The Agitation

The civil-rights campaign, or "morcha", was officially launched by the Sikh political party, the Mali Dal, in Punjab on August 4, 1982. In accordance with Sikh principles, this movement was a peaceful one demanding the implementation of the Anandpur Resolution. The agitation took the form of demonstrations and strikes, which were entirely peaceful. During the two years of this campaign over 200,000 Sikhs courted arrest --- about three times the number arrested in the whole of the 'Quit India' movement[29].

At the end of May 1984, the Sikh leadership decided to step-up its campaign and announced tentative plans to withhold the shipment of grain from the state. The government reacted swiftly by completely sealing-off the state and moved in the army on a massive scale. Despite the ejection of all foreign correspondents from Punjab, the horrifying scale on which Sikh men , women and children were then butchered, and the devastation of virtually all their historic Shrines in the state has become all too apparent.

To justify its actions, the Indian government accused the Sikhs of forming a coalition to secede from India and form a separate state - Khalistan. It also claimed that extremists and terrorists, under the leadership of Bhindranwale, had taken over the Golden Temple; it repeatedly pointed to the fact that about 300 people had been killed in the state over two years.

Let us examine these claims and accusations:

The demands of the agitation made no mention of Khalistan, 0n numerous occasions , the leader s of the agitation categorically stated that they wished to remain an integral part of India. In fact, Bhindranwale's own reaction to the notion of Khalistan was one of perplexed astonishment:

"I feel that I should make clear my position on the issue of Khalistan before the Sangat (congregation). I did not want to say anything on this matter because it is not an issue that concerns our morcha. However, due to persistent questioning, I think I should mention it briefly. Hell, my position is quite simple: I arm neither for nor against Khalistan. That is to say, we are not asking for Khalistan --- it is not our demand. However, I f the government feels that it cannot accommodate our just aspirations within India and offers us a separate homeland, then we will not refuse it, as we did in 1947."

It was almost certainly some elements in the government who mischievously introduced the notion of Khalistan in the context of the agitation. Essentially, it was an alarmist tactic used to discredit the agitation and propagate the myth that Punjab was full of Sikh separatists. I know it had this effect on me personally: my reaction on reading the newspapers was, "who are these lunatics wanting Khalistan?". Fortunately, I was in a position to discover the truth of the matter . However, most people have to rely entirely on the media and there seems little doubt that this scare propaganda was effective in generating anti-Sikh feelings in India.

The Sikhs in general, and Bhindranwale in particular, were held responsible for the lawlessness in the state. This conclusion was based on purely circumstantial evidence --- namely, the erroneous assumption that an armed Sikh implied a terrorist or an extremist. Leaving aside Sikh principles for the moment, even the bare facts of the situation refute the government's allegations. For example, Swami, an M.P, from Bombay who visited the Golden Temple in late April, 1984, noted some disturbing inconsistencies[30]:

"As a three day resident at the Golden Temple, I was not in a position to ascertain if criminals were hiding in the 'Temple complex. I cannot recognise any of them. The government keeps saying that criminals are hiding in the Temple area, only once, about a Year and a half ago, the government sent a list of 40 criminals to the Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee (SGPC)[31]. On examination the SGPC found that 18 of them just could not be in the Golden Temple. Some were in Pakistani jails for hijacking, some were in Canada and blest Germany and, by the government's own admission in Parliament, two were dead The remaining 22 could not be located inside the Temple by the SGPC screening committee, since tyre particulars provided by the government were too vague. Later, in the Lok Sabha, the Home llinister, P.C. Sethi, admitted these facts. Since then, no further lists have been sent to the SGPC, and yet the government keeps declaring that criminals are hiding in the Temple complex!

I am also amazed to read newspaper reports of criminals walking in and out of the Temple campus undetected: The Golden Temple complex and its exist are surrounded by the Central Reserve Police Force, the Border Security Force and the Punjab police. In addition , RAW, IB and the state CID agents[32] in plain clothes swarm the precincts of the Temple and yet proclaimed offenders stroll in and out of the Temple complex! How can this be?"

Indeed, how could it be that the Sikhs could allow their most sacred shrine to be used as a terrorist camp? The question is absurd! If there had been a shred of evidence that Bhindranwale and his group were terrorists, they would have been immediately thrown out of the Golden Temple complex by the Sikhs.

Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa, Bhindranwale, was a religious preacher and the head of a highly respected missionary centre --- the "Dam Dama Taksal". This Taksal was set up by Guru Gobind Singh who appointed Baba Deep Singh to lead this centre, in 1708. However, this Taksal fell back into relative obscurity until it was headed by Sant Gurbachan Singh in the mid-1950's. Gurbachan Singh was a very learned scholar and returned the Dam Dama Taksal to the forefront of Sikhism. As Sant Gurbachan Singh lived at Bhinder, this Taksal became associated with this village. Jarnail Singh grew up at this Taksal and obtained his religious training from Sant Gurbachan Singh. In 1977 he was selected to lead this Taksal and, consequently, he too was associated with the name of Bhinder and became known as Bhindranwale.

Sant Jarnail Singh vigorously pursued his duties as a missionary and went from village to village preaching about Sikhism. He was a powerful speaker and became successful in his endeavours. However, his success was resented by fundamentalist Hiridu organisations in the Punjab, like the Arya Samaj. He was harassed by these groups to the extent that his fellow missionaries were beaten up, their transport set alight and even the copies of the Sikh Scriptures they carried were torn and burnt[33]. He became increasingly aware of the injustice of broken promises in Punjab and the widespread discrimination against the Sikhs and started to speak out against this. In fact, it was Bhindranwale who initiated the peaceful agitation in Punjab (on July 20, 1982): everyday, 51 members of his group would go out on demonstrations and court arrest. Later, when the Akali Dal decided to take up the cause and launched its statewide campaign, Bhindranwale terminated his demonstrations and backed the Akali morcha for the implementation of the Anandpur Resolution.

It is often said that Bhindranwale was a creation of Mrs. Gandhi, which went wrong: She supported him when her opponents were in power, but he became a nuisance when she was returned to office. Hell, there may well have been a change of heart on her part but as far as Bhindranwale was concerned his duty, as a Sikh, was to speak out against injustice. This he did, irrespective of who was in power.

To counteract Bhindranwale's growing popularity, the Indian government launched a vicious propaganda campaign against him. They branded him as an armed extremist and accused him of being responsible for terrorism in Punjab. In the media, he was portrayed as a fanatical figure ree 'n havoc in Punjab from the sanctuary of the Golden Temple. He was even dubbed India's Khomeni.

However, the only 'evidence' for these allegations was circumstantial --- the naive argument ran along the lines of, "0n look lots of people have been killed in Punjab and there are people with guns in the Golden Temple". For a start, the figures of violence seem to have been exaggerated --- over the two years of the morcha, virtually every murder in Punjab was attributed to the agitation. The fact that most murders in Punjab arise from family feuds (over land ownership etc.) seems to have been forgotten. Indeed, the rest of India was hardly free from murder and violence over the same period! Nevertheless, there were some acts of terrorism with a blatantly sectarian flavour. But these acts could never be condoned by a Sikh for they run totally against the grain of Sikhism. These acts were, rightly, condemned by Bhindranwale and the other Sikh leaders.

As the agitation progressed, however, an increasing note of cynicism crept into Bhindranwale's condemnations:

"In Patiala, one Ashok Kumar was shot dead. No Sikh expressed the view that this was a good act. The killing was condemned by all the responsible Sikh leaders. But even before his cremation, a judicial enquiry was ordered into the circumstances of his death. On the other hand, the Akali Dal has repeatedly demanded judicial enquiries into the killing of 150 Sikhs but Indira has not ordered an enquiry into even in a single ease!"

This introduces another important point: over the two years of the morcha, an equal, if not greater, number of Sikhs were killed - 150 'died' while in police custody, 25 people were shot dead at just one peaceful demonstration[34] and scores of Sikhs were massacred in the neighbouring state of Haryana[35]. Of course, this does not excuse the murder of Hindus in Punjab, but it does illustrate the way in which the facts were distorted - massive coverage was given to the activities of alleged Sikh terrorists while little or no coverage was given to the atrocities committed against the Sikhs and nor to the peaceful nature of the agitation.

So far as arms at the Golden Temple were concerned, it is important to remember the semi- martial nature of Sikhism. Sikhs do not consider bearing arms a sin; on the contrary, every Sikh is asked to bear arms. Guru Gobind Singh's instruction to his Sikhs was:

O my beloved (Khalsa), hear this request of mine: Without weapons and kesh do not come before me.

Thus, there have always been weapons at the Golden Temple, indeed, at every major Sikh Shrine. Most of the relies of the Sikh Gurus consist either of Scriptures or their weapons. The very emblem of Sikhism consists of weapons and Sikhs are initiated into their faith by the Baptism of the Double-edged Sword. To suddenly turn around and say that we cannot tolerate arms in a place of worship is just ludicrous!

