25 years later: Sikhs have neither forgotten nor forgiven Indira Gandhi
October 25th, 2009 - 3:35 pm ICT by IANS
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By Jaideep Sarin
Chandigarh/Amritsar, Oct 25 (IANS) In June 1984, when then prime minister Indira Gandhi ordered the Indian Army to storm the Golden Temple complex, home to the holiest Sikh shrine Harmandar Sahib, she could not have realised that the action would engrave her name in the inglorious part of Punjab’s history.
Even 25 years after her death on Oct 31, 1984 - she was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards at the prime minister’s residence in New Delhi - not many Sikhs in Punjab are ready to forgive her, though the chapter is no longer part of everyday discussion in India’s only Sikh-majority state.
The Congress party has had popular governments in Punjab for over 10 years since the 1984 Operation Bluestar to flush out heavily armed Sikh separatists led by radical ideologue Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Congress leaders have over the years expressed near regret for the events. But the wounds are unlikely to be healed for a long time.
“The attack on Darbar Sahib (as Harmandar Sahib is also known) in 1984 was totally illegitimate and beyond any justification. Its immediate repercussion was the assassination of Indira Gandhi,” Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) secretary Dalmegh Singh told IANS in an interview. SGPC is effectively the religious parliament of Sikhs.
He added: “Following this there were widespread anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, Kanpur and other places that crossed all limits of human rights and value. Nobody can forget those horrifying days. Those violent attacks had targeted the Sikh community and alienated it from other sections of society.
“Now when our new generation and we look back at what happened in 1984, then all our memories and wounds get fresh. No compensation or development can erase that history and it will always remain there.”
The families of Indira Gandhi’s assassins Beant Singh and Satwant Singh were honoured by religious leaders after her killing and both were declared martyrs. Now they do not find much of a mention in any circle.
The Sikh community, one of the most progressive in the world, has moved on.
When the political scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi surprised everyone by quietly arriving early morning in September last year to pay obeisance at Harmandar Sahib as a commoner, the Sikh religious leadership did not term it a stunt.
In fact, Rahul sat inside the sanctum sanctorum for a long time in an enclosure meant for hymn singers.
Younger Sikhs too say that the community has moved on but the scars remain.
“Those responsible for the killing of Sikhs after her (Indira Gandhi’s) death have not been brought to justice by the agencies concerned. There is always a looming fear that such things could happen again. The community otherwise has moved on,” said author and agriculturist Khushwant Singh, who authored a book “Sikhs Unlimited”.
Radical Sikh elements have now called for a Punjab bandh (strike) Nov 3 to observe the 25th anniversary of the killing of Sikhs in Delhi and other places.
“The 1984 holocaust left a deep scar on the psyche and social life of all Sikhs. We have not forgotten or forgiven the perpetrators behind those attacks. It is really sad that instead of punishing the culprits, the Congress had glorified them by giving them plum posts,” Kanwarpal Singh, spokesman of radical Sikh group Dal Khalsa, which has given the strike call, told IANS.
He added: “The verbal assurances given by the governments hold no water and they were all politically motivated. They did not even spare our holiest shrine Golden Temple and no true Sikh can forgive them for that inhuman act.”
(Jaideep Sarin can be contacted at jaideep.s@ians.in)
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- 'Bluestar' will remain etched in the Sikh psyche for generations (Comment) - Jun 04, 2009
- Scars of Operation Bluestar remain - 25 years later - Jun 05, 2009
- Badal promises memorial in Delhi for anti-Sikh riot victims (Lead) - Nov 08, 2009
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- 'Father didn't kill Indira Gandhi to make Sikhs happy' (25 years after Indira Gandhi's assassination) - Oct 31, 2009
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Posted in Politics, |
October 25th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
It is rightly said about the state of mind of Sikhs. What about the dishonest Sikhs?
The Dishonest Sikhs And What A High Degree Of Meanness?
That’s All, Indian Agencies Desired To Harm Sikhs
Balbir Singh Sooch
Our stress was and is always remained only on one point that Sikhs were/are good soldiers-fighters nothing else. Sikhs fought in so and so wars and at so many places sincerely and obediently. What about them who say so and what was and is their role and contribution presently? Shameful!!!
