We are reproducing the fifth part of an exclusive interview with Dr. Iqbal Singh by John Katz on 860 KTRB Radio Modesto. The interview was relayed on June 4th 1989. Dr. Iqbal Singh throws light on Sikh religions and political problem. We are thankful to John Katz for providing an opportunity to present the facts to his listeners.
John: Sir, we know California is bread basket of United States and if government interference was taken out of the market place and the department of Agriculture got the heck out of California the California will not only feed the nation but probably export the food all over the world.
If the government got out of Punjab and left the Sikhs alone could they not feed themselves but also export food to the rest of India.
Iqbal: Definitely. I do not praise the Sikh community being a Sikh myself, but let me give you some facts and figures. When Punjab was created it became, in 1947, Punjab was a food deficit area hot even feed itself because the food crop growing area went to Pakistan side of Punjab. , Sikhs not only became self-sufficient in the next 6-7 years, they are now producing India’s largest food grain surplus. They are responsible for feeding India to the eighty percent of its total need. If those restrictions were removed the Sikhs would do much better.
Let me give you other figures. Sikh farmer is producing 2nd highest yield per acre of cotton (in the world) in Punjab, 2nd highest yield per acre of rice in Punjab. Imagine three different crops being produced in Punjab with international seed being the second highest in the world. So if these restrictions are removed, if the Sikhs had electricity and if their water was not diverted to other states they will not only feed whole of India they would export food grains to others. It is like green gold. It is cash and Sikhs are wonderful farmers as California is ‘proving today in Yuba county. Sikh farmers are producing more per acne in many fruits and other crops than their counterpart. So you are right if these restrictions were removed Sikh farmer will really revolutionize farming techniques in Punjab.
John: We have in this country something like revenue sharing. The government of United States steels some money from individual states and then gives them back small amounts of what they actually pay in, with they control what to bill how much to bill and who to bill etc. There are many of us in U.S.A who are concerned about this and certainly 1946 Supreme Court decision which states what the government finances the government shall control. This leads to my question, What will people like yourself and those who believe in Independence and Freedom think of the cessation of end of all foreign aid to the government of India? Will this hurt Indian government or would it of assistance?
Iqbal: What I think, anything that reinforces democratic institutions is good. The other day President Bush put India, Japan and Mexico on a list which is violating the trade rules. There was also Wally Herger’s Bill which seek to impose restriction most favored nation status on the part of India. The moment these things happened Indian government reacted and rectified some of the short comings. So in a way it has strengthened democracy in India. I think these are very good measures and we should cut aid or threaten to cut aid to such time India improves its policy so that the institutions of democracy are strengthened. Therefore there is nothing to feel upset about it There is no question of U.S. interfering into internal affairs of India. India is doing the same to Nepal because the countries violate rules regulations established practices. I think these countries have the right to make the policies which may force such countries to rectify their short comings.
John: I want to move back to arts and culture. We talked about the great movies, the ballards, acts of culture that they have in India, I want to ask are Sikhs kept or put down or persecuted in their artistic beliefs.
Iqbal: What I would like to sap is that Sikh culture has been looked down upon Uri fortunately something inferior. They do a very rigged and rustic dance known as Bhanga and for the girls there is another dance, those are looked down upon. Similarly other artistic facilities had not blossomed much because Sikhs have been struggling last 400 to 500 years. First against the Moghuls, later against the British and now against the Indian government. So I would say that the Sikh culture and the artistic period has not blossomed into full. But here in U.S.A and some parts in Punjab lately, there has been a fresh current and they are trying to refine these facilities.
JOHN: I want to move to politics now. In Mexico there are two parties supposedly, pure and poor. The pan is more conservative party. The poor usually doesn’t get their ballots. Is this true about the Sikh pasty which is the Akali Dal? Are they given freedom to express their view point Is there a possibility that someday the Akali party can elect the next Prime Minister of India.?
Iqbal: Well Akali party is very small and it is only in Punjab and Punjab has only 23 percent representatives equivalent to Congressman. So therefore they cannot make any political difference or a dent in political fortunes of India. But what has unfortunately happened is that Akali party has come to political power in Punjab 67 times in the last 45 years but every time they came into power the government has been dismissed by the centre. Imagine President Bush dismissing Governor Duekemjan for whatever reason. There are 4 clauses: Articles 352, 360 etc. in which the President of India on the advice of Prime Minister, can dismiss a state government This has happened 67 times in Punjab every time A. Kali Sikh party came to power. I think this is very unfortunate this disfranchisement of people and that is the reason Sikhs are alienated.
John: Now I move to Human Rights. I would like you to tell human rights violations against the Sikhs and please also explain the black laws of 1984.
Iqbal: Yes, what has happened is India is being ruled by various draconian laws. In 1950 India passed a bill known as Preventive Detention Act. Anybody could be arrested before he could commit crime, In 1970 this bill was reintroduced and this bill was received every three years and it was renewed seven times over a period of 21 years, and in 1970 they passed another bill known as MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) that lasted seven years. Anybody could again be arrested and may not be charge sheeted for weeks. In 1977 when Indira Gandhi lost elections after declaration of emergency, the opposition party removed this restricted law. In 1980) when Indira Gandhi came back to power she enacted NSA (National Security Act). Anybody could be arrested for six months before he even was told what are the charges. Now they have enacted TADA it relate to Punjab.
Any person can be arrested in Punjab under these two separate acts NSA and TADA for up to two years and the person need not be charge sheeted. The police has two years to press charges against him. So thousands of Sikhs have been arrested and kept in jail for a period ranging between 210 5 years, He is kept under one draconian law released and rearrested immediately under the second one so he can be kept in custody for 4 years before he was told why he was arrested. There are terrible laws.
Of course now Indian government has changed the laws related to Punjab. Anybody who is arrested and charge sheeted even if he is not guilty has to prove his innocence. India has changed the law ‘you are innocent all you are proven guilty. They have changed it the other way round. Trials are carried out in camera, trials are to be carried out in another state ie. away from the state where the crimes were committed.
Unfortunately thousands of Sikhs have been arrested but not a single case has been brought to trial. These all are terrible cases of human rights violations and specially cases as four of India’s leading jurists have said Chief Justice Sikkri has produced a report and Chief Justice of Bombay high court produced another report on 73 people who were killed in fake police encounters. There was another Justice A.S. Bains and Justice C.S. Tiwana. They listed 53 cases where people have been tortured and they called upon the central government to provide them with compensation. Men are arrested Kept in jail, families do not know where they are, so that’s the kind of things going on and lately there have been cases reported where women who were to be taken to police stations where they were raped by mindless policemen. So this is a great tragedy. Amnesty International Churcil and various other groups including Human Rights Commission in United Nations have started notice of this.
To Be Continued
Article extracted from this publication >> July 14, 1989
