SAN FRANCISCO: An impressive demonstration was staged here before the Indian Consulate on December 6, 1988 by the Sikhs of Northern California to protest the death sentences passed against Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh in the Indira Gandhi assassination case.
The possible hanging of the two within this week generated a wave of resentment and indignation. The Sikhs feel that the two were motivated by political and religious considerations and as such could not be equated with ordinary criminals. Sikhs believe that the Indian Government was acting out of vendetta in not observing the established legal conventions. Nowhere, especially in democratic countries, people are hanged for politically motivated crimes.
Addressing the rally, Prof Sidhu said the hanging of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh would amount to judicial murder. He said there was no justice for the minorities in India. The ruling Hindu majority wanted the minorities either to embrace Hinduism or suffer as second class citizens. It was unacceptable to the Sikhs who were determined to shake off the shackles of slavery and establish their own sovereign state of Khalistan.
Mr., Lachhman Singh Aujla charged Jawahar Lal Nehru for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi for the murder of Lala Bahadur Shastri. He said Rajiv Gandhi was responsible for the murder of his mother.
Bhai Gurdeep Singh Sohal said Sikhs were yearning for martyrdom. Khalsa is awake now and shall rule over Delhi. We have come here to remind the Indian Government that none can finish the Sikhs, he said.
Mr. Bhatia from Sacramento said this was not the first time that Sikhs have become targets of persecution. 82 percent sacrifices for India’s independence were made by the Sikhs and they must get a proportionate reward. He said Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh are members of the same caravan as had such illustrations names Sukha Singh, Mehtab Singh, Bhagat Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabba.
Dilbagh Singh said Indian government does not represent Sikhs. He warned that India will have to pay a heavy price if it went ahead with the hangings of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh. He reminded it that Khalsa was born of suppression and cannot be subdued by any force, we are a religious people and practice religious principles but the Indian Government used religion for political gains only, he said.
Gurdial Singh of Panth Khalsa said martyrdom was an integral feature of the Sikh religion. He described Kehar Singh as an idea man and not an instigator. We need persons like him to inspire the youth and to provide right direction to the movement.
Bhai Wadhawa Singh said we have not come here to beg for the lives of Satwant and Kehar but to remind the Indian rulers that we would not allow their sacrifices to go in vain,
Mohinder Singh Grewal said Satwant and Kehar only acted according to the Sikh traditions.
Bhai Paramjit Singh said though divided our aim is one. Sikhs decided to work under a single communal after the “ghalugharas,” he said.
Piara Singh said Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh have shown the way and we need to emulate their example.
Gurcharan Singh Dhillon said Khalistan will grow stronger in proportionate to the suppression of the Sikhs. Sikhs never forgive and forget a tyrant. Persecution will have to be accounted for, he said.
Bibi Amrit Kaur said let it be announced in every Gurdwara that Sikhs should not be shy of participating in protest rallies, some only wanted Gurdwara President Ship and other offices but were afraid of joining protests lest the consulate should take their photographs, she said.
Amrit Singh Gill said India was not the largest democracy but the largest democracy. There is no fair trial in India. FIR was registered against the murderers of Beant Singh simply because Beant Singh was a Sikh, he declared.
S.H.S. Bhullar said we should come forward to join the movement.
Jagjit Singh Boparai said it is time for the consulate to open the doors and listen. He said since Guru Nanak’s mission endangered the Brahmin supremacy, they tried to kill him. They were responsible for the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur. He said Lala tajpat Rai died of a heart attack but was made into a martyr— Dom. Even Bhagat Singh was disowned by Mahatma Gandhi, he said.
Dr. Gurinder Singh Grewal said we have not come to beg for the lives of Satwant and Kehar but to protest against the conviction of judges. Satwant and Kehar were judges, who sentenced a criminal, he said.
We pray that the two should kiss the nouse smilingly and create a sense of awe in the hearts of the tyrants. We have also to get rid of the Sikh Brahmins who were acting as agents of the Indian government. He warned that suppression will not work and will not be allowed to continue.
The rally ended at 2:30 p.m. and the participants dispersed after the formal Ardas for the Char-di-Kala of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 9, 1988
