Sikhism vs Sickism - Battles and Betrayals
(By Vaidehi Taman)
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| Author | Vaidehi Taman |
The disillusioned Sikhs agitated several times and the protests resulted in irreparable violence. The 1984 Delhi Anti-Sikh riots caused the death of nearly 3,000 Sikhs. It was followed by the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, on October 31, 1984, by her guards at the gate. Almost 38 years later, most of its masterminds and perpetrators remain scot-free. On the other hand, all the Sikh youth who were then arrested on some pretext or the other have completed their punishments, but are still languishing in jail. Most of them are now senior citizens.
After 75 years of independence, the struggle of preserving the Sikh cultural existence is still ongoing. The enemies keep changing from time to time but the struggle is never-ending. If they agitate for their rights, the Indian media demean them by calling them Khalistani extremists. Not only does Punjab lack job opportunities, but also faces issues such as water and gutter meters. The Sikh youth are lured into drugs and dope so that they don’t question the authorities. The Sikhs are still struggling with identity crises; they are still waiting for justice and they want their people to come out of jail. They want their wounds to be healed and they want the government to be fair to them.
Giving various references, the writer has also traversed through VD Savarkar’s acceptance of Sikhs and the Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's love-hate relationship with the community. He shielded them during most of the crucial period and also warned them when they created riot-like situations in Maharashtra. Above all the writer has expressed her worry over the virtual Khalistan movement groups that are poisoning the young minds. The book also writes about Saint Bhindranwale’s reform work and his continued fight for a separate Sikh state which owes its origin to the Punjabi Suba Movement. The
Akali Dal – a Sikh-dominated political party – sought to create a separate Sikh Suba or Province.
For the Sikh community, Bhindranwale is the most respected freedom fighter, saint and political combatant, whereas, his extreme measures taken against established tags label him as an extremist. This political awkwardness has caused too much impairment to the Sikh Commoners. This is all about the Battles of Betrayals of the Sikh community”
