Vol. 35 No. 36 5th May, 1986 Price Re.

1-
DECLARATION OF "KHALIST AN"
REMAINS A DAMP SQUIB
'Absured, Senseless And Sacrilegious', Says Barnala
Wbat did five members of the so-called "Panthic
committee", who had been appointed by the Sarbat
Khalsa sbow at the AkaU Takbt on Januarv 26 tbis
year, gain by declaring tbe formation of "Kbalistan" Oil
April 29 ?
Notbingl
time and allow the militants to
realism and good sense after say-
ing goodbye to boastful brava-
does and rpeaniDgless antics,
Secondly, beard the lion in its
own den with firmna.s and
promptitude.
The first course was fraught
witll dangers. as the mililants had
ta ken previous leniency and
large-heartedne" a. a sign of
weakness. So the .unwelcome
decision to send the police and
paramilitary force. ioto the
Golden Temple complex could
no looger he delayed.
This decision was implemen-
ted with cool heads. The police
entered only Guru Ram Das
sorai, Akal rest house and Guru
Nanak Niwas . .It did not set it.
foot on the holy preciocts of the
Harimaudir. Thus, no one can
say that the holiest Sikh shrine
has been subjected to sacrilege.
The formation of "Kilalistan"
has been condemned by leading
(Continupd on lasl page)
However, the timing of the
announcement gatllers impor-
tance. For 80me time the "Panthic
committee" had reduced to
a non' entity. as its credentials
were challenged by "united"
Akali Dal and AIIlndia Sikh
Students Federation (Maojit
Singh group). It tried to re-
establish itself in some Sikh eyes
by leaning totally toward Dam-
dami Taksal and Kahlon faction
oC AISSF. But these moves did
not cut mach ice. Its members
were also torn by mutual
lies.
Punjab Congress Must Clarify Stand
On Villages To Be Given To Haryana
Thus. it needed .ome dramatic
move to draw attention to itself
and send a shock wave through-
out India, if only to make its
existence known. And the
"Khalistan" dream became
handy.
Its thinking also was that if
the police entered the Golden
Temple complex to ferret them
out, they would be recipients of
widespread sympathy from Sikh
masses and the govemment would
automatically stand condemned.
Four of the five member of
the Panthic committee did not
display courage expected of them
as brave Sikhs. Instead of staying
put in the Golden Temple com-
lex. they fled a few hours after
the anDouncement of "Khalistan"
was made, leaving their minions
to face storm. This was sheer
cowardice almost belrayal.
The Barnala ministry was left
with two hard options:
First, wait for some more
So far we had held that a handful of Punjab
Hindus of the old Jan Sangh brand or present BJP
stamp, were rank communalists and would not hesitate
from doing anything mean to embarrass Sikhs. Now to
their category must be added a few Congress (1) men
also.
on They fatten themselves
Punjab resources and yet do oot
mind stabbing it in the back.
In other words, they
traitors to their own state.
are
The latest instance is provided
by Mr Sat Pal Kapoor, a .enior
Congress (I) leaders and member
of AICc (I). He has led a
deputat'ion to Mr Justice E.S.
Vankatararniah, pleading for the
transfer of Patiala, Samana and
Rajpura tcbsils of Patiala district
to Haryana in lieu of Chand i-
garh.
It is, therefore, in fitness of
things that senior Akali leaders
hava asked PPCC (I) Chief Beant
Singh to clarify the stand of his
party on this vital issue.
H Mr Kapoor is not expelled
from the party. the people of
Punjab would be justifi.d in
presuming that the state Con-
gress (I) is hands in gloves witll
anti-Punjab and communal forces
to harm the Slate.
Perhaps Mr Kapoor wants to
re-establish himself in the eyes of
Hindus of these areas by taking a
atrident stand so that he can win
the nexl Lok Sabha election.
Th. statement by a rew
Hindu leaders of Patiala, who
have been notorious for their
communal outlook and antiSikll
postures, backing Mr Kapoor's
demand is understandable.
