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Tag: khalistan

  • Indira Gandhi: “Gungi Gudiya” or “Durga”?

    In his prolific book, Why I Supported the Emergency, India’s best-known writer Khushwant Singh, recalls what Hilaire Belloc mentions about Indira Gandhi: “Her face was like the King’s command, when all the swords are drawn”. In the realm of Indian history, there have been very few leaders who could match the majestic demeanor of Mrs. Gandhi. The decisions that she took during her rule changed the Indian polity forever and its repercussions continue to echo till this day in our contemporary times.

    India, as we know it today, is largely the result of Mrs. Gandhi’s tenure as the country’s prime minister. People representing different political parties have differing views about her. Some like the statesman Atal Bihari Vajpayee called her “Durga” and some like Ram Manohar Lohiya called her “Gungi Gudiya”. While she might be docile in the initial stages of her political career, she went on to become one of the strongest leaders who rewrote the chapters of the Indian political landscape. On the one side, she knew how to aptly deal with her opponents, and on many occasions, with an iron hand, but on the other hand, she connected with the ordinary people of the nation who called her “Amma” or mother.

    Like her father Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira had several political feats that transmogrified Indian political history, but like him, she also had her share of blunders that continue to reverberate to this day. From the “assassination” of Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent to the assault on CPI leader Sitaram Yechury on the JNU campus, her political life was marred with controversies and political dissensions. As the first woman prime minister of independent India, she rose to such a status in her long career that for millions of Indians, “India was Indira and Indira was India”.

    In my view, the greatest achievement of Mrs. Gandhi was the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. Pakistan had to be “taught a lesson” for its atrocities in the then East Pakistan and it was under the leadership of Indira that it was meticulously implemented. Just before the invasion, she asked Sam Manekshaw, the former chief of the Indian Army to enter erstwhile East Pakistan, but Manekshaw replied back that he needed to prepare for a complete definite victory. And victory did come when after a few months, the Indian armed forces entered Bangladesh.

    I recall one of the interviews of Mrs. Gandhi conducted by BBC on this matter in which she was questioned about the morality of interfering in another country’s matter. Her response was “What did Allied forces do when Hitler went rampant all over Europe?”. Post World War – II never has a country been liberated by the sheer use of military might except Bangladesh. This conflict under her prime ministership catapulted India to a regional power to reckon with. She was posthumously awarded the “Bangladesh Freedom Honor” for her role in the freedom of that country.

    The 1971 war was not a standalone military accomplishment under the “authority” of Mrs. Gandhi. In my opinion, there are two more historical episodes in which India and its armed forces emerged triumphant. The first was the 1967 Indo-Chinese skirmishes that took place in the state of Sikkim. The Indian forces caused massive casualties on the Chinese side and regained their lost pride from the India-China conflict of 1962. The other was the equally significant “Operation Meghdoot“. Indian forces, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi, captured the strategically crucial Siachen Glacier and made it part of the Jammu and Kashmir region.

    Another of the great achievements of Mrs. Gandhi was the detonation of nuclear bombs in 1971. Codenamed “Smiling Buddha“, the tests, although done for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, gave India the status of a “Nuclear power”. She knew the needs of a growing country as large as India and had the nerve to make the bold decision to conduct the tests despite the fear of sanctions imposed by the United States and other Western countries. I think “Smiling Buddha” paved the way for the Indian Government to carry on the much-required second round of nuclear explosions under “Operation Shakti” in 1998.

    Despite these aforementioned magnificent accomplishments, Mrs. Gandhi had her share of debacles. The biggest one was that of the storming of Golden Temple in 1984 under Operation Bluestar. This was one such mishap for which India had to pay dearly. In my view, no other historical event was as ghastly as this operation. While I do agree that it was imperative to flush out the terrorists from the holy shrine and maintain the sanctity of the temple, I would disagree with the way it was carried out. More than that, I would challenge the “real intent” of this unfortunate operation.

