GOD SAVE INDIA

By

V S Godbole

 

 

DEDICATION

 

 

This book is dedicated to the

memory of Veer Savarkar, the great

Indian Freedom Fighter.    In 1924,

he wrote in his book Hindutva,"... Really

if any community in India is Hindu

beyond cavil or criticism, it is our

Sikh brotherhood in the Punjab. (p.l23)...

so long as our Sikh brethren are

true to Sikhism, they must of necessity

continue to be Hindus."  (p. 129).

Unfortunately, to-day even the staunch

Savarkarites have forgotten these

words.

 

If only we had listened to Savarkar

or at least had not ridiculed and

opposed him, there would have been

no partition of India, and most of

our problems would have never arisen;

what to talk of Punjab crisis;

 

 

PREFACE

 

6th June, 1984: Committee Room No.10 of the House of Commons of the British Parliament was overflowing with people. We were paying homage to Veer Savarkar during his birth Centenary Year. Finally, I proposed a vote of thanks and announced that the Greater London Council was going to" put up a blue commemorative plaque1 on 65 Cromwell Avenue, London N6, the house in Highgate, where Savarkar lived during 1906-1910.

 

After we came home, we saw on T.V. the fighting inside the Golden Temple, Amritsar. The Indian Army had moved in. What a coincidence ; What anguish would Savarkar have felt?

 

Dismayed by the events, I started to write a book on the Punjab Crisis. But as if there were not enough problems, Mrs Indira Gandhi was killed on 31st October 1984. All that I had written became out of date. As a Maratha, I was deeply distressed at the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's death. There are no words which can express my revulsion, horror and repugnance at the savage and unbelievable mob attacks on Sikh men, women and children and the Gurudwaras in many parts of India, including regrettably in Maharashtra.

 

I left England for working in the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean on 5th November1984. During my travel on board the ship M.V.ENGLAND I wrote a ten page article entitled God Save India. After a long delay and with great difficulty, my friend Bhupendra Patel of London typed the article and copies were sent to many friends. Even though the article was by then nearly two years old, it was very much appreciated. Encouraged by the response, I decided to expand and bring the article up-to-date. This booklet is the result;'

 

Correct diagnosis is vital for quick and effective cure. If the diagnosis is wrong, the remedies can be more harmful than the disease itself. The information which I have used is not secret; it has been available to all. I am grateful to my friend Arvind Pradhan of London for checking the manuscript and making some valuable suggestions.

 

Finally, words fail to express my gratitude to my wife Mrs. Vinita and my daughters – Vaidehi and Varsha. Unpopular and unrewarding work cannot be carried out without the support of one's family. Strong and united India is the only reward I seek. If Rajiv Gandhi was to achieve this, we would obviously admire and cherish him.

 

54, Sudeley Walk,                                                                          V.S.GODBOLE

Bedford

MK 41, 8 JJ

U.K.

1st Nov.1986.

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1. The plaque was unveiled by Lord Fenner Brockway on 8th June, 1985.

 

 

 

GOD SAVE INDIA

 

 

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION

 

Like most Indians living overseas, I have been watching with great anxiety and concern the events in the Punjab over the last four years. My professional work and research into True Indian History keep me extremely busy.  I was drawn into research in Punjab politics willy-nilly, while discussing the issues with my friends. I was shocked by their ignorance and prejudice. Our kith and kin are blissfully blind to reality just as they were in the pre-partition days. Here are some examples of our arguments -

 

How easily are we carried away by the mass-media ;

 

(1) Now Sikhs are demanding Khalistan.

 

How do you say that?

 

Well, there was this programme on television (Channel 4 in January, 1983).

 

So even after having lived in England for 20 years, you still believe in what the British say? You still trust their word? They want you to believe that Sikhs are demanding Khalistan; so they interview a stooge. They would not interview a person like me.

 

(2). In 1966, the present Punjab was formed. On 29 January 1970, Government of India announced that Chandigarh would be transferred to Punjab within the next five years, and a new capital would be built for Haryana.( Times of India Directory &. Year Book, 1974-75, p.216).Can you name the site chosen for building the capital of Haryana? And when would the construction be ready?

 

Don't know.

 

If Haryana was a Hindi speaking province, why was it not amalgamated with Uttar Pradesh, just as parts of Hyderabad State were amalgamated with Maharashtra,  Karnataka  &  Andhra Pradesh ?

 

Good point ; We never thought of that

 

(3). Vasudev Balwant Phadke was a great freedom fighter and the first revolutionary after 1857.

 

But nobody remembered him on his death anniversary in 1983.

 

Not quite, Sikhs did pay tributes to him ;

 

Really?

 

Yes. An article by Mr. V.S. Joshi of Dadar, Bombay, appeared in the 21 Feb. 1983 issue of the Spokesman of Delhi, a Sikh newspaper.

We did not know that.

 

(4). "Sikhs are not Hindus at all" said a Maratha friend from Nagpur.

 

Who are they then?

 

Sikhs are Sikhs.

 

That is precisely what the British would like you to say. They have been working at it for the last 100 years. They started the phrases like Hindus and Sikhs, Hindus and Jains, Hindus and Buddhists, Hindus and Lingayats. And we have foolishly stuck to them. Have you ever heard of Catholics and Christians, Protestants and Germans, English and Methodists, Arabs and Muslims or even Shias and Muslims?

 

Point taken.

 

(5). I told my friends that the division between Sikhs and the Sanatani Hindus in Punjab is superficial. Almost every Sikh has some Hindu relations. In some families only the grandfather is Sikh, in others some brothers are Sikhs, some are Hindus. It is purely a matter of choice. Even the words 'Sikhs and Hindus'  are  recent. People used to say Keshadhari and Sahejdhari. And the whole families would go to a Gurudwara or a temple depending on the occasion.

 

We don't believe it - They said.

 

"Here is 1 Jan. 1985 issue of Manoos weekly of Pune. It contains a special report by Bandu Thanekar who visited the Punjab. He confirms what I told you."

 

"Oh! He must have been fooled by the Sikhs to say something good about them. "

 

"What about RSS Chief Golwalkar Guruji ?" In his book Bunch of Thoughts he tells us, "Even as recently as a couple of decades ago, one son from every Hindu family (in the Punjab) used to be named a Sikh. Our blood relations continue even to this day." (pp. 159-40)

 

"We did not know that."

 

(6). The Sikhs started to drift away from the Hindus ever since Master Tara Singh started the Punjabi Suba agitation in 1956. Didn't they?

 

"First", you should remember that Veer Savarkar never condemned the demand for Punjabi Suba as a danger to India or as a secessionist movement. Secondly, Master Tara Singh himself was one of the founder-members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (1964)2. At the founding ceremony he said - "Sikhs and Hindus are not separate.    Sikhs will survive only if Hinduism  survives.     In Punjab it is considered that Sikhs and Hindus are a problem as if they are two nations. Sikhs are part and parcel of the great Hindu society. Guru Govind Singh brought in Gurumukhi the wisdom and philosophy from our scriptures and the Puranas. Are we to give up this heritage? In the evening of my life   I desire to see one or two problems solved. I wish that this movement of Hindu revival gains momentum. My last wish is to see the mission of Vishwa Hindu Parishad succeed. (Quoted in Hindu Vishwa of London, July, 1983.)Masterji always used to participate as a Hindu in the annual sessions of the Hindu Maha Sabha. (Biography of Veer Savarkar by Balarao Savarkar, Pt. 4, 1986, p.66)

 

"We did not know that. Please tell us more."

 

 

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2. Gyani Bhupendra Singh, President of Shiromani Akali Dal was also one of the founder members of VHP.

 

3. Master Tara Singh passed away in 1967.

 

4... Savarkar did not die of any disease or old age. At the age of 82 he, like many great saints, decided to cast away his mortal body and leave this world. He refused to take food for 22 days and breathed his last breath  on 26th February, 1966.

 

 

 

CHAPTER II. FORGOTTEN INHERITANCE

 

Any nation if it has to survive and prosper needs a continuing tradition of sacrifice. We have witnessed this from ancient times when the bones of sage Dadhichi were used by Indra to kill the demon Vrutrasura to self-immolation of Veer Savarkar in 1966. Sikhs have maintained this tradition, faced almost extinction but never lost faith, showed remarkable resilience and emerged triumphant like Phoenix in the 19th century and saved our nation and protected and defended our Dharma. Three hundred years ago. Guru Govind Singh took to sword to defend ourselves and our Dharma from the tyranny of the Muqhals. He appealed to the Hindus: "Give me at least one of your sons for our fight." In Punjab, among many Sanatani Hindus, there arose a tradition that one son from a family would be brought up as a Sikh5. And as he usually happened to be the eldest son, we came to look up to Sikhs as our elder brothers and they did stand for our protection in the times of trouble. This tradition was in vogue in our living memory.  Even in the 1920s, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya appealed to all Hindus to follow this tradition so that we would fight for our freedom from the British. And it is this tradition, this spirit that we stand to lose today.

 

By persistently maligning, insulting and humiliating Sikhs, we have not just alienated 2 per cent of our population but we are committing national suicide. It is high time to listen to and understand the grievances of Sikhs. Let us briefly see how they have been systematically maligned, at least, over the past 50 years.

 

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5.  Childless couples (Sindhis and Punjabis) would pray ‘Oh God, give us children. Even if  we have only one son, we would bring him up as a Sikh.'

 

 

 

CHAPTER III. BRIEF HISTORY

 

Even before the East India Company had any foothold in India except in Bengal, astute and farsighted Britishers were aware that their rule in India would end one day.  In his Preface to Sir Charles Wilkins’s translation of Gita, Warren Hastings wrote in 1785, "The Gita will survive when the British dominion in India shall have long ceased to exist and when the sources which it once yielded of wealth and power are lost to remembrance."

 

Just over a hundred years later i.e., in 1883, an anonymous English author wrote a book entitled India 1983. It was published by Thacker Spink & Co. and depicts disintegration of India into a number of petty states, at each other's throats. It was not just a dream of a sinister imperialist. The divide and rule policy of the British is too well known to be repeated here.

 

When the British were forced to leave India in 1947, they offered Sikhs a separate state - Sikhistan6, but Sikhs flatly refused to accept it. And had it not been for their patriotism and stiff resistance, the whole of East Punjab also would have gone to Pakistan. But only Veer Savarkar acknowledged this debt openly. Nehru not only forgot this but shamelessly remarked in February 1953 that Sikh communalism was responsible for the break up of Punjab. That was the pervert mentality of the man who remained India's Prime Minister for 17 years. We must never forget that it was the same Nehru, who assured during the earlier election of 1945-46 that there would be NO PARTITION. Patel said, "Sword will be met with sword."  Gandhi said, "Partition? Over my dead body". And once the elections were won, the trio shamelessly agreed to partition without seeking a fresh mandate from the people, without the slightest thought being given to the fate of millions of Hindus and Sikhs of  Punjab let alone to the exchange of population7.