Some others have asked
for replacement of Puojab
police by CRPF so that the
people of the areas "cannot be
pressurized by Punjab ministers
into declaring PUBjabi as their
mother tongue."
These leaders claim that the
dialect of theae areas i. akin to
that of Ambala and Kurukshetra
districts .
This is a fallacy.
According to various linguis-
tic surveys. people tllere speak
pure Punjabi in their howes and
bazars . .... mother tongue is what
a child learns from his wother or
wllat an illiterate person speaks.
And Punjabi comes Out victorious
in {bis test. .
These Hind u leaders should
!lelve deep into tbe plight of
Punjabis already settled in
Haryana. Tbey are being treated
as pariahs. Punj abi farm"s in
Guhla area. both Hindos and
Sikhs, are being uprooted.
Government jobs to Punjabis are
denied on tbe basis of not being
sons of the soil and, therefore.
outsiders. Liceoces for factories
and transport are few ' and far
betwccn to come by. No wonder,
residents of 40 odd villages,
which Barnala ministy hadi
offered to Haryana before the
Mathew commission, have-
submitted a joint memorandum
to oppose their merger with
Haryana. Ihis in itself should be
an eyoopner . to Mr Kappor anll
menoC his ilk.
i iiB ",SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 2
Disenchantment With. Rajiv Gandhi Growing
. ---
Remedial Measures To Refurbish Coogress(l) Image Needed
Congress(I) is in ferment, and the signal of dissi-
dence, which has been muted so far, has become loud
ar.,d clear, But it is too early to conjecture that a serious
challenge to Me Rajiv Gandhi's leadership has been
mounted.
The is the letter which
the working president, Mr
Kamlapati Tripathi, wrote to
(Continued on previolls page)
Sikhs in India and all natioilal
pol itic, \ parties. .. ..
Punjab Chief Sur)lt
Singh Barnala called tt absurd,
-senseless and sacrilegious". For-
mer Chief Minister Prakash
Singb Badai described it as
II sbockingH and 'asainst the
interest of Sikhs" .
The Punjab cabinet in a reso-
tion adopted at its emergency
meeting on April 30, reiterated
ilS resolve to launch a figbt;o
the finish against "secessionist
elements" wbo could not be
all owed to "challenge the
sovereignty of the countr(' '. It
said the move exposed the SIDlster
game of foreign forces who
$ou.ht to "destabiJi,e and di,rupt
the unilY and integrity of Indian
people through the mercenary
mafia of murderers and marauders
In unauthorised possession of the
Golden Temple",
But New Delhi would do well
to have a close pee'p into the
causes which led the "Panthic
committee" to dec1are
taD" .
Mr Gandhi hist week in which
he did ,not .mince any "ords, He
spoke of "serious deterioration
in the functioning' of-the organj"
satioD. Of of "various irregularities
and bogus membership," and,
finally, of the "danger to the
party" and, therefore, to the
country,
Mr Tripathi had long ceased
to be a man of any consequence.
Even rhe appearances became
irrelevant, .speciallY after Mr
Arjun Singh "as brought in to
run party affairs as vice-presi-
dent. Tbe interest in the latter,
thus, is about the specula tion it
has generated regarding its
inspiration and likely implica-
tions.
His protest is being invested
witb a national import It is
being deduced tbat he spoke on
bebalf of a large number of
seaior Congress(l ) politi cians
who were once prominent and
powerful and are now out in the
cold.
The expUlsion of Mr Pranab
Mukherjee, former union finance
minister. and suspension of tbree
otbers-Mr A.P. Sbarma, a '
former union minister and
governor; Mr Srip,ti Mishra, a
former UP chief minister; and
Mr Praaasb Mebrotra, a former
governor and , high commis-
sioner to UK-for anti-party
activities are meant to warn
other critics of Mr Gandhi's way
of curbing poosible revolt .
