Canada Supporting Anti-Indian Sikh Movement
In an attempt to embarrass India, a Canadian Indian politician with Sikh origins has introduced a motion in the Canadian parliament asking the Canadian government to declare the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 as a genocide. This motion comes a few weeks before the Prime Minster of India Manmohan Singh’s visit to Canada to attend the G-20 summit. Manmohan Singh is a Sikh.
Sukh Dhaliwal who is a member of parliament from Newton-North Delta and Andrew Kania who is an MP from Brampton West have joined hands and introduced this motion. Sukh Dhaliwal said “The petitioners call on the government of Canada to recognize that an organized campaign of violence, rape and killings took place in India in November of 1984 against the Sikh community, resulting in the deaths of thousands. Finally, (Canada should) recognize that this organized killing resulting in deaths of thousands is genocide as per UN convention on the prevention and punishment of the kind of genocide”. Genocide is a serious charge. But can we call the riots of 1984 Genocide without actually also considering what led to these riots?
Small sections of the Sikh immigrant community in Canada along with Pakistani government agencies were strong supporters of the Khalistan movement in India in the seventies and early eighties. They provided financial, material and moral support to members of the movement in India who were fighting the Indian government. The goal of the movement was to create an independent Sikh homeland called Khalistan in Punjab.
It is estimated that over 20,000 people were killed during the Khalistan movement. This included militants, members of the security forces and innocent civilians. The violence reached its peak when Sikh bodyguards of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi executed the Prime Minister in her residence in response to Operation Blue Star. About 3000 Sikhs lost their lives in the riots that followed the Prime Ministers assassination.
There are many ways one can look at this period of Indian history. Some of the claims of the Sikh community in India are valid (many promises were made during our Independence movement by our founding fathers which were not entirely met once we got independence from the British). The Sikhs in Punjab are not alone in that sense. But something transformed this once peaceful movement into a violent militant movement (very similar to what is going on with the Maoists today). The government had to defend which unfortunately resulted in loss of innocent lives (you can also argue that missteps by the government was what changed the peaceful protesters into violent militants). Atrocities were committed by all parties involved. This is one way to look at it.
But you can also take a very partisan view (like the MP’s in Canada have done) and claim that whatever happened is the fault of the “Hindu” led government of India and the Sikhs were innocent bystanders. This would not be an accurate portrayal of what really happened. But these partisans want to keep this movement going and want to create a divide between the Sikhs and rest of India.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is one of the most well respected Prime Ministers in our nation’s history. His religion is a non-issue for most Indians (this subject is not brought up by even right wing parties and organizations). This shows how far Hindus and Sikhs have come in the past 25 years. We should not allow anyone with their own personal agendas to disturb the peace and harmony. Meanwhile Canada should make sure that this movement that resulted in the deaths of thousands of people does not have the support in their Country as it did during the seventies and eighties. Can we count on you to help us in the war on terror Canada?
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Category: News & Government