Hoshiarpur, Punjab (June 16, 2014): In the context of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leadership approaching Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the resolution of certain contentious issues pertaining to Panth and Punjab including the setting up of commission of inquiry to look into the Sikh massacre of Nov 1984, the Dal Khalsa today asserted that the only solution to the insults, discrimination, loss of innocent lives and repression lies in obtaining right to self-determination for the people of Punjab.
Kanwar Pal Singh
In a statement issued here today, party spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said much water has flown down the Sutlej and Ganges since the 1984 painful events. River waters issue, transfer of capital city of Chandigarh and Punjabi speaking areas, amending Article 25 of the Constitution of India that categorizes Sikhs as Hindus, declaring Amritsar as holy city and many other identity related issues had been over taken by demand for Sikh independence when the Indian government attacked Darbar Sahib 30 yrs ago. The army assault on the holiest of the holy shrine of the Sikhs marked the watershed in the relations between the Sikhs and the Indian state.
He said destruction of Sikh relics and Reference Library, desecration of Akal Takht Sahib, rape of Sikh women in Delhi and the daily humiliation and mockery of Sikh religion, philosophy and scriptures at the hands of so-called Gurudom and heretic sects sponsored by the Indian State had left Sikhs with no choice than to seek independence from the Indian yoke.
He reminded Badals that the Indian state had responded with military solution to the political issues concerning the Sikhs raised by the Akali Dal, AISSF, the Dal Khalsa and others in 80’s. He said Badal was equally guilty as he had backtracked from implementing his poll promise of setting up of the Commission of Inquiry to look into the cases of human rights violations and extra-judicial killings in Punjab during the decade of turmoil. He wanted Badal to explain to the people as to why he has run away from his poll promise.
Badal’s Double Standards: Commission for Nov 1984 is okay, but Commission to look into rights abuses and extra-judicial fake encounters in Punjab is brushed under carpet…
“Sensing the erosion of their Panthic base, Badals have only done the formality by handing over the charter of demands to Shri Modi. Nothing much should be read out of it”, he said adding that Sikhs did not expect any justice from the Indian state through any Commission or SIT as its complicity in Nov 1984 killings was well known and established. He said nothing short of self-determination would heal the blistering and simmering wounds of the Sikhs. The only way out was the UN probe and India should show magnanimity in allowing UN officials to conduct probe into 1984 killings on Indian soil in the same manner as Pakistan allowed the UN to conduct the probe into the mysterious murder of slain PM Benazir Bhutto, he added.
He cautioned the people of Punjab to be prepared for the possible showdown with the centre on river waters issue in the near future. He castigated a section of media in portraying the issues of Punjab as communal and beneficiary to one particular religion.