He has. nonetheless, to ensure
a correct balance between
requirements of governmental
administration and party's politi-
cal ,conuq!. He ha. b,een I,eaning ,
beavily on his "computer boys"
and bureaucratic aides, There is
notbin! novel about it. His
mother also functioned in a
similar manner. There is truth in
the complaint that officials, both
senior and junior, of AICC(I)
secretariat are uied as errand
bol s of administrative decisions.
The party organisation itself
no signs of improvement.
The distance between the leader
and his followers is bv no means
being reduced, If disappointment
is growing, it because of a deeper
uncertainty about Mr Gandhi',
of purpose and direction .
The resounding phrases heard
in Bombay have begun to look
like tired rhetoric of the past It
is ironic that a reminder should
have come from an old man
who, instead of sulking, should
have gracefully resigned long
ago, But in India politicians
seldom retire.
It would be too much for
Mr Gandhi to believe that the
purge would end dissidence. He
has to take compensatory action
to refurbish his government's
image of dynamism, modernity.
equality and cbange.
It is symptomic or the deep
frustration which has gripped
Sikhs. The area. in which "Sikhs
would enjoy tbe glow of free-
dom." promised by Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru in 1 Y46. has
never been in sight, The solemen
pled.es given to Sikhs by Con-
gre,: leaders during 1946-47
negotiations with the British were
thrown :he drain cn the
morrow of afrer
Sikh, had cast their lot with
Ino;' . The" every effoct was
lilJoe to make Sikhs look small,
almost s!cond-c1ass I; itizens.
Their keen desire to mai ntain
separate religious identity was
denounced as separatism while
honest difference of opinion, so
inherent in a democracy, was
decried as sed ILion. Despite
numerous sacrifices made by
Sikhs, ber"r. and after indepen-
they were looked down
upon as an untrustworthy lot,
almost disloyal. Even their
geniune demands, which were
meant to benefit botb Hindus
and Sikhs of Punja b, were not
met.
Guru Nanak Institute for comparative
study of religion '
The Rajiv- Longowal accord
of last year did make amends for
past government acts of omission
,and commission. But its imple-
mentation has been plauged by
so 'many fiu and,starts.
Guru Nanak Tnstitute for
Comparative Study of Reli!lion
is a kind of an acadeu\Jc Instrtute
which is a recogni zed research
Centre for advance studies in tbe
fie ld of Sikhism and Comparat ive
Religion, by Punjab University,
Chandigarh and Punjabi Univers-
ity, Patiala both, This in,ititute is
managed by Guru Nanak Foun-
dation-a leading body of the
Sikhs. Scholars who are genuinely
interested in Research are
appointed as re.earch
for tilree years. After completion
of their research, they aro aWar-
ded Ph.D's in their relevant field.
The Institute also houses 'a big
, library equipped with rare mate-
rial - traditional a. well as
modern in the field of Sikh Stu-
dies and Comparative Religiop.
The Institute has also pioneer-
ed in circulating a monthly
bibliograpl,ly entitiled 'Documen-
tation on Sikh Studies' which
covers more than a hundred
entries comprising articles, essays
and edi :orials from different
researeb. journals, magazines,
periodicals, weeklies ani dailies.
Tn tbis, attempt is being made to
cover all tbe aspects of Sikh
Religion and the Sikhs including
Punjab Affairs. The, compil:rs of
this bibliographical format are
Dr. Rajwant Singh and Saldar
Amarjit Singh - Senior Research
Officer of the Institute, Till now
three volumes have already been
circulated all over India and
abroad.
. Further more, it is worthy of
note that Guru Nanak Founda-
tion has already published nearly
twenty five titles of eminent scbo-
'lars and writers, Side by side, the
Institute is alrtady pUblishing a
leading bi-annual research journal
called 'Studies in Sikbism anil
Comparative Religion' whfch bas
acquired a wide circulution,
Almost 8 volumes of this journal
have already been published, The
Editor of tbe Journal Dr . Mohin-
der Singh who is Director of Guru
Nanak Faundation and his assis-
tant colleague Sardar Amarjit
Singh-SRO are conjointly putting
in their efforts in accomplishlDl a
job of this nature.
