Mohammad Jamil
On 5 June, thousands of Sikhs from the UK marched through central London in protest against the British government’s role in the 1984 Sikh Massacre that took place in India. The protest comes on the 32nd anniversary of the Sikh Massacre, with British-Sikhs calling for UN-led inquiry into claims that Margaret Thatcher’s government provided military assistance to the Indian government during the Sikh attack. They demanded a separate homeland for Sikh community. On 3rd June 1984, the Indian army launched an offensive with code name Operation Blue Star on Darbar Sahib also known as the Golden Temple, which was epicenter of the armed movement for Sikh autonomy in the Indian state of the Punjab. The issues that were at the root of the Sikh rebellion were never addressed, and despite nominating a Sikh as prime minister or giving a couple of other assignments in the army, Sikh’s demands remained unfulfilled.
The Army action had coincided with a Sikh annual festival when thousands of pilgrimages, young and old and women and children were inside the temple. Many of them were killed or injured in the conflict. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale may have died 30 years ago, but some Sikhs still remember him with reverence. In fact in today’s Punjab, Bhindranwale’s cult has not vanished but grown – with many of his followers regarding him as ‘Sant Ji’ (a saint) and proudly sporting accessories and clothes bearing his photo. Punjab, during the early eighties, was passing through a phase of change; and this was the time Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale appeared on the horizon.
As early as on April 13, 1978, Bhindranwale had organised a protest to stop the assembly of Nirankari Mission in Amritsar. Unfortunately, the peaceful protest turned out to be a violent one when Nirankari gunmen allegedly killed 13 unarmed Sikh protesters and left 78 injured. Bhindranwale was made a prime suspect in the assassination of the Nirankari mission head Gurbachan Singh, which took place on April 24, 1980. He was also accused of the murder of Lala Jagat Narain, killed on September 9, 1981. Jarnail Singh was arrested on September 20, but released after 25 days. While Sikhs were dubbed as ‘anti-national’ and ‘anti-Hindu’ Jarnail Singh stated the government was discriminating against Sikhs, who according to him were still being treated as slaves. The law and order situation in Punjab had deteriorated and Jarnail Singh and his entourage moved to the Golden Temple complex (Akal Takht).
He allegedly fortified the temple with heavy machine guns. The Sikh clergy objected, but Jarnail Singh got political patronage from Gurcharan Singh Tohra, the then President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The rest is history. As is the case in any multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-cultural country, Sikhs demanded political autonomy, fair distribution of river waters, the plea for Sikhism to be constitutionally recognized as a distinct religion, and the desire for holy city status for Amritsar – the site of the Darbar Sahib, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs. Even today, Sikhs in India and those settled in England and other countries vow to continue their struggle to achieve complete autonomy and their rights. Jarnail Singh Bhinderwale is revered by the Sikh community in India as well as expatriate Sikhs throughout the world. The intelligence agencies of India propagated that he was supported by the ISI.
Instead of owning Bhindrawale, the Indians went out crying that he was on the payroll of the ISI, and continued maligning Pakistan so long as Punjab was in the grip of Sikh insurgency. Not only Sikhs’ holy shrine but mosques of the Muslims and churches of the Christians were desecrated many a time. Demolition of Babri Masjid is also fresh in the minds of the Muslims the world over. In fact, all the minorities in India are groaning under repression by the brute Hindu majority. Throughout India, followers of all religions are being subjected to inhuman treatment. Muslims, Christians and Dalits are not allowed to lead their lives according to their beliefs, traditions and culture. Muslims are the worst victims of Hindu chauvinism. It has to be reminded that in December 2007 on Christmas Day, Hindu fanatics burnt and ransacked 14 churches in eastern India – state of Orissa.
Christians were chased out of several churches – in many a case just mud huts with thatched roofs – before they were set ablaze. Such atrocities on minorities have exposed the façade of lndia’s secularism and establishing conclusively that Hindu fundamentalists have zero-tolerance so far as religious minorities are concerned. Nevertheless, international media, having soft corner for so-called the biggest democracy and secular state, had downplayed even the brutal attack and burning of churches on the Christmas Eve ie 25th December 2007. The Catholic Bishops Conference of India had, however, in a statement said: “The well planned attacks on innocent Christians and their leaders have completely shocked us”. Orissa government remained a silent spectator and was biased towards Christians, and despite promises, the government did not compensate them to build churches demolished by Hindus.
On regional level, India’s attitude and behavior with its neighboring countries has persistently tended to violate the norms of peaceful co-existence. Indian domineering attitude demands of her neighboring countries to act according to its dictates. India’s small neighbors are expected to formulate their external and internal and even defence policies according to India’s will and wishes. India has arrogated to itself the role of determining the extent of independence and sovereignty its neighbors will enjoy. Such bullying attitude was at display when India expressed its displeasure over Sri Lanka’s efforts to procure radars and other smaller equipment from Pakistan and China, as India-origin radars in service had proved ineffective and failed to detect air attacks of Tamil Tigers.