 

Did not Nehru say, "Should the Indian National Army of Subhash Chandra Bose cross border into India, I would fight them with a sword”? But when the Indian National Army trials started (November 1945), did he not put on the barrister's gown to defend them? Why the sudden change? Purely for winning the 1946 elections!! It is well known how Bose was hounded out of Congress Party by Gandhi. After it was announced that Bose died in a plane accident, Gandhi visited Bose's house. No remorse. Pure electioneering. Playing havoc with other people's lives (i.e., the lives of our kith and kin); ruining their lives meant nothing; Indira Gandhi proved to be no different. She was after all Nehru's daughter.

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6. The British would have loved to disintegrate India even further under the pretext of protecting the rights of minorities, if only they had the time.

 

7.  The treachery of the trio was without parallel in the history of India. Rajaji proposed acceptance of Pakistan in April 1942.  Rajaji formula of July 1944 clearly meant partition. And yet on the recommendations of the trio, Rajaji became Governor of West Bengal in August 1947 and Governor-General in 1948.

 

8. Nehru went to Singapore in January 1946 but on the advice of Mountbatten, he did not pay homage to INA soldiers. (Foreword to "The Scope of Happiness", autobiography of Nehru's sister Vijayalaxmi Pandit.) On May 2, 1946, Lord Wavell also told Nehru not to make heroes of INA soldiers. (Viceroy's Journal). So even after independence we look upon the British to tell us who our freedom fighters are!!

CHAPTER IV -- SIKHS AND THE ARYA SAMA3

 

The concept of Aryans living in Central Asia, their migration and conquest of India, were all inventions of politically motivated British scholars. It all started at the meeting of the Royal Asiatic Society of London on 9th April, 1866. The Chairman was Viscount Strongfield. Mr. Thomas proposed that Aryans came from Ariana of Oxus. The British were, of course, promoting their divide and rule game - Aryans Vs Dravidians, Brahmins Vs. Non- Brahmins ad infinitum. The British started to count Sikhs as separate from Hindus since the census of 1871. Ironically enough, Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 (though rejecting the British theories but still believing that the Aryans came to India from Tibet). Arya Samajists have ever since got into their heads that Sikhs (i.e., Khalsa) are not Hindus and must be converted to pure Hinduism, although they themselves despise  the word Hindu, even to-day'. (Ref. Arya Gazette, Satdharma Pracharaka of those days.)

 

Sikhs do not believe in idol worship but they have no hatred for it either. And as they are essentially derived from the Hindus, idols of Rama, Krishna and others were seen in Gurudwaras in the 1870s. Orthodox Sikhs thought that it was wrong and when they heard that Arya Samaj was also against idol worship, they invited Swami Dayanand to Lahore. In his discourses in the Punjab, Swami Dayanand Saraswati always praised the work of the Sikh Gurus. This attracted a number of Sikhs to the Arya Samaj. One of them - Bhai Jawahir Singh later became the Secretary of Lahore Arya Samaj.

 

In 1883, Sardar Bhagat Singh, a Sub-Engineer of Ajmer Division complained about the objectionable remarks against the Sikhs made in the Satyartha Prakash of Swami Dayanand. Swami replied that his opinion had undergone a change during his visit to the Punjab and the remarks would be deleted from the next edition. He, however, passed away on 10th October, 1883. And the situation grew worse and worse over the years. The insulting remarks have remained. Even in the 1975 English translation, we find (pp.  442-46) - "The aim of Nanak was, no doubt, good but he did not possess any learning…. He was quite ignorant of the Vedas and the Sastras and of Sanskrit.....  He wanted to show that he had some pretensions to the knowledge of Sanskrit....  He could never have done it unless he was anxious to gain public applause, fame and glory. He must have sought after fame or he would have preached in the language he knew and told the people that he had not read Sanskrit. Since he was a little vain..... Nanak in his life time had not many followers, nor did the sect flourish much.    But it is a habit with the ignorant that they make a saint of their Guru after his death, then invest him with a halo (of glory) and believe him to be an incarnation of God. Nanak was neither a rich man, nor was he one of the aristocracy (so what?) and yet his followers have written in Nanak Chandrodaya and Janamsakhi that he was a great Saint who possessed miraculous powers.      It is his followers who dare to blame for this and not Nanak....."

 

There is no mention of eight successors of Nanak, not even the fearless Guru Tegbahadur. Swami Dayanand continues, “Govind Singh was indeed a very brave man.... He enjoined five 'Kakaras' i.e. five articles all beginning with the letter 'K' as the signs of his faith just like five 'Makaras' of the Vama Margis, and five samskaras of the Chakrankitas. They are as follows : Kesha, Kara, Kachha, Karda, and Kangha."

Govind Singh through his wisdom, started the practice of wearing these five articles.  They were very useful for the time in which he lived, but they are of no use at the present time. (It is strange that) those things which were required to be used because of their being of great service in fighting (with the enemy) have now come to be regarded as part and parcel of the religion of Sikhs. It is true that they do not practise idolatry but they worship the Grantha (i.e., the Guru Grantha) even more holier than the idols. Now is not this idolatry? ..... If they were to read the Vedas or hear them being read, those among them, who are free from prejudice and bigotry, would no doubt embrace the Vedic religion. It is greatly to the credit of these people that they have done away with various troublesome and useless restrictions in the matter of eating and drinking. It will be a very good thing indeed if they would also be free from sensualism, vanity and false pride and advance the cause of the Vedic religion9. Swami Dayanand Saraswati seems to emphasize that a Saint must

      (a)  have knowledge of Sanskrit;

      (b)   be able to preach in Sanskrit.

 

This is absurd and preposterous. Let us look at the Maratha saints. They came from various backgrounds. Namdev was a tailor, Janabai a maid of Namdev, Narahari a goldsmith; Chokha a Mahar (low caste); Tukaram a merchant; Savanta a florist; Gora a potter. None of them had learned Sanskrit. And yet the verses of all these saints are equally revered by all the Marathas just as the same verses of Brahmin saint Dnyaneshwar, Ramdas and Eknath.

 

Manu himself has said :-

 

Antyajat api param dharma

Stree ratnam dushkulat api

 

(Principles of religion should be learned even from a person of the lowest order (who of course would be ignorant of Sanskrit).

 

As for Nanak preaching in Punjabi (a derivative of Sanskrit), Saint Eknath had retorted in the 15th century :

 

Sanskrit vani deve keli

Tari Prakrut kaya chorapasuni zali

 

(God made Sanskrit language but did Prakrit (Marathi) come from the thieves?)

-------------------------------------------

9. This is the root of Punjab Crisis. In 29 June, 1983 issue of Sobat weekly of Pune, we find a letter from A.J.Anavkar of Thane. He says, -In the 1972 edition of Satyarth Prakash. Guru Nanak is called an impostor. While propagating their views, Arya Samaj created a rift between Hindus and Sikhs. This eventually led to Punjabi Hindus declaring that their mother tongue was Hindi. But such remarks are extremely rare."

 

 

 

 

Tukaram, a mere grocer, a Shudra would have shocked Swami Dayanand. Tukaram says – Vedancha to artha ahmasachi thava. Yerani vahava bhar matha

 

Only we know the true meaning of the Vedas. Others simply carry the weight on their heads.

 

He goes even further and says ;

 

Tuka mhane maja | bolavito deva

Artha guhya bhava | Tochi jane

 

Mazia ukticha | navhe ha prakar

Maja Vishvambhar | Bolavito

 

Apulia bale | nahi mee bolat

Sakha Krupavant| Vacha tyachi

 

Tuka mhane mazi | Koni vadavili vani

Prasadavachuna | Tumachiya Vitthala

 

Thus he proclaimed that God spoke through his mouth. No one has been stupid enough to say that Tukaram was vain. It is true that Brahmins (who of course had learnt the Vedas) ordered Tukaram to destroy his verses (abhahg) but they failed and the verses are intact even today. Rameswar Bhatt Vagholikar, a Brahmin, repented and became a disciple of Tukaram.

 

Now as for the Sikhs not having respect for the Vedas , RSS Chief Golwalkar Guruji tells us: "Shri Guru Govind Singh had declared -  'A true Sikh is one who has faith in the Vedas and Bhaqavad Gita and who worships Rama and Krishna'.... ". Bunch of Thoughts, p. 139.)

 

Mr. N.V. Gadgil, former Governor of Punjab, writes : "The tenets of the Sikh Gurus appeal more to the masses although the basic ideas and basic philosophy were not different from the great Vedic religion."   (Introduction to English translation of Guru Granth by Dr. Gopal Singh, 1964.)

 

Dr. Arvind Godbole of Bombay (no relation of mine) tells us, ".... Guru Nanak was not against learning of the Vedas. He only disliked the mere recitation like a parrot. He stated, 'just as a lamp when lighted removes darkness, reading of the Vedas removes sin from one's mind Guru Granth p.1240). He also says -  Vedas preach us to recite the name of one God. (Guru. Granth, p. 1188).

 

Nanak is extremely distressed at the atrocities committed by Babur, the 16th century Mughal invader. He laments, "No one accepts the authority of the Vedas and the Shastras. Kazis have become judges, Kshatriyas have forgotten their duly, foreign language is imposed. Hindus, as they should have been, have become very rare! "

 

Khatriya hi dharma chhodiya | Mlechha bhagya gahi

Srushti saba ika varna hui | Dharam ki gati rahi

 

Asta saj saje puran sodhahi | Kare beda abhyasa

Bina hari ke mukta naahi | Kahe Nanak daas

(Guru Grantha p 663)

 

Sastra Veda mane koye | Apo ape pooja hoye

Kazi hoye kai bahe nyaye | Je ko puchhe ta padha sunaye

 

Turak mantar kana hrudaya samahe | Loka Muhave chahi khahe

Chauka dekai sachcha huei | Aisa Hindu vekhaho koye

                         (Guru Granth, p. 951)

 

See also pp. 360, 417, 905 & 1191 of Guru Granth.

 

(Reference: From Guru Nanak to Guru Govind Singh [in Marathi] 1986.)

 

As for Guru Govind Singh, many of his verses are in Sanskrit. He had sent five disciples to Benares for learning the Vedas. They in turn started the sect Nirmal Panth. Guru Govind Singh raised the sword to defend our honour. He says -

 

Dharma chalavana santa ubharana | Dushta daitya ke mool upatana

Yahi kaj dhara mai janam | Samaz lehu sadhunam mananam

 

This is precisely what Lord Krishna has said

 

Paritranaya sadhunam | Vinashaya cha dushkrutam

Dharma sansthapanarthaya | Sambhavami yuge yuge.

 

                                         (Gita , Chapter.IV/8 )

 

(From age to age I would be reborn to protect the saints and destroy the demons.)

 

We have referred to the 1975 edition of Satyarth Prakasa. The Sikhs say that the first edition of 1882 contained much more severe attacks on Sikh Gurus and Sikh faith.