    Several open and unanswered questions strike me as I ponder on the intricacies of Operation Blue Star. Why was the attack carried out on the Sikh religious day commemorating the martyrdom of the fifth Guru Arjan Dev Ji? Didn’t the “Indira administration” know that there would be thousands of pilgrims inside the complex? Who is responsible and accountable for the innocent lives lost? Were there any negotiations carried out with the terrorists and if so, what was the scope and level of those negotiations? Could a different strategy similar to the one carried out during Operation Black Thunder be used to get rid of the terror elements residing inside the temple? Could a complete blockade of food, water, and electricity work? These questions will continue to haunt our “secular” country till justice is served.

    A few days back, I got to know about the Soviet launched “Operation Kontakt”. This operation aimed to provide concocted and falsified documents to the then Indian government run by Mrs. Gandhi about the support of Pakistan and the CIA given to the separatists. Although I am convinced that Pakistan supplied weapons and funds to the Khalistan movement, the intent of the above mentioned Soviet operation was to malign the Pakistani administration and the CIA and to exaggerate and amplify the urgency of carrying out the operation “impetuously”. Blue Star was executed without proper thought and to hurt the very “Psych” of the entire Sikh community. One of the consequences of this assault was that the moderate and educated Sikhs who were critic of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale also turned against Indira Gandhi and the state of India. It took several years for the Sikh community to get back into the fold and integrate once again into the Indian society.

    I will now touch upon another contentious event that was undertaken under the “brinkmanship” of Mrs. Gandhi. Emergency was imposed by Indira from 1975 to 1977 and it went on for 21 months. I strongly believe that a country as complicated as India needs an “iron grip” to govern its massive, “uncontrolled” and “untamed” population. The emergency period brought with it some of the very instrumental and positive changes in our society. Busses and trains ran on time, work became ethical and people reported on time. Slums were eradicated and cities were beautified. There was a sense of discipline all over the country. However, there were some nefarious aspects attached to that period as well. A censorship was imposed on the press and it was instructed to toe the line or face the consequences. Press is one of the pillars of a democratic society and for any nation to become a champion of secularism and liberal values, freedom of its media houses is vital.

    During the emergency, thousands of opponent leaders were put behind the jails and their voices subdued. Men, including those of old age, were dragged from the buses and sterilized forcefully. In my opinion, there is a fine line that separates governing a country by the rule of law and curbing the freedom of speech of people. Whether the Emergency was good or bad remains a matter of debate but one thing is certain. It remains one of the most controversial eras of Indian history spearheaded by Mrs. Gandhi.

    One can recall Indira Gandhi as a tyrant, a decisive leader, and even an incarnation of “Durga”, but unquestionably not a “Gungi Gudiya”.

  • Why is the idea of “Khalistan” becoming irrelevant?

    Sikhs are one of the most industrious people on the planet. Whether it is India, Canada, Australia, United States or Kenya, the community has played a pivotal role in nation building of the country where they have resided in. From the point of view of India, Sikhs spearheaded the “Green revolution” movement that consequently made the country not only self-reliant in food but also became an exporter of food grains. They transformed the fertile land of Punjab into the bread basket of India. Traditionally, Sikhs were mainly associated with fields like agriculture, transportation, and food businesses. Today, you can find Sikhs excelling in and at the helm of all fields and walks of life.

    From Word Bank president to Air Chief Marshall, to Prime minister to prominent writer and to the election commissioner of India, Sikhs have made an inedible mark in the professions that they have been engaged in. Because of their enterprising nature, one will hardly find a Sikh begging on the streets. Because of the spirit that the tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh Ji inculcated in them, Sikhs have become a synonym with “Chardi Kala”. With less than two percent of the Indian population, the community has contributed immensely to the economical growth of India. Their unwavering and tireless commitment to social service is admired all across the world.

    Like any other community residing in a country, Sikhs too have their grievances with the Indian government. In my view, one of the darkest chapters in the Indian history was Operation Bluestar, or the storming of Golden temple by the Indian Armed Forces. Whether there was a better way to flush out the terrorists from the temple is a discussion for another time. What I truly believe is that the idea of Khalistan has lost its sheen and has become irrelevant, especially in the contemporary times.