You all trying to communicate the message silently that, otherwise Sikhs are agents, useless…..and unfit to rule. What are the rubbish arguments illustrating and repeating always. What is it a high degree of meanness?
That’s all, Indian agencies desired and wanted from all of you in the present context to harm Sikhs.
We have to say whoever promotes and supports such arguments-message is provoker and endlessly mean, working to get killed selected Sikhs with the understanding and on the dictates of anti-Sikh forces.
To whom you people are inciting or provoking? Was the provocation not be considered by the traitors from abroad to the persons like Balbir Singh Sooch that they must die without living intelligently and comfortably as Sikhs?
Some say like an idiot , “If due to jealousy you can not tolerate others and their thinking, then please you try to draw a long line than others”. What type of the assigned task they have in hand and provoking accordingly? Is it not like sitting in heaven and writing, talking all non-sense to the advantage of Indian agencies and for the disadvantage of Sikhs? Who are they?
We know history more than you people, now, while staying in safe heavens and are acting as exploiters, foolishly …… with an idea of or misusing offerings donated in the name of Guru and continuing the practice of collecting funds on the directives of their masters i.e. Indian agencies who helped them purposely to settle abroad.
Mostly people, who under the garb of Sikhi shifted so abroad and carried with them the dirty tactics and the teachings of Indian politics in order to pollute the atmosphere everywhere. It is always true, ‘Old habits die hard’. The people like me can’t be party to such dirty politics or the mean tactics in any manner.
Come to Punjab, let us discuss the Sikh affairs and advise your masters, the agencies accordingly. You must also try to learn and remember more seriously the present and the recent history of Sikhs in Punjab and elsewhere, before playing and repeating the meanness.
Here “heroes” stand exposed, the criminals survived and the real ‘Heroes’ were eliminated-liquidated or shown disappeared long back, not by Badal policies but by the inhuman policies of the Central agencies’. Badal and some of his associates including Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India may be among the sincere and obedient soldiers openly but not like you guys hiding and targeting the Sikhs and mischievously disturbing the peace of Punjab-Sikh Home Land always through a few selected hired and the puppets and they, now and then, are changing their face of organisations under different heads.
You all are aware of it, now, playing, intentionally and deliberately, always a naughty game on one pretext or the other from abroad and within, at the instance of or in connivance with some persons, party, group etc inimical towards Sikhs and Sikhism.
God may help all of you but others ought to remain cautious.
Balbir Singh Sooch-Sikh Vichar Manch
http://www.sikhvicharmanch.com
Forwarded to me by:
From Harbans Singh pakhar@hotmail.com
To: svmanch@gmail.com
Date: Oct 24, 2009 11:38 PM
Mailed by: hotmail.com
“khalsa panth niara hai. its value.tridition.history is separate and distinct.and is recognized worldwide.if nehru.gandhi.and their bootlicker have problem with this.than it is to bad.than AURANGJEB was right who believe in forced conversion. only khalsa panth came to rescue these hindu downtrodent people.these very same people did not believe in deversity.that is why india is facing a big mess.classifying sikh.buddhist.jaina as hindu in article25 freedom to religion is not only against the united nation human right charter.these legislations are unacceptable in 21st century. And Comments of British Generals regarding Sikh Soldiers harbans singh”
October 27th, 2009 at 8:29 am
These were not riots. Riots happen between people and people. This was another failed attempt of Genocide of Sikhs.
Also nobody being punished even after 25 years shows that India justice system is impotent. An impotent Justice System is the
mother of terrorism. When you do not expect anything from your administration, you have to have a gun. There is no other choice left.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:22 am
These were not only riots but was ‘Sikhs Carnage’. The People may call it failed attempt of Genocide of Sikhs. It is fully described in detail in the article in Panjabi as under and please link to read:
http://www.sikhvicharmanch.com/Punjabi/Dharam%20ate%20rajniti-Sikh%20Katleam%20Chaurasi%20de%20doshian.htm
October 28th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Thanks Balbir Singh Sooch.
Thanks for all your good efforts. You are doing awesome work! May you work bring fruits.
I read your writing in Punjabi link you sent. My blood is boiling since then.
