June 6th: What did we learn after 26 years?

[Punjabi G]

It will be 26 years since Indian Army attacked Golden Temple, Amritsar. The code worded Operation Blue Star resulted in thousands of deaths, mostly innocent civilians, who were caught in the middle of it all and never got a chance to escape.

Looking back, I wonder what Sikh community has learned from this tragic event of the past and what if anything did we achieve since then? Indira Gandhi and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, both of whom were the central figures of this event died the same year in direct response of Operation Blue Star. But Sikh community was left ailing and wounded for years and there has been little effort to console its wounds in following 26 years.

Was all this bloodshed in vain? Did Sikhs achieve all (or any) of their demands for which they fought and died so vehemently? The same “leaders” who were present on both sides back then and joined in the rhetoric are enjoying their political success over the blood of thousands of innocent Sikhs.

Badal, who was a co-signer on Anandpur Resolution of 1986 is enjoying complete takeover of Political (Akali Dal) as well as religious (SGPC and Jathedars) bodies of Sikhs and brought these once great institutions to their absolute lows in these 26 years.

Gandhi family, the heirs, of Indian political party Congress are ready to crown their new prince as next PM. Military and police personnel who were actively working as killing machine of Sikh youths from 1984 till early 1990s got rewarded for their contributions as well in perfecting the art of fake encounters and using an almost template like story for a whole decade without the ire of any Human Rights activists or organization from International media. The local ones, who did express any outrage, were silenced swiftly.

So what about Sikhs? What did Sikhs get out of this whole episode? Did we learn any lesson or planned for anything for our future? Did we create new leadership which can lead us and future generations and strengthen Sikh community at national as well as international level? Did we do some introspection to find out the mistakes which were made? Did we bring out those who were black sheep of the community and exposed them? Did we teach our new generations about what happened and who were the culprits?

In a telling sign of the times, as Sikh organizations around the world are commemorating and remembering the events of June 1984 and those who died on this fateful day, small group of Sikhs dubbed “hardliners” by Indian media are sitting outside Golden Temple in protest. They have a simple demand from fellow SGPC and it’s Jathedars: Build a memorial for those who died in 1984 at this very place.

But nobody seems to be interested in this little sit-in protest or their demand!

[AS Khalsa]

The only thing that has come out of Operation Bluestar is the alienation of the Sikhs and a widespread yearning for the creation of Khalistan. Yes, maybe Khalistan might be a good idea, but lets face it, it would probably end up being run by the Akali Dal and the Badals who give the impression that they are articulating the concerns of all Sikhs, which we all know they are not. They will destroy Khalistan. Before Sikhs can even consider the possibility of Khalistan, we must first learn that our so called leadership is inadequate and self-centred. In short: the Akali Dal must be removed from their position of power. The panth doesnt need a political party telling it what to do.

[Amrit.S]

The only thing that has come out of Operation Bluestar is the alienation of the Sikhs and a widespread yearning for the creation of Khalistan. Yes, maybe Khalistan might be a good idea, but lets face it, it would probably end up being run by the Akali Dal and the Badals who give the impression that they are articulating the concerns of all Sikhs, which we all know they are not. They will destroy Khalistan. Before Sikhs can even consider the possibility of Khalistan, we must first learn that our so called leadership is inadequate and self-centred. In short: the Akali Dal must be removed from their position of power. The panth doesnt need a political party telling it what to do.

I really agree with you.

But we do need more people protesting against this, we're just remembering. Not saying that it's wrong, but we need to take action on the injustice put upon us.

Like AS Khalsa said, most of the people making the decision for khalsa today are not fit for a khalistan, too much corruption and self centered. Their ignoring the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib ji and it's just falling apart.

But, in the 1980's it was a WHOLE different story. Sikh's, the jathedars, protesters, were all strong, it was insane. This is why it was so strong at that time.

We should today concentrate on fixing our problems in Sikhi, our religion has changed so much and we need to preserve it how it was since the time of Guru Gobind Singh ji.

[ImperfectSikh]

I think that the native insularity, and racism I often observe among fellow Punjabi Sikhs, has cut Sikhi off from possible sources of support.

I lived in Amritsar during the days of the Bluestar and heard the cannon fire. I think that the idea of Khalistan, as proposed at that time, was born in understandable anger and reaction. Many of my classmates vanished during the time of troubles that followed, and the anger that resulted from that, kept it alive. I have heard of at least a few cases where brothers of these murdered kids took up arms.

The situation is very different today. Almost all the supporters of the idea of Khalistan today are emigrants who escaped Punjab at that time and have in the microcosm of the Punjab that they carried with them, kept that anger alive. In Punjab, where social decay has not yet killed off Sikhi, there is a generation rising that has no personal experience of that anger, and as a result, no burning desire for Khalistan.

