The Security Forces that went into the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar to make arrests and heap harassment on the congregation did so without any provocation and without justifiable reason. It is an act of cowardice on the part of the Government of India and the Government of Punjab. My colleagues at the Khalistan Council and I condemn this act of state terrorism in which there appears complicity of the Soviet Union.
I have said before and I repeat now, violence, no matter what its source, can never solve any problems. It can only make solutions difficult by shrouding the realities under a cloud of fear and apprehension, the basic problem is that the Sikhs do not feel sufficiently protected in the Indian set-up and they are looking for security. Arresting a hundred innocent youth or calling the Sikhs terrorists or sending a few thousand Sikhs to prison under a rainbow of charges is not going to give the Sikhs the security they need and the protection they deserve. It will only aggravate tensions: breed more violence; and help nobody’s case
For starting this spiral of violence which has remained an ugly face ‘of what is purported to be democracy in India Sardar Sujit Singh Barnala, the Chief Minister of Punjab, must be held responsible along with his masters of New Delhi. He has received that final betrayal of the Sikh nation which the out siders will covet. He must resign for he has now broken every promise he had made to the electorate of Punjab.
The youth who took upon themselves the task of giving vocal expression to the thought of every Sikh by making the demand for Khalistan and declaring the independence were acting within the fold of law. They were enforcing their right to self-determination which has been denied to the Sikhs for decades, they were clearing confusion created by those vested interests who do not want the Sikhs to enjoy fully the fruits of their own labors. The peaceful intentions and methods of the Five Member Committee that made the announcement from the Golden Temple must be commended. It ‘must also be accepted that they have shown wisdom in controlling passions thereby proving to the world that the source of violence lies outside perimeters of the Golden Temple, As it always has. As it always will.
To express solidarity with the youth of Punjab and to register a protest against the unthinking force by the Government of India as well as to record the Sikh protest against the Soviet involvement in South Asia, the Khalistan Council in association with all the Sikh Groups in the United Kingdom, arranged a peaceful demonstration on Sunday, 4th May 1986. The march commenced from the Central Gurdwara in Queens dale Road, Shepherds Bush and went to the Indian High Commission in Aldwych via the Soviet Embassy in Kensington Park Gardens.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 16, 1986