It is shame on me to continue eating and living like a coward while those criminals who butchered inncocent women and men and burnt them alive and torn apart the private parts of women are roaming free. Shame on me!
October 28th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Dear S. Singh ji,
As to why you and I should feel ashamed?
The Indian and the whole world must feel so for tolerating such an unjust system.
Do you think, should we take law into our own hands and start killing innocents or fight against system with weapons single handedly, ignoring the rule of law as Indian State did through its central agencies with the help of………traitors?
Thanks! You are among a few who openly appreciated my work.
The surviving “Khalistanis” were and are feeling offended from my work for the reasons best known to them. Now, you can yourself guess about them. They are not with congress, actually with the Indian agencies and remained so in the past with anti-Sikh forces.
Really! We are among innocent Sikhs.
I do not repent but only highlighting the truth nothing else, with a many expectations for justice and peace in the world.
Again thanks
Balbir Singh Sooch
http://www.sikhvicharmanch.com
Fo more Comments: Please click to read
http://sikhsangat.org/2009/10/california-governor-said-no-to-sikh-kirpan-bill/#comment-1046
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:13 am
One of the saddest phase of post independence history. More sad is that we let ourselves flow with emotions without going into the background. All of us have not analysed the crux - what were the reasons for this bottled anger of a section, what was the immediate cause to the carnage, what class of perpetrators were these, what kind of players were involved, what were the hidden hands which wanted to foment such a situation.
The series of questions do not find one particular sect guilty. It was the unravelling of situations which complicated by itself creating it into this sordid happening. Lets not just talk of Harmandir Sahib being attacked and the patriotic Sikhs being butchered by people.
Somewhere our own community too is responsible for the sad happening. Why it allowed people of a particular community being killed daily in big numbers ? Why we failed to raise our voices then ? Why buses would be stopped and a sect be brought out, lined and then shot dead? Why we refused to join their pain and voiced anger ? Why we allowed some of us into fortifying the Harmandir Sahib expecting a war ? What business those people had in the abode of God ? There are instances of ” hit lists ” being prepared and people killed at chosen will
There was no sound of protest anywhere. Most of us felt happy taking on the Government as a show of strength.
The Government did wrong by sending forces to evict the wrong doers from Harmandir Sahib, the way it was done. It could have appealed to the Sikh community to evict them, which according to me was very difficult. The occupiers were not the holy souls but political and international agents, who were out to kill the country. They rather misused our religion and the garb they wore.
The killing of Mrs Gandhi was again misguided. We saw just one aspect and not the whole issue. I as a journalist visited many spots. And I did not find educated ones involved. At one Gurudwara in East Delhi on Vikas Marg, I saw many photograps of Gurus broken.There were photographs of Shiv, Vaishno Devi, Rama and Sita….they too were smashed and broken ! Could that be work of a Hindu ??
These were the groups of hoodlums which were backed by police personnel and local politicians. Its sad that the law has failed us and equally guilty are our politicians - they keep using us everytime after five years to garner our support. We are fools to be falling into their traps. Our Prabandhak Committees too are nothing but bunch of self seekers. Even Manmohan Singh is nothing but a politician, who has failed our aspirations.
Someone wrote above that we are the saviours of Hindus. Certainly. After all we are the children of those Hindus, who joined our Holy Gurus to fight the oppression. Lets NOT call Hindus names or as different to us - we have the same genes and bones. Only the system is bad which has to be changed. Wahe Guru.
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:02 am
Sikh Struggle And Its Beneficiaries
Balbir Singh Sooch
“The period from 1978 to 1995 was of the “Sikh struggle” for only those warriors who fought bravely and sacrificed in encounters without using humans as shields, the Sikhs eliminated and liquidated in false encounters and or shown disappeared and the innocent Sikhs also killed and their families ruined to terrorize Sikhs in a planned manner without any justice under the supervision and the pressure of the Indian central agencies with active support of traitors, now, staying within and outside in different colors (becoming threat to the world peace), presently being projected heroes by the agencies misleadingly and with an idea to mislead the coming generations, though after the period, the police atrocities continue noticed or un-noticed without any check”.
