PRESS RELEASE
JUNE 6, 1984 is etched into the history of the Sikhs as the day that their holiest shrine, the Golden Temple, and 37 other major places of worship were desecrated by the Indian Armed Forces. The attack was carried out on one of the main Sikh religious holy days and several thousand innocent Sikh men, women and children were massacred in cold blood.
The situation in the State of Punjab where most of the Sikhs live, is somewhat analogous to that in Afghanistan. The Russians, through their State controlled media, would like the world (including their own people) to believe that their puppet government in Afghanistan is “freely elected” and that the Afghan freedom fighters are nothing but disgruntled “terrorists”. Why does the “freely elected” government need tens of thousands of Russian soldiers to be in Afghanistan? Why are foreign journalists banned from travelling there and reporting freely?
The Sikh community in India has always made disproportionately large contributions towards India’s independence struggle, its defense and its economy. The main political party in India (Congress) is brutally suppressing the Sikhs and other minorities in order to unite the majority (over 80%) Hindu vote. The Indian government meant, through its controlled media, has maligned the Sikhs and overnight the most industrious,
loyal, progressive and respected community has been labeled as “terrorist”. An “accord” was signed with a “moderate” Sikh leader and a puppet government was installed in the State of Punjab. Recently this puppet government in Punjab was arbitrarily dismissed so that the Congress Party might win the upcoming elections, in the adjoining Hindu dominated State of Haryana. Foreigners, especially newsmen, are still not permitted to travel to Punjab.
The duplicity of the Indian government’s actions is very evident. While on one hand it brands the Sikhs as “terrorists”, on the other hand it led the charge in condemning the U.S. for the Libyan raid and openly support terrorist organizations like the PLO. While it pleads with the governments of U.K., Canada, and the US. to prevent the Sikhs in those countries from helping their brethern in India, it openly harbors leaders and members of Tamil separatists fighting the government of Sri Lanka. It talks of Sikhs as separatists while it itself was largely responsible for the division of Pakistan (Bangladesh). It talks of press freedom but will not allow foreign reporters from travelling to Punjab. As the leader of “nonaligned” nations it often leads in condemning the U.S. while remaining silent on the Russian invasion and occupation of Afghanistan.
We are assembled here in front of the Indian Consulate in New York to peacefully protest the gross injustice and genocide being committed against the Sikhs by the Indian government. The Sikhs today are fighting a desperate battle for their survival. Systematic, planned and widespread violating of human rights and denial of civil liberties have driven the hitherto moderate Sikhs, in India and abroad to strive for the preservation of their distinct identity through the creation of “Khalistan”, a Sikh homeland. The Sikhs want to live with dignity and honor. Having failed to get justice from the Indian government, the Sikhs have been left with no other choice but to devote their energies to the creation of Khalistan which shall satisfy all religious, cultural, social, political and economic aspirations of the Sikh nation.
Dr. Manohar Singh Grewal President, World Sikh Organization, U.S.A.
Dr. Naunihal Singh Administrative Director, WSOUSA
Article extracted from this publication >> June 26, 1987