5th May, 1.986
7th May, 1956
AKALI CAMP
AT BABA BAKALA
(An editorial)
, Til'; Akali ' Dal did we 11 in
holdmg a camp at Baba Bakala
on 27, 28 & 29th of A priJ. Such
camps serve very useful purpose.
The workers and leaders have
opportuDltles to come together
and know each other more inti-
mately. The workers have close
contacts with the masses and they
can bring fresh trends to the
nolIce of the leaders. The policies
of the party can be adjusted or
modIfied to the circumstances
The .field workers may
expenenced some diffi CUlties in
carryIng Ollt tbe programme of
the pany When these workers
meet In such campo' then the
leaders are po. ted with such
eJpenences and future policies or
changes ID programmes can b.
made accOrdlDgly. Tbere is also
an opport unity for introspection
and self-examination. The past is
reViewed and the future is pro-
grammed. The workers go ba ck
revllahsed anti inspir d. The
party gOlns strength as the !oya-
Ity of the workers is reassured
The present camp at
Bakala bas another and addition-
al slglllficance. The evi! of the
use of Alcohol is very rampant
among the Sikhs. To be more
speCIfic the Sikhs are defamed
and maligned as drunkards
though m fact, If a comparison
were made, they are not worse
tban tbelT other countrymen in
vallo'!s regIOns. Yet on account
of their vlflle nature, there is. no
good number of crime.
commItted under the influence .r
Alcohol. The Akali Dal is deter-
mt.ned to root out .uch social
eVIls. A regular compaign has
been started and those, the
leaders and tbe workers alike
took a solemn vow to
from tbe use of Alcohol in
future.
There general suppOrt for
the resolullon of the general
CounCil, adopted at Amritsar in
respect of the regional scheme.
SOJ.De concern was shown on the
attItude of somo of the JulJundar
by Jan Sanghis, Tbere
was OplDlon i\rowing that if thi.
atlltude COntlOues and develop.
then elements would
make It ImpOSSible. ,for the two
commUDllles to live together
However it was
deCIded that an an out effort be
made to brlDg . about unity bet-
ween the two sister communities
and the workers were enjoined to
exert themselves for that end.
TIlE "SPOKESMAN'" WEEKLY
----.-:----------- t A THOUGHT FROM GURBANI
Withont, meditation on the True Name,
t I have no other miraculous power -Guru Goblnd Singh $
...
VoI,35
No. 36
SPENT FORCE
Prlee :
" Re,I/-
Baba Joginder Singh's 'united' Akali Dal can be
written off as a spent force, not because of sabotage
from outside but sheerly due to corrosion from withini
From the very outset, it was a conglomeration of diverse.
elements who were burning with personal grievances.
Some were sore over having been denied plums of office
by Shiromani Akali Dal highbrass; others ' felt aggrieved
at prospects of harvesting money; still more wanted .
to make capital out of the charisma which Babaji carried '
as father of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, daydreaming
that Sant Harchand Singh Longowal would be no match
for the old m \D. Babaji created the 'United' Akali Dal
through wily manoeuvres, if not outright ruse. He made
use of the letter which the Sant wrote to him .to work
for unity between Shiromani Akali Dal and Jathedar
Jagdev Singh Talwandi's rump. Instead of making the
tIVO warring leaders sink their differences, which .were
personal than ideological, Babaji dissolved the two fac-
tions and brought into being UAD with himself as its
"acting convener." Soon he was joined ' by some dis
gruntled elements from . Shiromani Akali Dal which
maintained its original entity.