As we have seen, "Liberation Theology" is at the very heart of Sikhism. There is no inconsistency in running a civil rights campaign from the Akal Takhat (or even in keeping arms there). Indeed, since the Akal Takhat was set up to champion the cause of religious freedom and civil liberties, and is the centre for the Sikhs' temporal decisions, it was the right place from which to spearhead the campaign.

Although Sikhs bear arms, they are only permitted to use them as a last resort. Even the great symbol of pacifism, Mahatma Gandhi, defended this right: In 1931, he addressed the Sikhs at Gurdwara Sis Ganj to give them his personal assurance that Congress would not renege on its promises to the Sikhs. When questioned further as to what the Sikhs could do in ease they were betrayed, he replied, "In that ease take their Kirpans (swords) in hand with perfect justification before God and man."[36]

But the Sikhs are committed to peace and so the agitation was always a peaceful one; not surprisingly, Bhindranwale backed this whole heartedly. However, as the campaign progressed, the government's reaction to the agitation on the ground was to engage in a vicious persecution of those taking Part in the protests. Suspected activists were arrested and tortured by the police, and often murdered in so called "encounters with terrorists"[37]. What was more , the families of these suspected activists were also harassed, frequently to the extent of being thrown in jail, being physically abused and having their property and livelihoods burnt down. As time went on, these atrocities grew and Bhindranwale was forced to add the proviso:

"you can only have justice if there is the rule of law , someone to en force it, and the right of appeal. Where will you go when no one cares for the judge or for the law and they are all-powerful. with your own hands you will then have to solve the problem."

For the Sikhs who were able to see the actual situation, Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa, Bhindranwale, was the epitome of their Faith --- a man committed to the high ideals of being a Saint-Soldier:

"Even if it results in my body being cut to small pieces, I shall still fight against injustice."

"If I am to live, I wish to live with honour. If I am to die, I wish to die for the Panth."

"I do not fear physical death, but death of the conscience is a sure death."

Those people who have spent some time with Bhindranwale vouch for his true character. For example, Dr. Joyee Pettigrew, of Queen's University, Belfast, writes of Bhindranwale:

"I met Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Anrik Singh (president of the All India Sikh Students Federation) in mid-December, 1983. They were not the fanatical figures full of hatred that the press portrayed. Bhindranwale was quiet, with a sense of humour. He listened intently to the questions, answering directly if he could. On one occasion when he could not he said quite openly that he had studied only to the fifth grade. He was unpretentious, apologising twice if anything he had said offended me. Amrik Singh was very kind and possibly the more saintly of the t.wo, but with less charismatic appeal."[38]

But sadly, a 'fanatical extremist' is how Bhindranwale was portrayed; even now it is disheartening to read newspaper reports referring to him as 'the high-priest of violence'.

Mrs. Gandhi successful ly manipulated the situation into portraying a regional dispute threatening her power as a communal one. To this end it is more than probable that her supporters were prepared to sacrifice innocent Hindu lives. Having made Bhindranwale a scape-goat, the scene was now set for the attack on the Golden Temple --- for now, the army action would not only wipe out the threat to her from the Punjab, but also it would make her popular with the majority Hindu electorate. Her attempt to abuse the democratic system in this way[39] has sown the seeds of anger and anguish into many hearts.

We should conclude this section with a short account of the army action in June. But before that, it is worth considering, briefly, the role of extremist Hindu organisations, like the Arya Sanaj, in the agitation.

There exist in India several fanatical Hindu organisations such as the Arya Samaj, Jan Sang and the RSS. They are intolerant of all other religions, half the Arya Samaj's 700 page "bible", the "Satyarath Parkash", being devoted to attacks on other faiths[40]. They are particularly savage on Sikhism and portray Sikhs as kind of renegade Hindus. Since Independence, they have engaged in both overt and covert anti-Sikh activities. For example, it was the influence of these groups which lead Punjabi Hindus to disown Punjabi in the language census. The motive for this was to prevent the formation of a Punjabi-speaking state and thereby undermine the cultural roots of Sikhism. In many ways, this was the root cause of the troubles in the Punjab.

In the context of the agitation, they did as much as possible to divide the Sikhs and Hindus of Punjab. Whereas the Sikhs regarded the morcha as a campaign for the benefit of all Punjabis (Hindus and Sikhs), they devoted their energies to turning the Punjabi Hindus against it. They whipped-up a lot of anti-Sikh hysteria in the Indian papers (a lot of which they own) and organised provocative marches. In Amritsar, for example, they organised a march of Hindus, cigarettes in hand, shouting inflammatory slogans:

"Beedi, cigarette pean ge, budi shan se jevan ge."

