I wrote this article – completing on 16 March 2018 . This is in response to recent trip to India by our Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and family – which resulted in discussion of Sikh issues in India and Canada.
I presume that the article is self-explanatory.
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16 March 2018
Sikh Issues – my perspective
I believe if we think coolly and a bit carefully about the Sikh issues I guess we can discern the development of a community – over decades – the Sikhs were spoilt by all Indians with overarching admiration and attention.
If we go and sit back and recall in our own life experiences ( when we interfaced with many of our Sikh friends and colleagues ) each one of us had a great admiration for these Sikh colleagues for their wit, humour and sacrifice for their friends and community around – and this admiration was expressed volubly by many to their face. This attitude by many of us spoilt some of these Sikhs – and then politically minded section used that to demand our attention/admiration/ along with various bounties as an entitlement . One of my Sikh friends told me once that in India – many of these Sikhs when travelling on Indian trains would obtain a seat (as you know in India for a long time travelling by train in India was a challenge for seats and other amenities) forcefully by bullying especially the Hindus . This is a small example as to how the Sikhs had stranglehold on Indian polity and social life which was prevalent in India – with the background of genuine admiration for the Sikh community as a whole.
Then came Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the 80s . In 1982 – he started a movement with an excuse for a larger share of irrigation water and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab – a very legitimate demand but such demand was pushed by use of arms and force. A genuine demand turned into – my way or I will take it by force. He and his armed men occupied the Golden Temple – for blackmail and threat to Indian Government’s responsibility. The rest is history . It was clear that he was not supported by most of the Sikh population – specially for his use of force.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two body guards . This goes against the very Sikh (and Indian) values . A person (specially a guard) does not use violence against one’s own employer who puts his/her faith in that person to safeguard him/her. Besides a valourous person (specially Sikhs) will never use sneaky violence against a woman. These Sikh bodyguards discarded their honour/principle which was maintained/nurtured for centuries fighting Moguls and Muslims.
The morals lost forever within the Sikh Community .
The effect of this departure from this principled norm can be seen and experienced many times since this incident. One hear about some Sikhs using violence within the Gurudwaras, against their wives and even against their own mothers. You just have to keep your eyes/ears open and listen to news for incidents like this. The Sikh culture has been somewhat compromised and anything goes is becoming a new norm for some of these Sikhs.
Fortunately most Sikhs are upright people and they are not contaminated by such behaviour
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was a very respected/revered prime minister of India for taking Pakistan head-on and helping East Pakistan to separate and become an independent nation ( BanglaDesh ) She also stood up against the mayhem created by Bhindranwale in Punjab. Her assassination resulted in a spontaneous backlash (as claimed by some in India). Throngs of masses ran rampage killing many Sikhs in New Delhi – even their neighbors and colleagues. This also spread in some other parts of India . It seems some people found an excuse and took advantage for personal gains or revenge. This spontaneity is not recognized/acknowledged by many disgruntled Sikhs and specially those who lost their loved ones .
Also lack of speedy corrective action ( or perceived slow action ) by the authorities led to charge (by some Sikhs and Human Rights activists) of deliberate vengeance style killing of many innocent Sikhs . This is the root of continuing simmering feeling of gross injustice to the Sikhs. It is terrible and hurting if one feels betrayed by their own Government and friends and neighbors . Even after so many years (some 30 years plus ) no acceptable action to bring the perpetrators ( or their perceived leaders) to justice by Authorities is noted.
So the aftermath of this mass killing (and resulting frustration in Sikh Community) was felt in Canada when an Air India Flight 182 was sabotaged (with a bomb ). The Flight ( Emperor Kanishka ) operating on the Toronto-Montreal-London-Delhi was destroyed by a bomb at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9,400 m) on 23 June 1985,. It crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace. A total of 329 people were killed, including 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens and 24 Indian citizens. Most Canadian citizens were of Indian origin – who were initially referred to as Indian citizens by the then Canadian Government .
One of my friends lost his whole family – very talented family . I was shocked -so were many others . We were also shocked that the Canadian Government has missed identifying these as Canadian Citizens . Fortunately I was the President of Jain Society (in Toronto at that time) and I got an opportunity (along with others) to be interviewed by the CBC radio. I brought this anomaly in identifying the lost persons as Indian Citizens (instead of them being Canadian Citizens) by the then Canadian Prime Minister and my speech remained/repeated on CBC radio for at least a couple of days. This anomaly was finally corrected by the Canadian Government . I am glad for my small contribution to the conversation at that time.
What bugs me most that the RCMP and other Canadian Government Authorities seem to have botched the investigations, trial and punishment of the Sikh terrorists who planned blowing up a plane. It seems that there was some cover-up and softness towards the perpetrators. At that time, most western Governments were not in favour of India (as it was wrongly considered pro-Russia – India just being non-aligned ) and Pakistan’s star was high above. Any mischief to India was sort of acceptable – specially by Britain and USA and thus it includes Canada.
