By Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer Director, Guru Nanak Institute of Sikh Studies, Norway
The relationship between the Sikhs and the Nehru family spans more than a one half century. This relationship is severely strained under Jawahar Lal’s grandson, Rajiv, who was sworn in as Indian Prime Minister in November, 1984.
Initially, Indian politicians were challenged in December, 1927 by Lord Birkenhead, the Secretary of State for India, that they were incapable of resolving their communal problem. This challenge was accepted by virtually all Indian political factions, resulting in a conference held on 24 February 1928 in Delhi, attended by all party leaders. The conference was designed primarily to refute the validity of Lord Birkenhead’s allegation.
“ Whenever the issue of communal representation arose in Punjab, the Sikhs being an important minority shall receive special considerations.”
Finally, a second all parties conference was held on 19 May 1928 in Bombay, resulting in the formation of a committee under the chairmanship of Moti Lal Nehru. The findings of this committee were documented and submitted in August 1928 as the Nehru report. The fundamental recommendations of the Nehru Report were that, (i) seats should be reserved for Muslims and non-Muslims in various legislative bodies; and (ii) there should be no reservations in Punjab or Bengal.
In effect, these recommendations formulated the first injustice which Sikhs would encounter under the Nehru establishment due to their prevention of any Sikh legislative intervention, whatsoever. Yet, it must be noted that 28 December 1927, at its annual session, the Congress Party passed a resolution, in Madras, that “whenever the issue of communal representation arose 1m Punjab. The Sikhs being an important minority shall receive special consideration.” (Akali Te Pardesi 30 December 1927).
The Sikh nation unanimously rejected the infamous Nehru Report, agitating those Indian leaders opposed to any “special consideration.” As a result, the Lahore session of the Congress Party rejected the Nehru Report on 31 December 1929. This session reassured the Sikh nation that .. in the future, the Congress shall accept no constitution which does not meet with the satisfaction of the Sikhs.” (Lahore Bulletin January 1930).
Subsequently in July 1946 Moti Lal’s son and successor, Jawahar Lal Nehru issued a press release from Calcutta stating that “the brave Sikhs of Punjab are entitled to special considerations. I see nothing wrong in an area and a set up in the north of India wherein the Sikhs can also experience the glow of freedom.” However within less than two months of the physical and political seizure of the Indian subcontinent, the Reality of the situation became apparent when Nehru had a circular issued on 10 October 1947, declaring all Sikhs to be criminals:
“The Sikhs as a Community are a lawless people and a menace to the law abiding Hindu community. The deputy commissioners should take special measures against them.”
Similarly these special measurers included the incarceration of more than 12,000 Sikh in 1955, simply because they raised slogans saying “Long live the Punjabi speaking province.” In 1960, more than 57,000 Sikhs were detained in response to demands for the creation of a Punjab speaking province. On 12 June 1960, thousands of peaceful Sikhs were beaten by Hindu Indian police in Delhi, including innocent Sikh nonparticipants. Approximately one dozen causalities resulted from their mere Observation of a procession held to support their demand for the creation of a home province.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 11, 1989
