Government, Hindus, Geo-politics, Geo-economics, Sikhs, Sikhism and the way forward
Every strong leader makes his share of mistakes. Same is true for governments. As a common citizen, Punjab looks like one of such mistakes of Prime minister and the government he is heading. It is not that the leader or the government was not aware of what is happening in Punjab. The problem is that the government and the leadership looked at the problem as a political one rather than a terrorist activity. Sikhs have themselves forgotten 1984 and have voted Congress back to power several times in the state. While Prime Minister thinks that by punishing culprits of Sikhs riots, he will be able to win elections in Punjab. Punjabis and Khalistanis both have forgotten how Muslims treated their women folk during partition. They also do not recall that their father or uncles had to kill their mother, sister etc. to save them from the torture of Muslims in Pakistan. Even Khalistani women have forgotten the treatment meted out to Sikh women. On the other hand, just like Islamic terrorist, Khalistani also realised the weakness of the government and Hindus. Khalistanis know they can keep killing Hindus and get away just like Islamic terrorists. K P S Gill, a Sikh had shown the way to deal with Khalistanis but the government forgot the same.
Hindu society also needs to be blamed for this. Hindu society has refused to engage in any kind of self-defense mechanism. They have outsourced it to the government. Government has done nothing to protect Hindus since 15th August 1947. Rather it has been actively engaged in genocide of Hindus. It was Indian government which massacred Hindus in Marichjhapi in 1979 and did genocide of Hindus in Kashmir in 1990. These are just two examples, but not a year has passed by since 1947, without massacre of Hindus by the government in one or the other part of India. Hindus at large look at their genocide as a political problem and to an extent cherish the compensation received by the government on the killing of their family members by terrorists.
Hindu dharm gurus are equally at fault. Event if they have taken sanyas they have not been able to give their greed for materialistic life. They have done almost nothing to make Sikhs aware that they are part of Hindu dharm only. While government is doing every thing to alienate Sikhs from Hindu dharm. Latest being demolition of Mangu Mutt is Jagannath Puri. A mutt which was associated with Guru Nanak Dev ji.
Khalistanis problem in 20th century was a geo-political one hence it was backed by Pakistan. In 21st century it has graduated to geo-economics issue and hence backed by Canada. Canada is one of the biggest exporters of food products to India. For example, Lentil exports peaked at $2.7 billion in 2015 but drifted lower through 2019, primarily due to reduced shipments from Canada to India. (Lentil Export Opportunities on the Rebound, 16 September 2021, International Agricultural Trade Report). The quantity of export is declining every year since the Prime minister Narendra Modi lead government has come into power. A press release from Press Information Bureau (RU-16-01-0103-150622/EXPLAINER) titled ‘INDIA INCHING TOWARDS ‘ATMANIRBHARTA’ IN PULSES’, says Pulses production at a record 26.96 MMT. Import dependency of pulses came down from 19% in 2013-14 to around 9% in 2021-22; projected to drop down further to around 3% by 2030-31.
In 2020, Canada was the world’s biggest exporter of Rapeseed ($4.7B), and Dried Legumes ($3.21B). It is in Canada’s interest that Punjab and adjoining areas remain unstable so that Canada’s economy remains stable. The other country after Canada to suffer from self-sufficiency of India in pulse production is Australia. Reuters reported: “Farmers in Canada, Australia and Russia that rely on Indian demand will likely intensify their cutbacks in pulses cultivation and continue to seek other markets in response to the curbs. India’s pulses imports could fall nearly 80 percent to 1.2 million tonnes during the financial year of 2018/19 that started in April, the lowest since 2000/01”. (Pulses import plunge in India to ripple across Canadian, Australian farms By Rajendra Jadhav, 18 July 2018, reuters.com). Not surprising that after Canada, the country Khalistanis are most active is Australia.
Khalistani have forgotten about Komagata Maru. In April 1914, 337 Sikhs, 27 Muslims and 12 Hindus used Japanese steamship Komagata Maru to migrate to Canada. They were denied entry and forced to return to Budge Budge, Calcutta. There, the Indian Imperial Police attempted to arrest the group leaders. A riot ensued, and they were fired upon by the police, resulting in the deaths of 22 people.
The Islamic terrorists have thrown Sikhs out of Afghanistan and Pakistan. But no Khalistanis dares to fight them or even speak against them. It is here that common Sikh needs to think and speak out. During 1980s, when Khalistanis were killing Hindus, common Sikh alienated himself from Hindu society and paid a heavy price. 1984 riots is kept alive by politicians but no one talks about massacre of Hindus in the hands Khalistanis which also contributed to 1984 riots. Khalistanis might have built mini Khalistans all across India on the lines of mini-Pakistan. It can lead to more blood bath but will not lead to the success of Khalistanis.
In this whole milieu, it is common Sikh and Sikhism will pay the heaviest price. Let us look at fall of Sikhs
• Sikhs have been wiped out from Afghanistan.
• Are in the process of getting wiped out from Pakistan.
• All across America and Europe they are attacked being confused with Islamic terrorist.
India is the only place where they are respected. But if they do not know how to acknowledge respect then the respect will not last long. Sikhs were known to be enterprising people, now a television commercial shows a Sikh in tears of joy after getting a government job. The television commercial has reduced the dignity of Sikhs. Today a Sikh will be perceived as:
The guy who drinks, takes drugs, makes music albums, cries on getting a government job, kills fellow Hindus and runs away from Afghanistan and Pakistan where he should be standing up and fighting back. Contrast to this the image of Sikhs I grew up with: Honest, Hardworking, Trustworthy, Brave, Enterprising, almost synonyms for defense forces. I have Sikh friends who still represent each of the quality I have mentioned. But I am afraid the new generation will not grow up with the image of Sikhs that I had or have but will group with the image I have mentioned in the beginning of the paragraph.
And outcome of all these will have a disastrous effect on Sikhism.
• Sikhs are converting out of Sikhism in large number.
• Traditionally the eldest son of Hindu family used to become Sikh, this has stopped since 1980s Khalistani movement when Khalistanis started disassociating themselves from Hindus.
• Removal of Devi, Devtas from Gurudwara and abusing Hindu practices will further alienate them from Hindus.
Sikh leadership and Sikh Gurus will have to take blame for this.
Geo-politics and Geo-economics, Pakistan and Canada come much later in the problem. The government will not and cannot solve this problem from the root. The problem starts with Sikh leadership and ends with Hindu leadership. If both have failed then new leadership will have to evolve from common Sikhs and Hindus. The first move has to be made by Sikhs.