This UAD assemblage of discordant voices playing
their own different symphonies, got the first shock when
Babaji decided to boycott the Punjab assembly. elections
last year and called upon all Sikhs to stay away from
polling booths. But the turnout was much more than
ever before, thereby demonstrating with6ut any shadow
of doubt that Babaji's call had gone completely unheed-
ed: Soon afterwards, desertion began, in the beginning
in trickles, later in torrents. The main complaint was
that it was height of foUy on Bablji's part to ignore the
voice of the mass",s and force a boycott down their
throats. When Sardar Surjit Singh Barnala formed the
ministry, after having won a massive mlndate from both
Sikhs and Hindus, Bablji's flock began to dwindle
further. His denunciations of Sardar Bunal'a and his
ministers as "traitors to the Panth" did not fiad aay
echo; Even the show of Sarbat Khalsa ,on January 26 this
year within the Golden Temple complex did not help
rehabilitate UAD in the eyes Iof Sikhs. ' .
Rather, more fissures appeared, largely as a result
of wrangles among the UAD, Damdami Taksal, AIl-
India Sikh Students Federati9n (Manjit Singh faction)
and the so-called five-man "Panthic Committee" appoint-
ed to run the community's "political and religious
affairs." Each claimed supermacy and denounced the
others; Then came cracks within AISSF which, led by
young and educated men of zeil and devotion, was
Babaji's main prop . . Sardar Harinder Singh Kahlon;
backed by Damdaml Taksal and Panthic Committee,
his flag of against Babaji who stuck to the
rema1010g AISSF debflS; Now he has been left high and
dry on the rocks by more desertions: Babaji shall live to
rue the day he chos.e to e?ter .politics and tried to
steal the. lImelIght. Rama!D!ng 10 hIs Rode village he
might have been still revered as a father-figure
to all and p.artisan tonone. But it was not to be.
3 Sm. M&y, 1986
?

What Js a Sikh
By : Sardar Raghhir Singb 'Bir?
Literally the word '"Sikh'' ' superconsciousness and these
means a ;tudent, one who is two levels are poles asunder.
anxious to learn, a seeker of This gap has to be bridged and
Truth; a seeker of divine kno all tbe distance in between to be
weldge. Tbe true Sikh grooms bis traversed, Tbis c.nnot b. done in
body' faces aU temptations, all . a day or" tlVo-it would be a rare
of mammon, eaTn his piecc of luck if tbe objective is
living with t!:le sweat of his brow, . in a lifetime, . Patience
meets hi. domestic commitments, and Caltn are, tberefore. his cons-
serves his family, his patents, his tant companions in bis journey.
kith and kin and friends, hIS
country and the human race-
and yet, in tbought, stands unaf-
Jected and disentangled. And in
the coune of his daily routine, he
gives tbe first and foremo,t place
to the problem of knowing his
real Self. Wbichever rol" he
plays; the desire to understand
tbe mystery of life keeps him
fully occupied. He has full faitb
in hi' objoctive, He is, therefore,
an embodiment of optimism and
unshakable resolve.
attractions of the world,
no temptations, uo allurements,
no hurdles can dell:ct the innate
desire of the true Sikh to realize
' God, He migbt - s\llfer defeat
tempo'rarily, but be cannot. be
entirely conquered.
The Sikh has full faith in
Guru Nanak-'-the same faith tbat
the child has in its mother. He
believes that while boldinl fast to
Guru Nanak, he can find his way
through tbe Vanity Fair, through
'the milling multitudes, through
tbe dust and din without losing
his way. He has full faith-not
blind faith-io tbe World of the
Master. He strives to fully grasp
the World of the Master;- He
. know. that without undersand-
ing, and lVithout diyine knowled-
ge, our deeds cannot b. lIawless.
'Fhe Sikb, tberefore, . despi'te hi.
f.ith in tho trutb 'of tbe Word, is
daring enougb to try .to under-
stand it and to act upon it. He
tests it on tho touchstone .of his
own experience.
Tbe Sikh knolVs, too. tbat his
'research is the most arduous . of
all researcbes in the world. Impa-
tience aud restiveness will not
lead anywhere. He is, therefore,
firm and uushakable as a rock in
his perseveranee. He pauses
where he fails to follow the
Master's Word: He prays for
.Light humhly, heseechingly,
reverently, and ' waits patiently
for response to his prayers. He
knows that God's storehouse is
bountiful, but each one of u.
receives gifts according, to our
individual circumstances, and fair
needs, The Sikh, therefore, waits
and watches like tbe true lover.