 

It is deplorable that Swami Dayanand made his remarks without studying the Guru Granth and a study of the lives of the Sikh Gurus. It was diabolical to compare the five kakaras with the five makaras of the Vamamargis. There were few men like Lala Amolak Ram Munsif, who had realised this, felt sorry and apologised. But they remained in minority. At the eleventh annual session at Lahore on 24th and 25th November 1888, Pandit Guru Dutt and Pandit Lakh Ram continued their attacks on the Sikhs. The discussions of Lala Murlidhar and Swami Swatmananda added fuel to fire. A large number of Hindus felt disgusted and held a protest meeting on 2nd December 1888 in Baoli Sahib, Lahore. Lala Nand Gopal was in the chair, the speakers being Lala Ladli Prasad, Bhai Jawahir Singh, Bhai Dit Singh, and Dr. Narayan Singh. From then on, Arya Samaj continued its vendetta against the Sikhs.  Arya Samachar paper of Lahore once wrote -

 

Nanak shah fakeer ne naya chalaye panth

Idhar udhar se jor kar likh mana ik Granth

Pehley cheley kar liye pichhey baala bhes

Sar par saafa bandh kar rakhi leeney satkes |

 

In 1934, Prof. Gulshan Rai wrote - "For the last 50 years Arya Samaj ridiculed and abused Sikh Gurus.       I must admit that we ourselves are to a great extent responsible for driving the Sikhs out of the Hindu fold. They were our saviours in the Mughal period and we have shown our gratitude by ridiculing those Gurus whose teachings enabled them to rescue us from foreign tyranny of Pathans..."

 

Many people were attracted to Arya Samaj because it sponsored and encouraged marriages of widows and preached removal of untouchability. Arya Samaj also started the much needed Shuddhi (re-conversion) movement. But instead of concentrating on Christians and Muslims, they decided to concentrate on converting Sikhs back to Hinduism. (What a height of absurdity!:) They cut the hair (kesha) and the beards of Sikhs in the open and in public places. And this naturally led to ugly confrontations. Many Sikhs still remember how their young boys used to come back home from schools with their hair cut. What is being called Hindu-Sikh conflict is, in fact, Arya Samaj-Sikh conflict.

 

Arya Samaj was a necessity of the time. It prevented the spread of rot set in by the British system of education and resisted the onslaught of Muslims and Christians, but by harbouring foolish notions about Sikhs, it has done enormous damage to Hindu society at large. It is high time for them to concentrate on re-conversion of Muslims and Christians to Hindu fold by their Shuddhi movement. This is the need of the time. In 1947, Muslims were 5% of India's population. To-day, they are 11.35 %. Need we spell out the danger? One partition of India was enough.  (See  Hindu Nationalism : A View Point by S. R. Date, Kal Prakashana of Pune, 1983. Also see Gujarat Politics by Dr. D.V. Nene published in Caravan magazine of June 1986.)

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER V -- ARYA SAMAJ AND THE CONGRESS PARTY

 

No follower of Swami Dayanand could be a follower of Gandhi (or Nehru). But the lure of power induced them to play the dubious double role of being Arya Samajis and Congressites at the same time. In 1924, Gandhi made an unprovoked attack on Arya Samaj to please Muslims. He publicly denounced the Arya Samaj for its supposed sins of omissions and commissions. It was an utterly unwarranted, reckless and discreditable attack. He denounced Swami Dayanand as a narrow-

minded person.

 

Swami Shraddhanand, an Arya Samaj leader, had done a marvellous job of Shuddhi -  re-conversion of Muslims, especially Malkana Rajputs to Hinduism. This angered Muslims because, according to their preaching, conversion of Hindus to Islam by even the most hideous means was perfectly justifiable, but re-conversion of Muslims to Hinduism by persuasion highly objectionable. One fanatic called Abdul Rashid killed Swami Shraddhananda. And immediately Gandhi appealed that Bhai Abdul Rashid should not be hanged. (Young India, 6 January, 1927).

 

In 1929, some Muslims of Lahore wrote a booklet entitled Kishan Ten Gita Jalani Padegi, a gross insult to Hindus. Rajpal, an Arya Sarnaji, became furious and he retorted with his booklet Rangeela Rasool based on the sex life of Prophet Mohammad. Muslims were not used to such tit for tat. They had all along considered it their prerogative to insult Hindus with impunity. Ilamdeen and two other Muslim goondas killed Rajpal for which they were hanged. Hindus took out a huge procession and cremated Dharmaveer Rajpal. Now Gandhi stepped in. In Young India he wrote - "Rajpal was just an ordinary bookseller. He wrote a booklet which made Muslims angry and as a result he was killed. What heroic deed had he done to call him a Dharmaveer? He had sold all his books and did not suffer any loss; so what sacrifice did he make?" But the Arya Samajis continued to revere Gandhi.

 

In 1937, Bhai Paramanand raised the question of Hindu women and girls being kidnapped by Muslims in the North West Frontier Province. Instead of condemning such acts, Dr. Khansaheb said in the Central Legislative Assembly, "Oh; this is just an ordinary question of boys chasing girls." Congress members, who were present in the Assembly, shamelessly laughed and nodded. Savarkar condemned those Congressites as hizras - transvestites (men who dress and disguise as women). But Arya Samajis never left the fold of such Congressites; they kept quiet. Savarkar condemned their cowardice and double dealing during a public speech at Ayodhya on 4th April 1938.

 

In June 1944, Satyarth Prakasha. - the holy book of the Arya Samaj was banned by Muslim League Government of Sind. But Arya Samajis kept mum so as not to upset Gandhi, whose appeasement of Jinnah and the Muslim League was at a very advanced stage.

 

We cannot go into the details of the Indian politics of 1938-47 here but we must remember that the partition of India took place based on the census of 1941, the very census Gandhi Nehru & Co, advised Hindus not to take part in (just as they had advised in 1921 and 1931); So, whereas in the 1881 census Hindus were 55% in the Punjab, in the 1941 census their percentage went down to 47% thus  facilitating  much larger area going over to Pakistan10. And what did the Arya Samaj do? They accepted the advice of Congress and boycotted the census and those who took part in the census refused to call themselves as Hindus and got registered as Aryas11. They were really blind even to their own survival. Needless to say that they suffered terribly during partition. But even then they did not become any wiser, and after independence and exodus of Muslims from East Punjab, Arya Samaj renewed its campaign of animosity and ridicule against the Sikhs. In other provinces, Arya Samaj simply signifies those believing in the importance of the Vedas, quite a harmless pursuit. But in Punjab it is quite different.

 

Congress party was committed to linguistic Re-organisation of provinces after independence. Arya Samaj once again played mischief. In the 1951 census they induced Punjabi Hindus to register that their mother tongue was Hindi and not Punjabi. This is almost incredible and unbelievable, but is a fact. People everywhere are trying to preserve their mother tongue, not disown it. Can you imagine any Gujarati saying that his mother tongue is not Gujarati but Hindi? But the insanity of Arya Samajis knew no bounds. Their leader Lala Jagat Narayan was the secretary of Punjab Congress Party. Arya Samajis prevented the formation of Punjabi speaking Punjab. (And at this stage what were mere provinces even under the British became States under Nehru, boundaries became borders promoting further disintegration of India12.

 

Sikhs had no reason to disown their mother tongue Punjabi. Why should they? They are just as proud of Punjabi as I am of my mother tongue Marathi. When in 1956 there was Tamil speaking Madras (Tamil Nadu), Kannada speaking Karnataka, why should not there be a Punjabi speaking Punjab? They legitimately asked. But because Punjabi Hindus disowned Punjabi, the agitation for Punjabi Suba became the sole responsibility of Sikhs. And Indians everywhere got the impression that Sikhs were demanding a separate state - Sikhistan. Thus, without spending a single penny, Arya Samaj sowed the seeds of mistrust in the minds of unsuspecting Indians against Sikhs.

 

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10.  Statement issued by H.M. Government, London, dated 3 June 1947. Para 5 states, "1941 Census figures will be taken as authoritative". The assets of British India were also divided on the basis of 1941 Census.

 

11. Arya Samaj leaders appealed to their followers to register as Aryas and NOT as Hindus. Mr. O.P. Seth of Punjab Punjab State Janata Party Executive Committee remembers such posters displayed in Amritsar. He also says  Mahasha Krishan, father of K. Virender (editor of Pratap), Mahasha Kushal Chand, father of Yash (editor of Milap) were such leaders. 

Ref:  Deccan Herald 8 April 1984. Had it not been for this folly, Lahore  the capital of  Maharaja Ranjit  Singh would still have been the capital of Punjab to-day and the holy Nanakana Sahib Gurudwara (where Guru Nanak was born) would have also remained in India

 

12. Savarkar was strongly against linguistic reorganisation.

(Ref. Echoes from Andaman. Savarkar’s letter of 9 March 1915). He had argued on many occasions that language alone should not be the sole criteria for creating a province Population, area, geography, resources and other factors must be considered. But the word Savarkar- was an anathema to Nehru all his life. Savarkar strongly advocated and emphasized the unitary nature of India, but Nehru fell for the foolish federal constitution as advocated by Britishers like Lord Wavell.

(Viceroy’s Journal)

 

CHAPTER VI -- PUNJAB POLITICS

 

Sikhs had to struggle for ten long years (1956-1966) to get the Punjabi Suba. They quite rightly feel that what is granted to other Indians as a right, Sikhs have to fight for it. When their magnificent contribution in the 1965 Indo-Pak War could not be ignored, Punjabi Suba was at last formed in 1966. But even that was not done in a straight forward manner. Chandigarh, the capital, became a Union Territory. The head-works and hydroelectric power stations were taken over by the Central Government and some Punjabi speaking districts were excluded from Punjabi Suba. Once again Sikhs had to start the struggle. Behind to-day's tragedy lies the bitter story of the last thirty years. The mentality of New Delhi is thanda karake khana (Cool it and eat it). Let the problems drag on. Vasantrao Naik, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra once said openly, "How do I solve the problems? I just do nothing. The problem is bound to go away" i.e., people are bound to get fed up with agitation or get used to putting up with difficulties.

 

What is worse in the case of Punjab is  that now every Sikh is perceived as a gun-totting extremist and a traitor, a secessionist, who can no longer be trusted ; (Imprint, June 1984). On three separate occasions when agreement with the Akalis was in sight, Mrs. Gandhi withdrew at the last moment. When the Akalis saw that prolonged peaceful struggle yielded no results, talks with Indira Gandhi lead to nowhere, government assurances were never fulfilled, a sense of frustration, helplessness and bitterness must have set in. The extremists were bound to take over and the moderates had to shift to extremism in order to maintain their position and remain as leaders. Many well known persons like V M Tarkunde former Judge of Bombay High Court, have remarked - If Bhindranwale is arrested Longowal, Badal and Tohra can influence the moderate opinion and negotiations can be peacefully concluded. But this would strengthen the Akali Dal and that is precisely what Indira Gandhi would not allow. No matter what the consequences for India.

