. Some months back the Shiv Sena activists involved in a confrontation with the local police. They reportedly had collected all kinds of weapons in a temple. Police came to know of it and wanted them to surrender the arms. But they refused and even insulted a senior police officer. In this confrontation C.R.P.F. and BS.F. Supported the Shiv Sena members. However, police in the end succeeded in getting the weapons from them. But the story went around that the weapons were collected by Shiv Sena to attack Sikh religious places and Sikh business establishments. It was this story that made Sikh gunmen follow them and Kill them. Some say that police got them killed and then blamed the freedom fighters.

 Reporter: Was any cleans haven Sikh also killed in that incident? Karam Singh: Not to my knowledge.

While driving on the village link road, our reporter met a lady on the outskirts of village Droli in Ferozepur district. She gave her name as Surjit Kaur. Reporter: Bibi Ji, do you live in this village?

Surjit Kaur: “Live?” she said bitterly, “we merely subsist, son” (Din Katti Kardi Han), Reporter: Why do you talk like this?

Surjit Kaur: How else should I talk? Our home is in ruins. I don’t know where my two young sons have disappeared.

Reporter: Why have they disappeared?

Surjit Kaur: Why? son, you ask, why? Because police would not let them have peace at home. They used to take them to the police station, torture them for days and then release them. The cursed police did it thrice in two months. My tall, strong sons were reduced to skeletons. Younger one could barely stand straight. One day they disappeared from the tube well. I don’t even know whether they are alive or not. I only pray for them, Reporter: Did the police treat some other boys also in the same way?

Surjit Kaur: Worse. Only last month police arrested three boys from their homes. Next day they were killed. Police made a story that they were killed when they attacked a police party. Lies, all lies, World knows they were arrested from their homes. The villager’s gherao the police station but what is the use. No gherao would bring the dead sons back to their mothers,

Reporter: How can this problem be solved?

Surjit Kaur: I don’t know. Only Waheguru knows. All I know is that they should let my sons alone. Let them not touch our boys. They can never win by killing the boys. ‘Sikhs can’t be finished like that. We know how to fight and we know how to win. I tell you, son, we will win, we will win”.

She repeated with a resolute voice. Her eyes slowly rolled from one comer to another and her exprisdon turned distant and remorseless.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 3, 1986