    The murder of the pro-Khalistan leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar has brought the movement to the limelight and has created a diplomatic row between India and Canada. Canada claimed that agents of Indian government were behind the assassination while the Indian side declined the allegation asking for proof. The dissention between the two democratic countries reached its pinnacle in decades. Eventually, the report by the inquiry committee set up by the Canadian government stated that India is not behind the murder.

    Khalistan movement was at its peak in the 1980’s when the Indian state of Punjab went through an unrest. There was an ideological divide between the Hindus and Sikhs with Sikhs claiming that they are fighting to uphold their identity. Since then, especially in the 1990’s, the demand for Khalistan declined considerably and the state has returned to normalcy. The two communities live in peace and harmony. This is unlike what the pro Khalistan supporters falsely disseminate from foreign lands that Punjab is experiencing a revival in the creation of separate homeland for Sikhs. This is far from the truth and not a ground reality. In fact, one of the major reasons for the Khalistan movement to fade and decline in Punjab was the disillusionment of Sikhs themselves towards the separatists elements.

    Nonsensical people like Gurpatwant Singh Pannun regularly appeal to the Sikh soldiers serving in the Indian armed forces that they should not fight for India. Does he even knows that the Sikh regiment is the most decorated regiments in the Indian Army? With eighty two gallantry decorations post independence, the regiment has played a significant role in all wars that India has fought. Does he knows that the current Chief of Indian Air Force is a Sikh? Is Pannun even aware of the existence of KJS Dhillon, a decorated Indian army officer who played an instrumental role in curbing the insurgency in the Kashmir Valley. Outside the realm of defense, is Pannun even conscious of the fact that the Pioneer behind the liberalization of the Indian economy was Dr. Manmohan Singh, a Sikh?

    The Khalistan movement today is mostly alive among the “old generation” people who migrated to the western countries, mainly to Canada in the late 1970’s and 1980’s. The youth and the younger generation, especially living in India, have fully integrated with the country. They have become a constitutive part of the Indian growth story and have become beneficiaries of the nations progress. Today, one can see dynamic Sikh youth contributing towards nation building efforts and safeguarding the sovereignty of the country. One can find young people from the community ubiquitously working in Information technology sector, in scientific fields, in management, and in the government sector all across India.

    There is a wider consensus and awareness among Sikhs that the Khalistan movement was supported by Pakistan. It was Pakistan that wanted to make it even with India for breaking it up in 1971 war and liberating Bangladesh. It was Pakistan that spewed venom of hatred and manipulated the Sikhs to embark on a path of devastation. It was Pakistan that funded the Khalistan movement and supplied weapons to the terror organizations operating within the Indian state of Punjab. Let us contemplate hypothetically that Khalistan does gets created in the current Indian state of Punjab. Every new born country needs support of its allies to develop especially in its early stages. Does Pakistan, a struggling state dependent on foreign aid for its own survival capable of aiding Khalistan? I firmly believe it is not.

    The great religion of Sikhism has its roots that transcends beyond the boundaries of Indian and Pakistani states of Punjab. From Patna Sahib to Hazoor Sahib and to Hemkunt Sahib, its historical origins can be traced all across India. Sikhs also have a rich cultural association with the Indian capital, Delhi, which hosts many sacred pilgrimage sites such as Gurdwara Sheesh Ganj, and Gurdwara Bangla Sahib. The strong cord between India and Sikhs cannot be broken by nefarious designs of a malicious enemy state.

    I firmly believe that perpetrators of the heinous anti -Sikh riots should be brought to books and justice served. I also think that the current Indian government should imbibe a policy of a more inclusive growth towards nation building. Merely propagating the agenda of “Hindutva” to gain political mileage wont be beneficial to the multifaceted Indian society. The commemoration of Martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s son’s as “Veer Bal Diwas” on 26th December is a welcome move.

    I am of an opinion that as we move from one generation to the next, the idea of Khalistan would loose its grip and relevance among the young ambitious Sikhs who view India as a platform where they can launch their successful careers and grow with the growth of the country. They are and will realize that extremism in all its forms should be shunned and a liberal approach towards social cohesion embraced.