 

The politics of the Congress (I) was aimed at weakening the Akalis. Zail Singh was the Chief Minister of Punjab during 1972-77. Unlike the previous chief ministers, he came from Ramgaria (artisan) caste and not the majority Jat caste. In order to widen his power base and weaken the Akalis, he encouraged the activities of Bhindranwale and his ultra-orthodox intolerant followers. Akali-Janata coalition was in power during 1978-1980. In order to create a rift in the Akali Dal, a new faction called Dal Khalsa led by Bhindranwale was started with blessings of Zail Singh, Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi on April 13, 1978. In the year following, some policemen in Punjab went on strike and were dismissed. During the elections of 1980, Zail Singh promised to take them back if Congres (I) returned to power that promise was fulfilled. We can imagine what kind of police force Punjab had.

 

With his masters Zail Singh (then Union Home Minister) and Indira Gandhi firmly back in power, Bhindranwale openly attacked his opponents – the Nirankaris. Their leader Baba Gurubachan Singh and his aide were shot dead in Delhi on 25th April 1980. The killer, carpenter Ranjit Singh, escaped. All the 20 persons against whom warrants were issued, either belonged to the Jatha of Bhindranwale or were his relatives or associates and were hiding under his protection. Organised political murders were now appearing on the scene.

 

One year after this event, a well known journalist wrote - "Though the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has solved the murder case, it is almost certain that the killers will never be arrested because they are alleged to be in the protection of Bhindranwale. Besides, the State police is not prepared to involve itself in the case by arresting the culprits. Repeated pleas by the Governor of Delhi to the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Darbara Singh and the letters written by the directors of CBI to the Punjab Government for help have been of no avail. The director of CBI wrote to State Government about ten days ago urging it to help the CBI by arresting the culprits and taking away their arms. But the State Government has not even acknowledged the letter. The present Lt Governor of Delhi, Mr.S.L. Khurana has again written to the Punjab Chief Minister pleading for the arrest of the suspects.

 

The CBI has almost completed the investigation and persons who are suspected in this case have been declared as proclaimed offenders. It was on the orders of Indira Gandhi that the murderers were not arrested or disarmed. " And exactly 3 years  later,  she  had  the  audacity  to  say   that she had no alternative to army action!!

 

Sometime in 1980, Government of India issued an order that recruitment into the armed forces would from now on be on the basis of the population of individual state. And thus as Sikhs are less than 2% of India's population, their percentage in  the Armed Forces would drop  sharply  -  from 15% to less than 2%. This is the height of absurdity. Gujaratis are 5% of India's population. Are we going to see Indian Army with 50,000 Gujarati soldiers? Different people have different attributes and these must be utilised for the country's good. Sikhs do not claim to be the only martial race but as long as they make excellent soldiers, they should be employed as such. It is only after this Government order that we hear about Khalistan.

 

In March/April 1981, on the day of Baishakhi, extremists of Dal Khalsa openly demanded Khalistan. G.S. Dhillon and J.S. Chauhan were present. Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid gave his blessings. (Why was he never arrested?). Indira Gandhi had sought the blessings of the same Imam for her 1980 election campaign and yet she had the audacity to say that there was really no alternative to army action in Amritsar!!!

 

Three months after the demand for Khalistan was made by a few fanatics, Bhindranwale comfortably took shelter in the Golden Temple though Indira Gandhi and Zail Singh took no action against him or his men after the murder of Baba Gurubachan Singh in April, 1980. Arya Samaj had proved to be impotent. On 9th September, 1981, Lala Jagat Narayan was shot dead near Ludhiana. Nachhar Singh was caught. He confessed that one of his associates was Dalbir Singh, proclaimed offender in Baba Gurubachan Singh murder. The other associate was Swaran Singh, a relative of Bhindranwale. We must remember that Lala Jagat Narayan was an Arya Samaji and still Secretary of Congress Party in Punjab and was one of those leaders, who in 1951, induced Punjabi Hindus to falsely declare that their mother- tongue was Hindi and not Punjabi, and created the problem of the last 30 years.

 

Lala Jagat Narayan had earlier opposed the naming of a road in Anandapur after Guru Govind Singh. He opposed the naming of Delhi-Amritsar Express as the Golden Temple Express and opposed the idea of granting holy city status to Amritsar.

It was the duty of Punjab Government to arrest Bhindranwale. But the Chief Minister Darbara Singh showed great reluctance and allowed Bhindranwale to dictate terms and when he gave himself up on 19th September 1981, 17 Akalis were killed in mob violence. Within days he was released on Indira Gandhi's orders, without any bail or bond.

 

Bhindranwale had now become a hero. By Indira Gandhi's blessings he was above law. He could literally get away with murder. He visited other provinces to collect funds for his cause and in Delhi even met Zail Singh and Buta Singh. On 29th Sept. 1981, Dal Khalsa members hijacked an Indian Airlines Boeing 757 to Lahore. But as long as they weakened the Akalis, Dal Khalsa had the blessings of Indira Gandhi and Zail Singh. And yet Indira Gandhi had the audacity to say that she had no option but to send in the Army in the Golden Temple!!!

 

In December 1981, the new chief of Nirankaris, Baba Hardev wanted to make a deal with the Akalis. Nirankaris would delete the offending passages in their holy books in exchange for peace. But Chief Minister Darbara Singh stepped in and wrecked the deal. Congress (I) were not interested in tranquillity and sanity in Punjab.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER VII -- PUNJAB POLITICS - THE MISCHIEF-MAKERS

 

On 26th April, 1982, severed heads of some cows were thrown in front of two Hindu temples in  Amritsar, an act which was denounced by all Sikh organisations. Dal Khalsa claimed the responsibility and were completely isolated. At that time Punjab Government could have acted firmly against Dal Khalsa. But how could they allow any easing of pressure on the Akalis? It was later discovered that the cows were already dead and not slaughtered. And that act was carried out by some agents in the dark. But in retaliation Hindus threw biddis13 and brickbats at the Golden Temple in broad daylight. Why did the police not prevent this incidence? Six months later, Congress (I) started raising a force of Punjabi speaking non-Sikhs to malign the Akalis. The men would undergo a crash programme of learning Gurubani and Gurumukhi, growing beard and long hair so as to make them indistinguishable from the Sikhs. After training, these men were sent to Punjab to infiltrate into Gurudwaras, Akali ranks and the Sikh organisations and encourage extremism. They were to incite hatred and create communal tensions, write threatening letters, carry out  acts  of bank robberies, sabotage, desecrating religious places, invoke strong  police  retaliation during demonstrations, arson and looting - all dressed up  as Sikhs. Congress (I) being in power, they had immunity from prosecution and Sikhs would get the blame. (Times of India, 26 February, 1984;  P.T. I -  press  release from Amritsar of 23 Dec.1983; U.N. I-  press release  of  26  Feb 1984  throw  some  light on this subject.)

 

During the Asiad Games of December 1982, a scare was created by such agent-provocateurs and it was exploited by Congress (I) Government of Haryana. Every Sikh living in Delhi or proceeding to Delhi was humiliated for which there was no need. Most Sikhs would have understood the need for security and agreed to searches and restrictions. But the attitude of Haryana Police was extremely high-handed. Even women and children, old and sick were not spared. Every Sikh was treated, like a suspected terrorist. Some Sikhs had come from America and Canada to show their grandchildren the land of their forefathers. They were sent straight from Delhi Airport to jail. This caused much resentment and bitterness, helped the extremists and hot-heads and made it impossible for the moderates to argue. In fact, every action of Indira Gandhi and her party was calculated to encourage the extremists. What Jagjit Singh Chauhan, Ganga Singh Dhillon and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale failed to do was achieved by the Haryana Police.

 

 

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13. Sikhs may drink but never smoke. Throwing of bidis (hand-made cigarettes) at the Golden Temple was thus highly insulting to Sikhs.

 

 

 

CHAPTER VIII -- MURDERS, BOMBS AND TERRORISM

 

On 25th April 1983, Avtar Singh Atwal, Deputy. Inspector General of Punjab Police was shot dead as he emerged from the Golden Temple at 11.00 a.m. The murder shocked the nation. It was condemned by everybody. The general feeling was running high against the extremists and it was the best time to flush them out. But Indira Gandhi & Co did nothing. As early as January 1983, one Bandu Thanekar writing for Manoos weekly of Pune noted - "In Amritsar there are policemen everywhere : State Police, State Reserve Police, Border Security Force Police and Central Reserve Police.” How could a D.I.G. of State Police get killed in front of the Golden Temple in broad day-light? Atwal had been summoned for a secret meeting in Amritsar by two senior officials - Brigadier Tejinder Singh Grewal and J.S.Chalal, an IPS officer, who knew Bhindranwale well. After a number of secret discussions, Atwal, a devout Sikh left for Golden Temple. To hush up the matter, Punjab Government awarded Rs. 3 lakhs to Mrs. Atwal. It is true that on 29th April 1983, Mr. P.C.Sethi, Union Home Minister, gave an ultimatum of one week to the Golden Temple management committee to surrender the men wanted for various offences, who were then hiding in the Golden Temple. But nothing came of his threat. Why?

 

On 25th June 1983, a bomb damaged the office of Congress (I) in Chandigarh. This may have been the work of their own agents. By October, Indira Gandhi changed her tactics. The State Government was dismissed and President's rule was imposed on Punjab. But it brought no change in the situation as the change over was a mere white-wash. Just three weeks later, Sealdah Express from Calcutta was derailed near Ambala killing 17 people and injuring 133. Sikhs were blamed. In October 1983, and February 1984, some innocent Hindus were gunned down. These senseless killings brought equally senseless reaction by Hindus of Haryana. Between 14th and 21st February 1984, on the Grand Trunk Road from Delhi to Ambala, Sikhs were removed from buses and beaten up. Their Keshas were clipped and their turbans burnt. Even women and children were not spared. In Haryana, Sikhs were beaten to death, dragged out of Gurudwaras and lynched. Only on the last day, Haryana Government gave 'shoot at sight' order. It is surprising that on 14th February curfew had already been declared in six major cities of Punjab and 'shoot at sight' order issued to police. Why did the Haryana Government watch the carnage for seven days?