Similar is the case with other struggles in India and elsewhere, why to name the movements of Maoists, Naxalites, Taliban, LTTE, Khalistanis etc as it is not surprising to the enlightened people, because the cunning and the opportunists in connivance with State welcome such maltreatment to their people for their own promotion and to be beneficiaries always as experienced, so far, from the so-called struggles in Punjab.
It may not be exaggeration to say now, on my part, that mostly, such struggles are State sponsored and die their own death, whenever, State desired to bring an end. Someone may say, it is one sided view, not always true but I am sure after facing the inhuman ‘Indian National Policy’.
Such struggles remain without any result, only help the State to divert the attention of public from the real issues meant for their welfare and at the same time help the corrupt ruler to rule over masses with cruelty for a long period.
God may help to the sympathizers of such movements to prove me wrong.
http://www.sikhvicharmanch.com
The Indira Gandhi Legacy
“Mrs Gandhi increased socialist economic controls started by her father Jawaharlal Nehru, opened the doors to widespread corruption that leading politicians and bureaucrats now routinely practice day by day by, and sowed the seeds for both her own death and that of her son, Rajiv Gandhi, by encouraging a militant Sikh leader in Punjab and separatist Tamil activity in Sri Lanka. She also increased separatist sentiments in Kashmir”.
http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2126&Itemid=255
INNER TRUTH
The extension of the policy-The world to remain cautious!
by:
Balbir Singh Sooch
http://www.sikhvicharmanch.com
On 10/28/09, Parmjit Dakha wrote: and reply to him:
MESSAGE FOR “KHALISTANIS”
Thank God! You are going to establish ‘Khalistan’ in some foreign land, hoping without creating or causing any problem for Sikhs, living peacefully there.
It is further encouraging aspect that you have been provided by the respective governments with ‘Panthic writers-intellect’ to keep you on the right track and with the idea keeping the democratic freedom alive with its norms and values, that was missing factor in like you “Khalistanis” so far.
That’s why you and or the people like you were instrumental and responsible for getting the innocents and the Sikh warriors killed.
Don’t play and repeat the similar or any other game hereafter, for your livelihood for collecting and grabbing the offerings donated to Guru on the dictates of your masters i.e. the Indian central agencies including henchmen who helped you to settle abroad.
If you people are capable to read English or Panjabi, then you must read my books, articles etc on my website: http://www.sikhvicharmanch.com to understand the past, present and future in the context of your play.
Thanks for sending me email though my emails sent were not of your liking. That’s why you asked me to delete your email addresses from my list. But, I don’t know as to how your and like you persons addresses automatically enter in my list. Again, I shall try to delete your addresses from my list to remain safe and away from the spiderlike net i.e. your organisation(s).
Again thanks for your email.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:55 am
Thanks Gogi. That was good style of writing posing yourself as a Sikh. It was people like you who think they are smart enough to do such a cunning drama but it is not subtle as you think.
Do you know 95% people killed in Punjab problem are innocent Sikhs. You are highliting few incidents to defame all the Sikh community and it is because of tolerant Sikh community that Hindus in Punjab are still living with pride and brotherhood. If it was any other state, the reactions of 1984 Sikh massacre would have been very different.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Lala Gogi,
Do you know more than 95% killed in Punjab violense are from Sikh community. There are few examples which you highlighred of communal oriented violence. If there was any justice delived to 1984 victims, All this violence would not even happened. Hindu community is still living with pride and brotherhood in Punjab inspite of Sikh massacre in 1984 . Such a tolerence is possible only in Sikh state of Punjab. Your writing posing as a Sikh is not so subtle as you may be thinking.
regards
November 6th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Once again and surely the last time, I will not write after this.The title “Lala’ and the insinuation that I am acting as a Sikh are both untrue.
Feelings expressed were the gist of series of interviews I had done as a journalist during the period. My words were the expressions of my personal account. I too have asked for the worst punishment to those politicians and police officers.Whosoever perpetrated this should get the severest punishment.
I turned philosophical after I lost my father in 1984 mayhem. All your allegations are baseless. I am equally hurt and more than many others. I have learnt one lesson - always nip the evil in bud. Never let it grow, it pains when it becomes a monster. And that was my analysis.