Those that bemoan the fact that most Sikh leaders are opposed to the idea of Khalistan need to understand that these leaders are politicians, who are corrupt, and yet represent the wishes of their constituents to a certain extent. Instead of following the path of the Gurus, and spreading the word of Sikhi among hundreds of millions of Indians, including most spectacularly, the Sikligars, and thereby curing the brutality of the Indian state from within, the proponents of Khalistan, in my opinion, take on a very narrow vision that accomplishes nothing but maintain a (shrinking) Punjabi dominance of Sikhi, mostly to its grievous detriment.

I have mentioned anger before, and to this sin, I add the sin of haumae (pride). I have heard of a few incidents where clean shaven Indian men, who were Hindus, entered a Gurudwara (this was in Seattle) and were subjected to snide comments and insinuations (that they were "agents of the Indian government"), and were never seen to visit again because they were driven away.

So, despite some of the original valid arguments advanced for the genesis of the idea of Khalistan, the above two sins and the utter impracticability of the geopolitics, makes it clear to me that either nothing has been learned from the lessons of 26 years ago (too many people here and elsewhere "argue" on the basis of emotion, which is toxic to reason) or all the wrong lessons have been drawn.

Sikhi is not a possession of Punjabi culture. Its a universal faith, and the anger, hatred and vitriol one sometimes finds in some Gurudwaras on Sundays is serving no purpose other than to keep, or actively drive, people away from it, who come away with an impression that the religion is nothing more than a squabble in a far away land.

[Harpreetsgill]

That unjust massacres occur all over the non western world on a regular bases, Tiananmen Square, Darfar etc.

That sikhs living in western countries should be grateful for

1. Security non-corrupt state provides (no punjab police here to torture you)
2. Free, or virtually free healthcare and education that people in punjab cannot dream off
3. Chance to earn 40 to 50 times a year what they would in punjab, i.e. a farmer in india makes £2000 a year, a farmer in west can make £100,000 a year. A cleaner in india makes £100 a year, a cleaner in the west makes £12000 year plus benefits

[Harpreetsgill]

Almost all the supporters of the idea of Khalistan today are emigrants who escaped Punjab at that time and have in the microcosm of the Punjab that they carried with them, kept that anger alive. ............... impression that the religion is nothing more than a squabble in a far away land.

You need to bear in mind, that 18 million Sikhs in Punjab have a dominating role in Punjab tiny 30 billion GDP dollars

Diaspora Sikhs who number a 1 million have conservative wealth of 300-400 billion dollars

A Diaspora Sikh, say just driving a taxi in the west, has the equilavent earnings of 30-40 Jatt Farmers, 150-200 Manual punjabi workers, 50 punjabi white collar workers in punjab etc.

Why am I mentioning this?

You talk of geopolitics and wishes of people on the ground in punjab trumping what you describe irrelavant diaspora.

Well you should perhaps look at the history of zionism, and the hand of disapora jews from 1870's onwards of creating Israel, and how irrelevant in the endgame the wishes of jews living in palestine in harmony with muslims and christians were.

[Theodorus]

Punjabi G ji,

In 1984 I was totally not aware of Sikhism, Operation Blue Star and it results. The only thing I remember is a very short news item with terrible pictures of people being burned alive in the streets. But in that time (for me living in western Europe) India was a far away strange country with a strange culture in which I was not the least interested.

As I only got involved in Sikhism just a year ago I really cannot say what sikhs have learned (or should have learned) from all this. What I do know though is that what ever we do, the events should never be forgotten.So, although I cannot be called a hardliner, I do support every effort for remembering. Building a memorial would be the least we could do.

In these days and age of information it is very important to gain, publish and verify as much facts possible from the events in 1984. Not with the aim of revenge but with the aim of revealing, consolidating and rememberance so people might never forget.

[ssarabjit68]

WGKK WGKF

Theodorus-ji

Unfortunately, Sikhs are more interested in putting pure gold cap on the domes of their gurudwara-s than building a memorial of lasting importance!

With all the money and resources with the community, why can't we build something on the line of holocaust museum in Delhi? Let us face it. Sajjan Kumar and company who spearheaded 1984 riots are more likely to die of old age than to get even one month imprisonment from a court. However a memorial of 1984 will at least reveal and remind to all Sikhs as well as non Sikhs alike what happened in Delhi in 1984. Let there be a memorial dedicated to truth. And when I say 'truth', I mean complete truth. For I have seen many Sikhs in this forum and elsewhere also who are understandably outraged about killings of 1984; however, the same people have no issues with those Sikh leaders who routinely planned killing of non-Sikhs in those disturbed times. I say, as a community, let us come clean. Let us dedicate our memorial to truth and let future generations decide.

If there is a trust that wants to go ahead with this work I am ready to contribute as much as I can. However I am sick of ever mushrooming organizations and websites asking for donations in the name of Khalistan, in the name of this or that anniversary or 25th anniversary of 1984 or whatever else and then disappearing overnight.

bhul chuk maaf

[KamaljitSingh]

In facts the Sikhs of Punjab and elsewhere have learnt a golden lesson 'BE AWARE OF RADICALS'.In fact what is puzzling is why are radicals so myopic?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPuHP_ht ... tube_gdata
Satnam Waheguru