 

In March 1984, Longowal and Akalis claimed that men masquerading as Sikhs, were carrying out terrorist acts and Sikhs were getting the blame. During March and April 1984, five students of the famous Dnyan- Prabodhini Institute of Pune visited Punjab.  Writing in Manoos weekly they say, ".   Central Reserve Police Force men surrounded the Golden Temple. Police with helmets and masks are covering every inch of Amritsar, but no Sikh police. And where police were not seen, we saw Nihangs. Houses around the Golden Temple have police with mounted machine guns." But still there was no end to murders. On March 28, Harbans Singh Machanda was shot dead. He was president of the Delhi Gurudwara management committee, and had called for the expulsion of Bhindranwale from the Golden Temple. The next day Dr. V.N. Tiwari was shot dead. He was a learned man and was tipped to be the next Vice Chancellor of the Punjab University. He was among the few top ranking Hindus in Punjab who openly declared Punjabi as their mother tongue and asked other Hindus to do the same. He made a survey of the residents of Chandigarh and came to the conclusion that 95% of them spoke Punjabi in their homes and bazars but when it came to census, said that their mother tongue was Hindi. For his academic merit, he was given saropa in the Golden Temple. So why should Sikhs be interested in killing him? On the contrary, it is alleged that Punjab University has been dominated by the Arya Samajis for a century and they did not want Dr. Tiwari to be the Vice Chancellor of that University as he would not be their stooge. Moreover, he exposed their mischievous inducement to Punjabi Hindus to deny that Punjabi was their mother tongue.

 

On 2nd April 1984, some 40 minor railway stations in Punjab were blown up. On 9th May, Giani Pratap Singh, aged 85, former head priest of Akal Takt was shot dead in Amritsar. He was outspoken about the anti-social elements who had taken refuge in the Golden Temple. Three days later, Rameshchandra, son of Lala Jagat Narain, was killed in Jullunder. Thus, despite several acts and remedies, lawlessness was rampant in Punjab. We have Preventive Detention Act, Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), Anti-Insurgency Act, National Security Act. In fact, we have more security acts than in many dictatorships. So why was the situation allowed to drag on for so long? The answer is simple. It suited Mrs. Gandhi's election chances. It created an impression that 'there is a serious crisis; situation is very grave; country is facing another partition; we need a strong-minded person. To whom we can turn to? Only Mrs Gandhi. So rally around her.' Even her staunch opponents forgot that the situation was created by herself and said, "Though we do not like her, do not approve of her policies, we are solidly behind her when it comes to Punjab problem. We would support her wholeheartedly, if she were to declare a state of emergency or even martial law." Mrs. Gandhi was very clever indeed in manipulating the situation to her own advantage.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER  IX. -- Mrs. GANDHI'S FATAL ACTION

 

Between 30th May and 2nd June 1984, there was a massive build up of army in Punjab and what followed took place even without declaring a state of emergency in Punjab, let alone declaring the Martial Law. On 2nd June, Punjab was completely cut off from the rest of India. It was declared ‘a restricted area’ under the Foreigners' (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, for two months arid was later extended to 2nd October 1984, and foreign news reporters were expelled. 3rd June was Guru Arjundev's martyrdom day and 4th June was Panchami. Hundreds of Sikhs gather for these few days in the Golden Temple and other Gurudwaras in Amritsar. On 3rd June, press restrictions were imposed under Section 2 of Punjab Special Powers (Press) Act of 1956, and extended up to end of September 1984. In the early hours of 5th June, Indian Army moved in, thus trapping thousands of innocent men, women and children. What followed is too gruesome to describe. One can get some idea of the horror from certain pertinent points :

 

(1).There were no newspaper reporters accompanying the Army. All the news was controlled by Government of India. We know too well how under such conditions fake evidences can be planted and how unpleasant evidences can be wiped out.

 

(2). Even the Government controlled TV did not show any Red Cross men attending the wounded. Were they present at all?

 

(3). We also did not see army personnel leading the pilgrims to safety.

 

(4).Indian Army did send in the tanks. But the terrorists had no tanks and we understand that they had some Light Machine Guns (LMGs), 0.303 rifles, one rusty bazooka and some grenades.

 

(5).Government white paper says 493 civilians/ terrorists were killed.  But how many were women and children? And, if the number was so small, why were they not identified? (Even now we do not know exactly who died.) Why were the bodies disposed off by pouring kerosene on them and setting ablaze instead of handing over to local people for proper cremation?

 

(6). On 14th June, 84 foreign reporters were allowed in Punjab. But they were forbidden to take photographs or ask questions to the briefing officers. What happened between 7th and 14th June 1984?

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER  X -- THE DANGERS AHEAD

 

The fighting in the Golden Temple was over in a few days’ time and that should have been the end of the trouble. But oh no! Just four weeks later, by a Presidential decree, Punjab was declared a 'terrorist affected area' for six months and on 25th July 1984, special courts were set up. Punjab was divided into 3 zones, each with a special court. Onus of proof was placed on the accused, trials would be held in camera, identity of witnesses would be withheld. And thus by their own admission, Indira Gandhi, Zail Singh & Co. have created a 'Northern  Ireland' at our doorstep and that too on a vulnerable border with our arch enemy Pakistan.

 

The timing of the attack on the Golden Temple seems to have been calculated to have two effects viz,

 

(a) To cause maximum damage, casualties and suffering.

 

(b) To create extreme unease among the Sikh soldiers and incite them. And once they rebel or desert, declare that the Sikh soldiers are not reliable and should no longer be recruited in the Indian Army.

 

Indira Gandhi succeeded on both the counts. Eight thousand Sikh soldiers are now said to be languishing in Indian Army jails. Other Sikh soldiers are disillusioned and dispirited. Sikh officers too are shattered by the events of 1984.  "What is the point in winning a medal for bravery if you are liable to mob attacks at any time, at any place and when even your women and children would not be spared simply because you are a Sikh?" Major Joginder Singh, the first officer to die in NEFA during the 1962 war with the Chinese, Sardar Gurubaksha Singh, who smashed the Sargodha radar centre with his plane and died in that mission in the 1965 war with Pakistan and many other gallant men would no longer find any successors.

 

After more than a decade, about 250 officers captured by Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh war are still in Pakistani jails. Could it be that majority of them are Sikhs and hence Indira Gandhi could not care less?  (India Today,  29th Feb.1984, p36).

 

Indian Army was once admired as one of the finest in the world. After its deployment in Punjab, it has been reduced to the level of tyrannical armies of the petty dictators of South America.

 

In case of another war with Pakistan, how can the Indian Army expect any

co-operation from Sikh civilians? And Sikh saboteurs would be seeking revenge.  According to Government of India’s own admission, six army divisions were required for the Blue Star Operation just to crush 200 and odd followers of Bhindranwale. The danger to India's security is grave indeed.

 

 

CHAPTER XI -- TIME FOR ACTION

 

Having foreseen the dangers to India's integration and border security, it is time for action. Not long ago, RSS bashing was the order of the day. After Sanjay Gandhi got killed in an aeroplane accident, one Member of Parliament, who was anxious to join Congress (I), accused RSS of being responsible for the accident. Indira Gandhi did not stop making such absurd accusations (just like her father). Commenting on the incident, one journalist wrote in Sobat weekly of Pune, "It is true that as yet no one has accused RSS of being responsible for the Iran-Iraq war but we cannot be sure that such an accusation would never be made in India." The same pathetically low mentality exists about Sikhs to-day. Such has been the ferocity of persistent anti-Sikh propaganda carried out by the mass media. Disastrous consequences of this situation can still be avoided. Intellectuals from all over India must continuously go to Punjab and tell the truth to the people. They do have an extremely difficult job; they face the strong possibility of becoming outcastes. But there are many independent newspapers and weeklies who do not depend on any favour from Congress (I) and there are brave men and women, who can stand being ostracised for the sake of telling the truth. Here are some suggestions :

 

Topics for investigation :

 

         Power and influence of Arya Samaj.

         (If they have no power and influence, they have nothing to worry about.)

 

         Arya Samaj and Sikhs.

 

         Arya Samaj and its links with the Congress Party.

 

         How Indian press systematically maligned the Sikhs.

 

         The Sikh grievances; what are they? Are they justified ?

 

         Arya Samaj and Hindu Suraksha Samitis.

 

         Home Ministry's Report on army operation in the Golden Temple.

 

 

Questions to be asked and answers to be sought:

 

* Why did Indira Gandhi back out from talks with the Akalis when agreement was in sight on three different occasions ?

 

* Why Bhindranwale and his men were never arrested and their arms licences revoked ?

 

* Why publicity was never given to the fact that SGPC has on many occasions handed over to the police criminals hiding in the Golden Temple ?

 

* Did the Government give any list of wanted criminals hiding in the Golden Temple to SGPC just prior to June 1984?

 

* Telephones in the Golden Temple are not and cannot be secret. They must have been tapped. How can the Government claim it did not know what was going on in the temple complex. What was the Intelligence Bureau doing?

 

* Golden Temple is open to all at any time and one can stay there free for three days and take photographs. How come the Army did not know full details of the complex, especially as aerial photography was also available?

 

* Amritsar and Golden Temple had been surrounded by policemen from State Police, State Reserve Police, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police and the Punjab Armed Police at least since January 1983. In addition, plain clothes agents of the CID, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) had swarmed the place. How was it possible for the criminals to get in and out unnoticed? How could the arms/ammunitions get in without the connivance of these security men? For example, take the case of notorious offender Sukhinder Singh Sodhi. According to newspaper reports, he came out of the Golden Temple complex main gate, crossed the street, sat down in a tea shop for snacks, unnoticed. A little later, a man and a woman came out of Golden Temple, went past the street, shot Sodhi fatally and walked back to the temple unnoticed!

 

* Khalistan protagonist Balbir Singh Sandhu commuted regularly between Tarn Taran and Golden Temple, a distance of 60 km. And yet he was never arrested. Why?

 

* Is there discrimination against Sikhs? Their list is formidable indeed ; 

 

Punjab University in its history of 100 years never had a Sikh Vice Chancellor. It has 56 Departments but only 5 departmental heads are Sikhs. Out of 16 Registrars, Deputy Registrars and Assistant Registrars, only one is Sikh. Similar picture is seen in other Universities.  

In Punjab, the Chief Secretary, Director-General of Police and Chairman of Public Service Commission are non-Sikhs.

In most Sikh majority districts, the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police are non-Sikhs. (For example Ludhiana and Sangrur).

Majority of Financial Commissioners, Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Inspector General of Police are non-Sikhs.

Punjab National Bank has hardly any Sikh employees.

 

Are the allegations of maltreatment under military rule and brutality of military and para-military forces in Punjab true?

The charges are very serious indeed.

 

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14. We are NOT suggesting that Sikhs should be appointed to various positions only because they are Sikhs. The question is of discrimination.

 

15. Punjab University was originally at Lahore. After partition, it was transferred to Chandigarh.

 

* Houses are looted and destroyed.

 

*Youngsters vanish without trace after being arrested.

 

* Gurudwaras are attacked, their properties ransacked, Guru Granthas burnt.

Sikhs are shot in fake encounters.

 

* Army has issued instructions that the Amritdhans (i.e., devout Sikhs who wear a small kirpan around their necks) are dangerous people pledged to commit murder, arson and acts of terrorism.

 

* Other acts, for which the Indian Army and para-military forces are accused, are too sensitive, too disgraceful to be mentioned publicly.

 

This list is by no means exhaustive; it is indicative only. Some feel very strongly that we should investigate the extent of the role played by foreign powers and find ways of countering them.

