CHICO: A challenge to the constitution and student rights was brought to bear when the acting Counsel General of India demanded that the flag of Khalistan be removed from a display at Chico State. Proving that freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right of dissent still lives on campus, Chico members of the Sikh Student Association raised the flag of Khalistan in Bell Memorial Hall, student union building
The flag, which represents free and independent future for Punjab is especially identified with the rise of nationalism found after “Operation Blue Star”, this was the 1984 massacre at the religious shrine, the Golden Temple. The attack by the Indian Army on that temple and others on a Sikh holy day incited many formerly peaceful people to protest forcefully against the repressive central govt of India. Punjab, Jammu, Kashmir and Assam are viewed by many as the Balkans of India, Nation-states looking forward to succession from India, formerly free and independent places with language, culture and flags that India does not always recognize.
The debate began when in December Sikh students added the Khalistan fag to the other national flags being raised. The Acting Counsel General of India, Rajiv a Misra, wrote to the Chancellor of California State University, Dr. Bary Muni to angrily protest the student’s action. Speaking for the govt of India, he said: “As you know, the so-called “Khalistan has no legal, political, and judicial basis. The State of Punjab, which the so-called Khalistan purports to represent, is an integral part of the Republic of India and recognized as such internationally. The fictitious entity of so-called “Khalistan exists entirely in the minds of some misguided individuals, Its representation in the form of a flag at a prestigious university campus is entirely we along, Lisa continuing affront to India and is likely to hurt and anger the large community of Indian origin in this country, particularly in California,
Issue the appropriate direction to the concerned authorities at the Chico Campus and ensure the prompt removal of the offending Dean responded to the C.G that the matter would be reviewed. But that “The campus is recognizing several sensitive issues as it responds to your concern. Academic freedom is a first amendment right and a highly esteemed value on a university campus.
Another dimension that requires proceeding cautiously is the fact that Bell Memorial Hall is the student union building which was built and is maintained entirely with student funds.
Choosing to respond with the Indian party line of propaganda the Consul General replied to the Chancellor, “Apropos your observation that the issue of academic freedom might be one will need to be considered, I would like wo assure you that India’s commitment, as an open society, to academic and other forms of freedom is second ton one, Regretting, those who propagate the concept of “Khalistan” have chosen to use violent methods including the most vicious kinds of terrorism directed against innocent persons, in preference to dialogue and other avenues open within the Indian Constitution,”
Of course, one may wonder if the CG is speaking tongue in cheek, since recent news reports evidenced India’s censure of the media as well as its refusal to allow reporters and wire services to report from India without censure, Or it could be that he has lived in San Francisco so long he is not aware of the massive Indian security forces running roughshod over Sikhs in the Punjab, Possibly the CG could write to his own govt to remind them of their commitments, as an “open society second to none” to allow Amnesty International, Asia Watch and others t9 travel and report their findings on the status of Human Rights in India.
Gently reminding the C.G. of the difference in attitudes towards dissent between the U.S. and India the President of Chico State, Robin S. Wilson replied, “But I cannot imagine any action on the part of the University administration infringing the free display of such materials in areas deemed appropriate for expressions of political conviction, Executive tolerance for the distasteful is a capacity much exercised and often tried in California, and we have gotten rather good at it .It requires more than a modicum of patience.”
It is sad that the US State Dept. is not as observant of freedom as is the University otherwise they would not have stifled the voice of Radio Khalistan which is an infringement of freedom of religion of helped maintain the two Sikhs in the New York prison who fight extradition even after having been acquitted.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 1, 1992
