To B. Singh

Submitted by Vishnu Gupta (India), Dec 2, 2005 at 15:23

I agree with what you say, B. Singh. Please excuse me about the readings, because some are so hate-filled that I cannot stomach them even though I'm a Sikh sympathiser, especially post-1984, and even though one my relatives was killed in the Kanishka airplane crash carried out by Sikh Canadian terrorists. India has already paid the price of one Prime Minister, an Army General and so many others being killed by Sikh terrorists.

I interact with Sikhs on a daily basis, attending their Granthsahib paths, and I'm amazed to see them worship Hindu Gods and accompany me to pilgrimages in Nanded, Omkareshwar and Badrinath. I was in Chandigarh about a fortnight ago, visiting Anandpur Sahib. My hosts told me inspiring stories of how the Goddess Bhawani presented Guru Gobind Singh with the divine sword to defend India against the jihadis.

They also told me how the Sikh terrorists were hands-in-glove with Sikh Police in Punjab, in the heyday of the separatist Khalistan movement, and how they killed and engaged in joint extortion operations against wealthy Sikhs in the State! I was even introduced to a retired Sikh officer in the Indian army who was mourning his son killed in Iraq as a soldier in the US army!

While I have strongly opposed Indira Gandhi and Congress politics, it surprised me to no end that Sikh-majority Punjab defeated the Sikh Akalis and voted in a Sikh Congress government under the leadership of the daugher-in-law in Delhi!

I cannot argue that we need more non-violent, democratic modes of functioning; but it is the Sikh Gurus' teaching in fact not to remain cowards in the face of serious and murderous provocation! The rest is so much water down the Ganga. When yesterdays' brothers become today's enemies, to render a house divided against itself, it can only lead to external advantage.

A Sikh leads the Indian government, (as also another leads the Indian army) in these very disturbed times, handling all the contradictions, economic and political, fairly well, on majority Hindu support. This goes beyond tokenism. There is the Muslim President too, one of the most popular ones in India!

This teaches that Indians have sufficient wisdom and sagacity to forgive the mistakes of the past and build bridges in unity and genuine affection. You'd do well perhaps to remember that not all Indians have welcomed terrorism in their midst despite much to complain about!

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