 

After Operation Blue Star, Government of India had lost all credibility in the eyes of Sikhs (and any sensible people). First, we were told by Government of India that large quantities of hashish (opium) were found in the Golden Temple; later the Government said with very little publicity that these were found outside and not inside the Golden Temple. But enormous damage was done to Sikhs' reputation.

 

Longowal and Tohra were first reported to have surrendered at 8.30 p.m. on June 5; later we were told that this did not happen till 1.00 a.m. on June 6. Thus, rather than having surrendered of their own accord, it seems that they had been forcibly taken out by troops. But by the initial announcement, status of these two leaders was considerably reduced in the eyes of Sikhs.

 

We were told by Government of India officials that no firing was directed against the Harminder Sahib. Eye witnesses say that it had 360 bullet marks. Half truths and rumours do severe damage.

 

Truth however bitter can be accepted in course of time. Physical damage can be repaired. But damage done to the pride and dignity of a people, needs efforts of honest and sincere persons to repair such damages. Would Indian intellectuals now come forward and do their duty? In addition, school teachers, editors, writers, social workers and various other influential groups also need to visit Punjab continuously. With current prosperity, Indians now talk about going on world tours. They can easily go to Punjab first. There is also a need to establish various friendship societies (e.g., Maratha-Sikh friendship society to dispel rumours and misunderstandings and promote better under-standing between Sikhs and non-Sikh Hindus of various provinces. Sikhs themselves must take active part in such activities and come out of isolation.

 

 

 

CHAPTER XII --  WHAT IS THE FUTURE?

 

Lot of water has flowed under the bridge since I first wrote this booklet in November, 1984. But the situation remains as frightful as ever. When fresh elections were held in Punjab in 1985, Sikhs totally rejected the extremists and stood solidly for the moderate leader Barnala. Despite the bitterness and the sympathy for Bhindranwale caused by Operation Blue Star, Baba Joginder Singh, father of Bhindranwale was defeated in the election. What more proof of patriotism and moderation can be expected of the Sikhs?

 

Baba Amte, a great social worker and known for his service to the lepers, toured the whole of India (even at the age of 72) with the call Jodo Bharat (Unite India). Mr. Jagdish Godbole accompanied him and his report on Punjab was published as a series of three articles by Manoos – a weekly of Pune. In the issue of 19 April 1986, he says -

 

"  Left Delhi 26 March 1986. On the same day there was bloodbath in Anandpur Sahib. – We were very scared....

 

Ambala

Dinner with Sukhavant Singh.

Revenue Minister of Punjab, Major Ubole Singh advised us, 'Please avoid Chandigarh-Anandpur Sahib route; go by a safer route. Baba Amte said, “ I am  going by the normal route. Do you want to come with me or do you want to go by the safer route?'  We all decided to go with Baba.

 

Punjab - Ladii Mandi, a big village. Many villagers had formerly worked in Pune and Bombay. They were remembering the good old days. I talked to one Bachan Singh -

 

What do you do?

 

Run a small shop.

 

Since when?

 

Just recently.

 

Before that?

 

I used to work in Reay Road in Bombay.

 

Why did you leave? There was no trouble there.

 

At first nothing happened. But we can't be certain of what may happen next time.

 

That hurt me deeply.”

 

“ Chandigarh to Anandpur Sahib road is beautiful. …. Along the journey we would shout Jodo Bharat (Unite India). Sikhs would respond 'Sat Shri Akal'....Current explosive situation in Punjab is the curse of Indira Gandhi. First she raised Bhindranwale as a counterpoise to the Akalis. When he grew too big, she got him liquidated. As if Operation Blue Star was not humiliating enough, she got Nihang Baba Santa Singh to do the repairs under Karaseva16  - rubbing salt on wound.  Indira Gandhi paid for all this with her life.”

 

In the issue of 6 April 1986, Jagdish Godbole (no relation of mine) tells us -

 

"According to Rajiv Gandhi-Longowal accord, Chandigarh should have been transferred to Punjab on 26 January, 1986. If that had happened, it would have pulled the rug under the feet of the extremists. But this valuable opportunity was lost."

 

“Whenever our group (of about 16) passed through the streets of Punjab, people used to talk to us but very cautiously.”

 

“At village Chaksadhu near Hoshiyarpur, we met Jarnail Singh Bajwa, Commander in the Indian Navy. He was angry about the wild exaggerations made in the newspapers. He said, ‘Terrorism ? Come along and see for yourself. Last time I had gone to Bombay I read in the papers - Punjab in flames.  True, there are incidents here and there but it is not so easy to burn Punjab.... "

 

“Every Sikh, even brave Naval officers like Jarnail Singh have now to prove that they are patriots. And they feel extremely bitter about it. Sardar Harbhajan Singh said, 'If Sikhs are not patriots, there are no patriots left in India.'”

 

Jarnail Singh continued,  " I had gone to Lucknow for a basketball match. During the interval other players taunted me –‘Well Sardarji, if you want Khalistan, why have you come here.' If India disintegrates, it will be entirely due to such mentality.'

 

Jagdish Godbole continues -

“The fault lies not with Jarnail Singh or Harbhajan Singh, but with our childish tendency of generalisation. It is really painful to find even the well educated people branding whole communities as responsible for the deeds of a few. Our ignorance about our own country aggravates the situation still further. Ask any one in the North what language is spoken in South India. The answer would invariably be Madras? .' (easily forgetting Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Marathi.  And there is no such thing as Madrasi language. Madrasis speak Tamil.) Same applies to Punjab.”

 

“Thirty-five to forty per cent of population of Punjab is Hindu and both the Hindus and the Sikhs are subdivided into hundreds of sects. But we think that only Sikhs live in Punjab.”

 

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16. 'Karaseva' means voluntary work done by Sikhs for the construction, maintenance and repairs of Gurudwara. If Army men had repaired the damage quickly, it may have been overlooked but to pay Santasingh  (who was infamous for smoking hashish or cannabis) and his 150 men to do the job under Army protection was highly insulting to Sikhs.

 

 

I was curious to visit the offices of Punjab - Kesari (the paper of Lala Jagat Narayan.)  Hind Samachar, an Urdu paper also belongs to the same group. (Note : One would have thought that Arya Samajis would detest Urdu, but they only hate Punjabi.) In Himachal Pradesh and Delhi, Urdu has already become second official language. Haryana Public Service Commission accepts 25 languages including Persian and French as optional subjects but not Punjabi!!!  On the other hand, Hindi enjoys the status of second language in Punjab.

 

In the issue of 5 May 1986, Jagdish Godbole tells us -

Yanha atankawadi hoiu nahi the | Suba banaye gaye

(There were no terrorists here; they were forced to become terrorists; they were simply branded as terrorists.).

 

“After the Delhi riots of November 1984, many Sikh youngsters have sought refuge in the Golden Temple (Amritsar). Santok Singh was one of them. He saw us around Harminder Sahib. After the crowd had disappeared, he met me. "Our home was destroyed and the rioters raped my mother and sister", he said. If that had happened to you, would you be talking about peace, mutual trust and understanding and extending brotherly love to all folks? “

 

“What could I say? He too knew that, but was simply looking for a shoulder to cry on. At least he knew that there are people who would show sympathy to him.....”

 

“We met Dilbag Singh, General Secretary of Khalsa College. He said, "All India Sikh Students Federation and Damdami Taksal are old institutions. They were not even remotely connected with politics. But these politicians of Delhi misused them for power politics and spoiled everything.....that  Talwandi- he is an infamous opium smuggler so much so that in Punjab the word Talwandi now means opium (and yet  he was given so much  prominence by the mass media).”

 

Jagdish Godbole writes -

“While talking to Sikhs, I constantly felt the Sikhs are much more bitter about the incited, induced, systematically arranged riots of Delhi than about Blue Star Operation18.

Our conversation went on -

“Both before and after Operation Blue Star, the Indian Army committed many acts of atrocities in the villages. Those wearing the saffron turbans were shot on sight and when that was impossible they were shot in take encounters.”

 

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17. Ten years after the death of Mahatma Gandhi, a relation of mine went to see Maithilisharan Gupta, the famous Hindi poet and asked his permission for translating some of Gupta's poems from Hindi into Marathi. As soon as he discovered that my relation was a Maharashtrian, Gupta said - 'Oh, you are one of those (and there were 30 million Maharasht'rians then) who killed Gandhiji :'

 

18-   "RSS in Service of November 1984 Riots" published by Keshav Smarak Samiti of New Delhi, throws some light on this issue. Balasaheb Deoras, present RSS chief, who witnessed the riots was shocked by the inaction and connivance of Delhi Police. He and RSS workers rushed to the rescue of Sikh victims.

But the terrorists also....

 

“After the barbaric attacks on even our women and children in Delhi and elsewhere,

some Sikhs did turn to terrorism but everyone wearing a saffron turban was not a terrorist.”

 

“But everyone of us has had the experience of police brutality.”

 

“Some of Dilbag's friends removed their shirts. I saw the signs of police beatings. My God ; I remembered the days of Bangladesh war. Towards the end of that war, I was sitting at Dacca University hostel.  Members of Mukti Bahini had shown me the signs of brutality of Pakistani Razakars.”

 

“I never imagined that I would see signs of such beastliness in ours own country. The mere thought of what had happened made me shiver.”

 

“Baba Amte wanted to publish a joint declaration with the leaders of Damdami Taksal and AISSF but Harinder Singh Kahala, a militant leader of AISSF spoiled the attempt.”

 

After our dinner, Dilbag Singh and his friends came to the gate to see me off. Dilbag said,  "I don't know  what you think but really we are not terrorists. And whatever you may say this is the first time that somebody has come here from outside to listen to our grievances. Until now no one had even thought of coming here".

 

Jagdish Godbole continues -

 

"There were various rumours about Bombay Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thakare. I was very much interested to find out if there are any links between Shiv Sena of Punjab and Bombay. But one thing is certain. In all this affair, Bal Thakare's Shiv Sena has shown remarkable restraint.”

 

“Unfair distribution of electricity rather than of water, is the main complaint of the farmers. Right in the middle of summer, there are power cuts for 16 hours of the day.  Many times, the canals are running full of water but without electricity and the pumping sets do not work and the crop is ruined. This is a fact. Punjabi farmers (most of whom are Sikhs) have may times raised their voice and complained to the Central Government but the Hindus of Punjab (most of whom are city-dwellers) did not support this just demand. The Sikhs are also bitter about the fact that most Hindus speak Punjabi at home and work but always maintain officially that their mother tongue is Hindi....There are many other bones of contention at the back of the minds of the Sikhs....”

 

“Baba Amte says that the need of the hour is not to confront the extremists but to isolate them.”