"Kach, Kara, Kirpan ehnoo pejo Pakistan."

"Nuk te mukhi ben nee dehni, pug Punjab which ran nee dehni."

It is difficult to translate the malice and hostility inherent in these slogans but literally, the first says that, "Me will smoke and use drugs as we please" and is clearly designed to insult Sikh sentiments and frustrate their attempts to accord Sacred City status to Amritsar. The very fact that all the marchers had cigarettes in their hands was a way to add bite to their bark. The second says, "Kach, Kara, Kirpan --- send them to Pakistan"; Kach, Kara and Kirpan are three of the 5 K's - the distinctive symbols of a baptised Sikh. The third slogan says, "He won't tolerate the smallest concession, we won't leave a single turban in the Punjab".

In late 1983, a small international group of Hindus concerned about the disturbing situation in the Punjab went to India to look into the causes of the troubles, at first hand. In their report, "Hindu -Sikh Conflict in the Punjab : causes and cure"[41], they cite the activities of the Arya Samaj as a major factor behind the troubles:

"We are particularly tempted to call it a 'Cult' because we hate to see it identified with our ancient land yet modern) highly philosophical and tolerant religion of Hinduism. He were really amazed to hear that over half of the Punjab and Haryana Hindus are followers of this fanatical cult. How members of this kind of hateful sect can co- exist with other religions is hard to understand. After studying their slander on Guru Nanak and his humble teachings, we became inclined to view the causes of Hindu- Sikh conflict in a different perspective; Arya Samaj support for the Nirankaris[42] and the object of their similar anti-Sikh activities became self explanatory. We wondered how many Arya Samajists in the garb of Hinduism have helped influence Hindu national opinion through some of their own controlled media and also perhaps affect the Government's judgement and its decisions through the positions they may occupy in the ruling party and the senior posts they hold in the Civil-Service. The anti-Sikh mentality of former Home Minister Gulzarilal Nanda, and former Prime Minister Charan Singh are perhaps due to their origin in the Arya Samaj and also responsible for influencing the usually impartial attitude of the Congress towards minorities."

It is quite probable that the members of the Arya Samaj and RSS were behind the callous murder of innocent Hindus - fanatical acts of pure terrorism designed to generate a hatred of the Sikhs and to drive a wedge between the two communities.

Finally, we come to "Operation Blue Star", the army action in June 1984, which had absolutely no justification. The 'storming of the Golden Temple' received all the limelight in the government-released reports. An analysis of the events shows that the Golden Temple was used merely as an excuse and a smoke screen; it has become clear that the 'storming of the Golden Temple' was not even the tip of the iceberg! Every historic Sikh shrine in the Punjab was desecrated and destroyed, partially or wholly, with enormous loss of life. Even women and children trying to prevent this sacrilege were mercilessly gunned down. As there are now several books dealing with the details of the events [43], 1 will just mention one personal incident - a tale recounted by a pilgrim travelling to Amritsar a couple of days before the attack on the Golden Temple. He and other pilgrims were arrested at Tarn Taran (another Sikh Shrine a few miles from Amritsar) on the 3rd of June. They were locked up in railway carriages and left on the sidings, without food or water, for 5 days. As the temperature reached over 45 C, many of the children and the old people died in these suffocating conditions; most were unconscious. Although now released on bail after a year in jail, he still awaits trial by a special court where he is considered guilty unless proven otherwise. In the Whole of Punjab, a death toll of 15,000 would be a conservative estimate, a substantial proportion of whom were women and children. Even more shattering than the human loss is the destruction of the most sacred Sikh Shrine, the Akal Takhat, and the fact that the Sikh historical reference library in Amritsar was burnt after the army had taken control of the Golden Temple. This library housed priceless original manuscripts and its destruction, along with the looting and burning of other Sikh relies, is a great loss and a deep moral blow for the Sikhs; such acts are indicative of the real, sinister, motives behind operation Blue Star. Even many months after the army actions in June, correspondence with Punjab still indicated that intimidation, harassment and torture of Sikhs by the army and police was still widespread. During and after the events in June, no foreign correspondent was allowed free access to Punjab; human rights groups were refused permission to go to India to investigate the situation in the Punjab. The government appears to have been afraid Lest the truth be known and its atrocities and hypocrisy exposed.