In the mean time the Sikh Community has built itself in Canada numerically, economically and in recent years politically. Some of these Sikhs (the pro-Khalistan activists) have remained aloof from normal Indian socials and advancement . They celebrate their Diwali at the Canadian Parliament Building as a separate event . They join by in mass numbers the main political parties of Canada and thus influence the election of political leaders . They also contribute money liberally for campaigning elections . In British Columbia and Brampton (Toronto, Ontario) , they have numbers for putting forward political candidates besides supporting other Canadian candidates.
Some of these people are committed and dedicated to developing their own history separate from India history . It is fortunate that most Sikhs in India (as well as in Diaspora) do not subscribe to this fallacy. All these parades and glorifying known terrorists and killers in Canada is having a mixed reaction. Only now after recent trip by Prime Minster Trudeau visit to India , the local Canadians and the political class is recognizing the danger in supporting such parades and dialogues. It also works against Canada’s interest now that India is becoming economically sound and a major developing country with about 3 trillion dollar economy. Hopefully, the 1984 episode is resolved properly in India and justice is delivered. Besides Sikhs here in Canada cannot forever be embroiled themselves in issues in India – that is if Sikhs want to become real Canadians and participate in the Governments as political leaders.
For positive outcome , the Sikhs should concentrate in the well-being of Canada , all its citizens and cannot harbour silent animosity towards innocent Indians either in Canada or India or for that matter anywhere in the world. Sikhs in India have moved forward and they are as usual most model citizens of India.
I believe that Sikhs have their work cut out for them if they want to pursue the cause of Sikhs either in Canada or elsewhere -including India. Their roots will always be in India as most Sikhs’ spiritual bond is centered around Golden Temple in Amritsar in Punjab, India . Though they have some historical places in Pakistan too.
The Sikhs who want to be active in pursuing acceptance and justice and a homeland should take a different tack -which is positive and helpful in making Sikhs model world citizens. By keeping external attire similar to many known Islamist terrorists ( with long flowing beards and frown on their faces ) only complicates their task. I understand that said Sikh attire with colorful turban is a required necessity for their religious and spiritual identity – and so be it . But if this is associated with violent behaviour at home or in Gurudwaras or against innocent individuals (even sporadic) do cause a concern as to their attitude.
I believe those Sikhs who are so much active in the Community fighting for justice for their cause should pose and note that many of us are supportive of their demand and looking for resolution of such incident. However what I skim in various cases in India – from Bhopal Disaster and other atrocities, rapes and frauds – in many cases the justice is delayed, denied or compromised from negligence or deliberate manipulating by powers to be . Only way forward is to strengthen the democracy and many institutions of democracy in India. Which incidentally cannot be achieved by violent means – specially by running protests in Canada with display of photos of known killers of Canadian Citizens . Many Indians are active in India for such an outcome .
Our Canadian Sikhs or those Sikhs who are residing in the Diaspora can help achieve their objective of justice and respect in India by being themselves of higher morals and desist from any violent vengeance type activities. They can establish a friendlier relations with other overseas Indians – individually and collectively – which will bring eventual better results.
The Diaspora Sikhs can use their knowledge and wealth and positive attitude to help solve many of Punjab’s social and economical woes. Punjab is supposed to be number 1 province of India but have squandered its development possibilities by politics tied to religious happenings.
There is the issue of use of drugs in Punjab – drugs being smuggled from Pakistan . These smugglers have become a kind of conduits for traitorous activities against the security of the country. Overseas Sikhs can provide relevant technical, medical and educational support to stem the drug use amongst Punjab’s young population . In the process , the overseas Sikhs can encourage peace movement between India and Pakistan.
If we look around here in Canada or USA or UK , we see hard working Sikhs in all fields which include Industry and construction (real estate) and have been very successful – and that is why they can support financially many of the political parties at in one way or another. This acumen is very useful and necessary for the industrial development of Punjab and other parts of India . Why can The Sikhs take up the call like Jews who developed Israel .
My final thoughts turn to what I call moral downgrade in some of our Canadian Punjabi youths (men) -who go to India for marriage – get a dowry and then leave the girls there abandoned and return to Canada – with loot of dowry in their pocket. These type of incidents have been reported in the press – why these so-called Sikh leaders in Canada do not take steps to stem such behavior. May be they have done it but I have not heard/read about any such activity.
Finally winning the world for Sikh nation is an admirable yearning but first of all the violent arrogant attitude need to be removed -even though the Sikhs are a martial race – only by recognizing that the flowering of the Sikh Community has come about by sacrifice of many Hindu families over hundreds of years when many Hindus have had offered/sacrificed their first born towards the Sikh growth
Pravin Shah