 

“From Amritsar we moved on to Batala. How a minor incident leads to an explosive situation. Around 15 March 1986, two rickshaws collided in Batala. One carried Hindus, the other Sikhs. Fighting broke out, police intervened. Rumours grew. As elsewhere in Punjab, the city-dwellers are Hindus, while Sikhs live in surrounding villages. When it was falsely reported that the local Gurudwara was burnt down, Sikhs surrounded Batala and cut off supplies of essentials (food, vegetables, oil, and water). The situation soon grew ugly. Luckily the Police Officers succeeded in asking some Sikhs to see for themselves that the Gurudwara was not destroyed. And then in a matter of minutes the explosive situation fizzled out. (There is a moral for the Punjab situation as well. Everyone who has visited Punjab has changed his/her opinion about Sikhs. Persons who write so bitterly about Sikhs are precisely those who are unwilling to visit Punjab and see things for themselves. )”

 

Thus whatever the attitude of other Indians, Maharashtrians have taken the lead but the deep-rooted affinity and mutual admiration between Marathas and Sikhs, despite all the attempted provocations, was too much for the anti-Sikh mischief makers. They decided to play their trump card.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XIII -- MURDER OF GENERAL VAIDYA

 

On August 10, 1986, General Vaidya was shot dead in Pune at 11.45 a.m. As soon as we heard the news on BBC, my wife said to me, "Out of all the people of India it is Marathas who had sympathy left for Sikhs. With this murder, even that has gone." Next day, I met a small shop-keeper in South Wimbledon (London). He said, "Sikhs have gone mad. They have now started killing even Marathas."  When I explained Punjab politics to him, tears came to his eyes. But how can I contact millions of Marathas? The killing had the desired effect of creating utter hatred for Sikhs in Maharashtra. Even Marathas living outside India had started to despise Sikhs. They did not even hesitate and think a little.

 

Nirmal Kumar and Sukhdev Singh, two alleged assassins, were caught by mere chance on 8 September 1986. They were involved in an accident with two trucks at Pimpri near Pune. They have confessed to the crime. They had hired a flat not far from where General Vaidya was living, and had been watching his movements for more than seven months. How could they dare to continue to live in Pune after the crime without the connivance of higher police authorities19 ? In an interview with Poona Digest, Mrs. Vaidya bitterly attacked the local police. Their protection was virtually non-existent she said (See Maharashtra Times of 10th  September, 1986)  so much so that one man even entered her bedroom at 5.30 p.m. Mrs. Vaidya says this happened around 15th June, 1986. At present, we only know that Nirmal and Sukhdev both belong to the gang of dacoits led by Jinda. The big question is who hired them? Why did they wait for six months when the police protection to General Vaidya was utterly useless? It seems we would never know. The report of an inquiry into the assassination of Indira Gandhi (i.e. Thakkar Commission Report) would not be published in the interests of the nation [ Of course ; Of course! ] according to The Times of London, 1st August, 1986, p.8. By applying the same law, Mishra Commission Report on anti-Sikh riots of November, 1984, would also be not published.

 

 

 

 

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19. Contrary to popular belief, the Indian Police are just as efficient and competent as any other police force in the world. It is the politicians in power, who, all along use the Indian Police for their personal/party benefit. Surely Maharashtra Police must have been aware of the consequence of attempt on the life of General Vaidya. Why were they so lethargic in providing proper police protection to him? May be, we would never be told the truth.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XIV -- THE 1857 WAR20

 

All of a sudden, over the last three years, the 1857 war has cropped up in the Indian Newspapers. But any hopes of a national awakening are dashed on closer scrutiny.

 

Veer Savarkar's world famous book Indian War of Independence 1857 was first published in Holland in 1909. Any plans for a thorough study of this thrilling episode?

 

No.

 

The book itself became out of print 12 years ago. Any chance of a new edition?

 

No.

 

Any suggestion of erecting proper monuments to the heroes of this war?

 

No

 

Are the journalists suggesting that the monuments of British monsters like Neil, Nicholson and others should now be demolished?

 

No

 

Are they even calling it our War of Independence?

 

Oh no. They are still not sure about it.

 

So why are they bringing it up?

 

Only to complain that Sikhs helped the British.

 

What a sick mind! Savarkar has described how Dogras and Gurkhas also helped the British and brutally killed our own people. During my historical research, I came across one of the Jain families, who helped the British not only in 1857-59, but right from the days of the Battle of Plassey. The papers are kept in India Office Library - Secret Letters from India, Year 1889 L/PS/7/58. No. 473-96. Ref. Seth Keval Chand Vs. Maharaja of Rewa. It contains letters from General Outram, Lt. Col Durand, General Havelock, H.W. Duran, General Inkov, and Sir John Lawrence - all praising Seth Keval Chand's family for helping the British during 1857-59 war.

 

The question that we have to ask is "What was Sikhs' contribution to our freedom struggle?"

 

 

 

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20. Scholars like Dr. V.S. Vakankar of Vikram University say that there were uprisings against the British in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and many other places. Dr. Nene of Baroda also comes to the same conclusion.

 

Veer Savarkar was in London during 1906-1910. On 10th May 1908, he organised a meeting of Indians and paid homage to the martyrs of the 1857 war. Commemorative badges to mark the anniversary of this war were worn with pride by Indian students. Naturally there were arguments, scuffles, abuses and acrimonious attacks by the English. Harnam Singh, a student of Agricultural College, Cirencister, was told by his Principal to remove the commemorative badge he was wearing. Harnam Singh refused and he was threatened with expulsion. Undaunted, he said goodbye to his College. Thus the first man to show courage and respect to the martyrs of 1857 War and suffer for this cause was a Sikh.

 

In 1911, Savarkar was sent to transportation for life, twice i.e. a sentence of 50 years of Kalapani21.

 

His sufferings in prison were depicted in newspapers in America. This enraged Sikhs and they were also inspired by Savarkar's book on the 1857 war. There were several armed uprisings against the British. The revolutionaries who were caught were sent to Kalapani. From 1915 onwards (i.e. just A years after Savarkar was sent to Kalapani) Sikhs were the predominant group in Kalapani. Due to public outcry in India, the prison in Andamans was closed in 1921 and the prisoners were transferred to mainland India.

 

Savarkar was released from prison in 1924 but was interned in Ratnagiri (Maharashtra) until 1937. He was acutely aware of the lost opportunity of an armed uprising against the British during the First World War. When the Second World War broke out in 1939, he openly encouraged the Hindu youth to join the armed forces in large numbers. By that time percentage of Muslims in the Indian Army had gone up to the dangerous figure of 74%. With Savarkar's foresight and persuasion (despite ridicule from Congressites), the proportion was reversed. And it was from among such recruits that the Indian National Army was formed. Subhash Chandra Bose called on Savarkar on 22nd June, 1940. He was urged by Savarkar to get out of India and form the Indian National Army. Savarkar had secret correspondence with Ras Bihari Bose, a revolutionary living in exile in Japan. Further events are well-known. Readers are strongly recommended to read the Viceroy's Journal, the diary of Viceroy Lord Wavell, edited by Sir Pienderal Noon. It clearly "shows how the INA eventually led to our independence. INA had 20,000 soldiers 12,000 beings Sikhs.

 

 

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21. Andaman Islands lie 900 miles east of Madras. A special prison was set up there by the British to deal with the most hardened, notorious criminals. The conditions were extremely harsh. The land was infested with malaria, leeches and serpents. Hardly anyone came back alive from Andaman. Hence the nickname Kalapani. It struck terror in the hearts of even the most dangerous criminals. Revolutionaries were sent there during 1911-1921.

 

 

 

 

Bose acknowledged his debt to Savarkar22. Speaking on Free India Radio he said, "...when, due to misguided political whims and lack of vision, almost all the leaders of Congress party have been decrying all the soldiers of the Indian Army as  mercenaries, it is heartening to know that Veer Savarkar is fearlessly exhorting the youths of India to enlist in the armed forces. These enlisted youths themselves provide us with trained men and soldiers for our Indian National Army."  

(25th June, 1944).

 

Unfortunately, power in India passed into the hands of Gandhi, Nehru and Patel - the trio determined to falsify the Indian history, and this falsification has been going on for the last 50 years. After independence, R.C. Muzumdar was entrusted by Nehru to write the history of freedom movement in India. But soon as it became evident that  Muzumdar would give the revolutionaries their fair share, he was sacked and the job was given to Mr. Tarachand, who  gladly became His Master's Voice. As long as 1954, Dr. P.V. Kane, then the President of the Indian History Congress, complained,  "There is every possibility of grave harm being done to true history by government action by political parties, politically minded citizens and mere theorists. Political propaganda had often made use of "history as a medium and historians might become instruments of political propaganda."

Recently I had occasion to read the Report of the Zakir Hussain Committee on 'Basic National Education'  (Wardha, 1938). That Report stated that as the Indian Nation had adopted non-violence as the method for achieving all-round freedom, Indian children would need to be taught the superiority of non-violence over violence (p.8).

I believe that no honest history of India can be written based on the principles stated in the Report referred to above, particularly for the period from about 1200 A.D. to 1920. It would be better not to teach any history to students for the period before 1947 at all rather than teach a garbled version of history. “

(Ref. Organiser weekly of New Delhi : 11 January, 1954).

 

No wonder Sikhs did not get due recognition for their magnificent contribution to the Indian freedom struggle. According to the information collected by Subramanyam Swamy, out of 127 freedom fighters, who were sent to the gallows by the British, 92 were Sikhs; of the 2,646 revolutionaries, who were sent to Andaman Islands for transportation for life (Kalapani) 2,147 were Sikhs. Out of 20,000 soldiers of the Indian National Army of Subhash Chandra Bose, 12,000 were Sikhs. And that was the contribution of 2% of our population.

(Ref: In the Theatre of Violence by S.Swamy, Illustrated. Weekly of India, 13 May, 1984, pp.8-11)23. And to-day Sikhs have to prove every now and then that they are not traitors! We are not suggesting that Sikhs were the only patriotic people of India but when things go to the other extreme, the facts have to be put in the right perspective.

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22.   When Subhash Babu liberated the Andaman Islands, INA soldiers paid homage to Savarkar and his compatriots and martyrs of Kalapani

 

23. These figures do not include revolutionaries killed in action, and those hanged or shot during various Marshal Law administrations. At the time of Jalianwala Bagh alone more than 100 men were hanged by Marshal Law Courts in Amritsar. Readers should also refer to "Who's Who of Indian Martyrs" in 3 volumes published by Ministry of Education, Government of India. It scrupulously avoids any mention of Veer Savarkar. But even such a work was only possible because of late Yashavantarao Chavan, a secret admirer of Savarkar.

CHAPTER XV -- WHY BLAME THE FOREIGN POWERS ALONE?

 

For the last couple of decades, we have become addicted to the theory that all of our troubles are due to the ill-designs of foreign powers (Britain, America and others). But we are doing enormous damage to our interests ourselves without there being any need for the foreigners to do anything. Savarkar's younger brother Narayanarao was also a great patriot and his son Vikram publishes a newspaper called Prajvalant from Nagpur. In its issue of 22nd July 1985, Bal Jere writes,"  If we examine history of our freedom movement, we find that Sikhs were supporting the British or at best they remained aloof or neutral. They should have been shown their proper place, after independence."   Bal Jere is the same person who was a close associate of Veer Savarkar and one who even witnessed his last will and testament. When this is what he has said about Sikhs, why blame the foreign powers alone?

