murali@think.ARPA (Muralidhara Subbarao) (11/07/85)
Bajwa writes > The following memorandum was presented at the UN during > its 40th anniversary celeberations by protesting Sikhs. It > mostly talks about human rights violation against the Sikhs > in India. ....... > > .............................. > > Throughout their 500 year history, the Sikhs have > stood for justice, human dignity, freedom of religion, > respect for cultural diversity and for universal brotherhood > and sisterhood. I do not know the 500 years of glorious history of the Sikhs. But I know that from 1981-84 the message that was emanating from the Gurudwaras of Punjab were not that of "universal brotherhood, sisterhood, blah.. blah blah..." but death squads with long "hit lists" seeking out political and community leaders, police officers, journalists etc.. Even innocent laymen travelling in buses were not spared. The acts of the "preachers" from Gurudwaras were splashed all over the news papers every day. The whole nation was held in a grip of terror by your "sants" hiding in the Golden temple. But they made the mistake of trying the patience of the nation for too long. Only the people of a tolerant religion like Hinduism can take it for so long. Do the sikhs dare try such stunts in islamic Pakistan? When the patience runs out, even the meekest fights back, then what of India? A small community cannot hold as large a nation as India for ransom, not for too long, not anymore (thank god!). Bhindranwale and his followers were clearly given a chance to surrender before the army was forced to enter the Golden "temple". But these people believed that they were invincible. It was a myth and they paid the price. They were asking for it and they deserved it. In a civilized world one should make use of appropriate forums to forward their cause. If Bhindranwale or anyone for that matter believes that they can subdue a civilization with their warrior skills or mythical supremacy they are wrong. Mr. Bajwa, you quibble about the damage and "desecration" of your temple by the Indian army. In your long winding thousands of lines of passages you never addressed the core of the matter which were rightly pointed out by many on the net. What were all these "guardians" of the Sikh religion who are protesting to the UN doing when Bhindranwale and his gang had occupied the Golden temple. What? WHAT? WHAT? Every sikh leader including the head priests were scared of Bhindranwale. Even Longowal's life was in threat by these people. By the time the army entered the Golden temple, it was no more a temple, it was a bunker with a bunch of cowardly criminals hiding inside. Mr. Bajwa, if you ever write again, first enlighten us about how your temple could remain holy with such a lot of arms and ammunition and most of all with people inside who were masterminding the murders of journalists, police, and most importantly innocent people and further more threatining the lives of some of their own men (the sikhs). Civilized sikh people should be grateful to the army for it liberated the Golden temple from these dirty men. The Dehli massacre is deplorable, but the beastly instinct in me says that it sent an unforgettable message to the sikhs: "for all your past (1981-84) atrocities, you can't go scot free; you must pay the price, whatever your mythical superiority be." Now any sikh can imagine what awaits his community if he takes an oath in a Gurudwara to kill Rajiv. For a long time to come, sikhs will be looked at with suspicion, even abroad. Mr.Bajwa, you rationalize the crimes of your men with long essays. So can the Indian governmet's actions be. But, alas, you are at an advantage, for you have lots of time. Mr. Bajwa, History will judge who was what and what was what, not us. May the god bless your people, and mine. murali.