 

There seem to be good grounds for suspecting that Government of India itself is playing a dangerous and foolish game of planting its own agents among Sikhs living overseas. These agents terrorise local Sikhs and force them to keep quiet, capture seats of authority in Sikh organisations by fascist methods, make highly inflammatory  anti-Indian speeches and even create a rift between Sikhs and non-Sikh Hindus living abroad. This gives India a very bad name in foreign press and makes lives of ordinary overseas Indians extremely difficult. But as long as Sikhs are maligned, such activities are okay. (Ref: The Enemy Within by Rajinder Puri in the Sunday Observer of Bombay 16 November, 1986, p. 6. The Globe and Mail ; - Canada's national newspaper of Toranto of 21 November, 1985,  pp. 1 & 18, Indian Express of 8 December 1985).

 

Surya magazine too made some very serious allegations in September, 1984. It exposed how Indira Gandhi used the Secret Services for her party political purposes. It also alleges that the Secret Services encouraged infiltration of Pakistanis in Rajasthan. Government of India simply ducked the allegations.

 

Baba Amte says in his leaflet of 18 September, 1986,  "The nation has kept its head in spite of the alarming tricks played upon it by the foreign powers..... Anybody visiting Punjab will see the visible but dazzling grasp of the foreign powers creating chaotic conditions in the three border districts of Punjab...."

 

 

 

CHAPTER XVI -- SIKHS : THE PROTECTIVE SHIELD OF HINDUS

 

Disgusted by the events of the last four years, some Sikhs are now saying, "During various Muslim riots over last hundred years, Sikhs did not have to get involved; they could have kept out." But how could they? How can the elder brother not feel enraged when the younger brother is being beaten up by thugs? Even as late as 1982 Marathi papers have confessed, "Sikhs have always fought to defend the honour and dignity of we Hindus and with much more vigour than Hindus themselves." If only we search the history of British Rule in India more carefully.

 

20 February, 1939. Veer Savarkar was honoured by the Sikhs of Calcutta. They openly declared, "We are going to defend the Hindu society with our lives." Savarkar  publicly acknowledged the fact in December 1939 (and on other occasions also).

 

Savarkar started unarmed struggle for the rights of Hindus of Nizam's kingdom in 1939. Master Tara Singh was President of Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee. He openly declared that Sikhs would naturally participate in the struggle. A group (jatha) was sent in March, 1939. Among other Sikhs who joined in, we even find Baba Madan Singh Gaga. He had suffered for 20 years' transportation for life in the Andaman Islands (Kalapani) for his part in uprisings of Gadr Party. Even as late as February/March 1984, Sikhs rushed to the help of Hindus when Hindu-Muslim riots erupted in Bombay, Bhivandi and other places. (We have quoted a few well-known  examples. A detailed list can easily be prepared.)

 

 

 

CHAPTER XVII -- THE ARYA SAMAJ AND THE HINDU SOCIETY

 

It may be argued that the background of the Arya Samaj has been quite different from that of Sikhs. Fair enough. Let us seek answers to some simple questions and see if Arya Samajis have changed at all since 1947.

 

In 1950, there was a carnage of Hindus in East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Even persons like Jayaprakash Narayan were advocating military action. But Nehru did no such thing and on the orders of the (so called) Iron-man Sardar Patel, Hindu Mahasabha leaders, including Veer Savarkar, were imprisoned under the Preventive Detention Act : Did the Arya Samajis protest?

 

No. They supported Nehru just as vehemently as they had supported Gandhi.

 

Despite the Nehru-Liaquat Ali Pact, the carnage of Hindus in East Bengal continued and yet Pakistani cricket team was invited to play in India in October1952. Once again, only Hindu Mahasabha leaders protested and were again imprisoned under the Preventive Detention Act. What were the Arya Samajis doing?

 

Absolutely nothing. They felt no indignation for the atrocities committed on Hindu women in Pakistan.

 

In 1959, Nehru rejuvenated the Muslim League. Did it send chills down the spines of the Arya Samajis?

 

No. Despite having suffered terribly during the partition of 1947, Arya Samajis were quite unconcerned.

 

In 1964, Veer Savarkar mooted the concept of Vishva Hindu Parishad. Nehru immediately denounced it as 'Communal'  and wanted to ban it. Where did the Arya Samajis stand?

 

They stood by Nehru. The 'Lalas' were absent from the founding ceremony of Vishva Hindu Parishad.

 

In February 1966, Veer Savarkar passed away. But no Congress Party official or Minister of Central or any Provincial Government attended the cremation. All India Radio did not call him a patriot even after his death. Any protests from Arya Samaj?

 

None whatsoever. Arya Samaj now supported Indira Gandhi (who did not attend the cremation) just as they supported Nehru.

 

When Shivaji's statue was erected near Minto Bridge, New Delhi (in the 1970s), permission was refused to place a sword in his right hand. Did Arya Samaj protest?

 

Not at all. They could not care less.

 

There were serious Muslim riots in Bombay, Thane, Bhivandi and Kalyan in February/March, 1984. Did Arya Samajis become furious and organise huge protest marches and demonstrations in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi ?

Oh no. They were as quiet as mice.  But remember their strongly anti-Sikh slogans of 1982

 

            Bidi cigarette sharab piyenge

            Aish se jiyenge

            Kesh Kirpan Kachha

            Dakh denge Pakistan.

 

During cricket matches between India and Pakistan, whenever India wins, Muslims of Bombay burn public buses with impunity.  But Arya Samajis never demand to send Muslims to Pakistan. They are blind with rage towards Sikhs but impotent when dealing with Muslims.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XVIII -- RENAISSANCE OR DEGENERATION ?

 

As a result of the current events in Punjab, there has been a growing anti-Sikh feeling among Hindus in many parts of India, resulting in mass demonstrations, attacks on Sikhs and social and economic boycott of Sikhs. Of course, any one gets furious to hear about the gunning down of perfectly innocent people. But is the fermentation of Hindu anger a sign of Hindu revival or Hindu degeneration?

 

On 1st July 1982, three Hindus - A.J. Patil, G.S. Murdande and M.D. Chavan of Ichalkaranji (Southern Maharashtra) were arrested under the National Security Act.   Why? For shouting the following slogans.

 

1.    Ek dhakka aur do, Pakistan ko tod do.

       (Give one more blow and break Pakistan.)

 

2.    Jisko chahiye Pakistan, usko bhejo kabarastan.

        (Whoever wants Pakistan should be sent to the graveyard.)

 

3.    Jala do, Jald do, Pakistan Jala do.

        (Burn down, burn down, burn down Pakistan.)

 

4.    Hindustan Hinduonka, Nahi kisike bapka.

        (Hindustan belongs to Hindus and not to anybody's father.)

 

5.   Is deshme rahna hoga to Vahde Mataram kahna hoga.

      (If one wants to stay in this country, he shall have to sing Vande Mataram.)

 

6.   Arab hatao, Miraj bachao.

       (Banish Arabs and save Miraj.)

 

Ref  - Organiser weekly of New Delhi, 5 June, 1985.

 

There was no reaction to this infuriating event from Hindus anywhere. No death threats to the District Magistrate of Kolhapur, who authorised the detention or to the police authorities. No questions were asked in the Parliament. Under Indira Gandhi, India had already been fast marching towards becoming a de facto Islamic state.  But this never angered Hindus. And how solidly did they stand behind Indira Gandhi during Operation Blue Star .

 

In February 1984, Ravindra Mhatre, an Indian diplomat in Birmingham (England) was tortured to death by Kashmiri Muslims. But did it have any repercussions in India? Did Hindus become so enraged as to force Indira Gandhi to abolish Article 370 of the Indian Constitution which gives a special status to Kashmir?

 

No! No!! No!!!

 

In May 1984, Indira Gandhi imposed  'Visa' restrictions on Indians with British, American and Canadian passports for security reasons. But her own daughter-in-law  Sonya, wife of Rajiv Gandhi was (and as far as we know she still is) an Italian citizen, living in Prime Minister's house, having access to all the confidential files and visiting  the most restricted military areas without any restrictions. Did Hindus demand publicly that Sonya should either become an Indian citizen or get out of Prime Minister's residence?

 

No!

 

And see how solidly the Hindus voted for Rajiv Gandhi in the 1985 elections '-

 

In August 1986, Government of Gujarat banned Ratha Yatra (chariot procession) on the birthday of Lord Krishna. Gujarat Police later desecrated Hindu temples and brutally attacked thousands of devotees and sadhus (holy men). But what was the reaction of Hindus all over India?  

 

None at all. They behaved as if nothing had happened!

 

Later in 1986, Government of Orissa banned the famous Ratha Yatrd of Lord Jagannath at Puri. Did it make any Hindu's blood boil ?

 

No.

 

We can go on and on. One thing is certain - the anger of Hindus is being aroused against Sikhs and Sikhs alone. In face of flagrantly treacherous Muslims, Hindus continue to exhibit remarkable impotence. Let us not mistake degeneration for renaissance.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER  XIX -- THE RESOLUTION

 

Punjab, where the Vedas have been recited for hundreds of years, where Maratha Saint Namdev preached two centuries before Guru Nanak, land of the indestructible Guru Teg Bahadur, of Guru Govind Singh. who decided to raise sword to protect our dharma, of Madanlal Dhingra who rocked the British Empire in 1909 and whose courage was admired even by Churchill, land of Bhagat Singh and of Udham Singh, who shot Sir Michael O'Dwyer and avenged the Jalianwala Bag massacre, land of green revolution, is very much our land and we would keep it that way. God helps those who help themselves.

 

In1675, Guru Tegbahadur and his disciples were brought before Aurangzeb and given the choice of accepting Islam or death by hideous tortures. The brave men refused to renounce Hindu religion. Bhai Matidas was sawn in two like a piece of wood. Bhai Satidas was burnt alive. Bhai Dayalal was boiled alive like a potato. When despite such horrific acts, Guru Tegbahadur refused to renounce Hinduism, he was beheaded.

 

It is because of the supreme sacrifices of men like those that even 250 years later Veer Savarkar proudly declared : "Ye Hindu ajtak jinda raha hai aur rahane-wala bhi hai." ( We Hindus have survived and are going to survive as Hindus.) Like Veer Savarkar let us vow to fight to the last drop of our blood to prevent the disintegration of India. Let us recite the famous verse everyday-

 

               Hindu Hindu ek rahe

               Sab panthon ka maan kare

               Sab granthon se gyan gahe

               Vahe Guru Akal kahe

 

There is no substitute to Savarkar's Hindu Rastra.

 

                VANDE MATARAM