Hafiz has well said, "Some
day you will,be at one with God,
if you have patience enouch."
The Sikh knows that he i. to rise
. from tbe human level to tha t of
Failures do not deter the
Sikh. Thc b'ptism of steel makes
him a perfect soldier. He can
resist, with tbe force 'of arms,
falsehood; oppression & injustice.
Similarly, he is constantly at war
with his own Self, bis lower
nature, with his frailties and the
manifold misfortunes that arise
from such lVealenesses. H. hacles
his way through sin, trampling it -
to forge his way ahead. The
Sikh's mind is a baltlefield where
he ever battles wiih 'the old
Adam in him.
Baptism, Sikh discipline, aT'
moryada, recitation of tbe Word,
Kirtan, or cbanting and listening'
to God', praises, are all neces
sary. But the true Sikh mu.t alse>
know that all these are means to>
an .!Ond; they are not in them-
selves tbe goal. The central aim
. and aspiration of the Sikb is te>
see God, realize God to be one-
witb God. He wbo is perfectly
conscio.us of his end and aim,
must, sooner or later, realize his.
objec.tive.
At one time, I "gard.d tbe-
. study of Sikh bistory. and listen-
ing to the tales of" Sikh martyrs. ,
as the core of aD'd wn
prODe to quiz and twit the reci-
ters of Ihe Word and ' lovers of
Nam. As I advanced in spiritual
enlightenment, I took moro-
delight iIi the sacred W <lrJ thaD
in tbe old Sikh chronicles. I left
contented with listening' te>
Klrtau . . with . Word-recitation.
with Gurdwara' goiog, and witb
formal porinJ over tbe sacred
Book, But thi' did .. not fully
satisfy me. My soul hue gered
thirsted for abiding bliss.
He who was, is, and ever shall
. be witb us;
My soul yearns for Him, faT'
Him alone
Love for God ever abides.
witb us,
The Perfect, Merciful One-
ever sustains us,
He fades uot, nor can w. do>
without Him,
He dwells in all we see,
Oh, the Beautiful. All-wis ..
Sustainer of Beings !"
God is Father, Brother ..
Mother, and Son, .
He is Life of my life: may
1 loved Him and He dwelt ,in.
my heart.
(Continued on next pagt) .
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 4 5th May, 1986
Bhai Lehna was tbe son of
Pheru, a merchant of Mate di
Sarai. He was a young man with
a high sense of duty and posses-
sed great pbysical strengtb. He
was a worsbipper of the mytho-,
Guru Angad Dev
It is .true, Nanlk, where . God
givelh him the food there
man eateth.
(Guru Angad : So,ath)
Tbe Birtb Anniversary of Sri Gnru Anga4 Dev Ji falls on May 9,
The' Guru further says thai ,
fate is providence, the beneficent
care of God for His creatures. He
allots our sbare and also "wat-
cheth over our actio.ns and
looketh after oui deeds".
logical deity, Durga or Latan engaged in farming at Kartarpur,
Wali. He visited tbe goddess Bhai Lehna carried muddy grasl
every year, sang hymn. in her on his head to feed the GUru',
praise, and danced in a frenzy of cattle. while other Sikhs had
devotion. But witb all his religi- shrunk away detesting tho task.
ous fervour, he fel t an unsatiable The dripping of the moist mud
hunger in his soul that aggravated from .the grass soiled his new
from year to year. clothes. Once he brought a heavy
Once, at Kbadur. he happen- load of salt from Khadur to
cd to hear Guru Nanak', hymns ,' Kartarpur for the Guru's langa,
in 'Asa Di Var' from Bhai Jodha. without feeling any sense of
They awakened bis emotions. He indignity. He would wash his
decided to visit Guru ' Nana k at Master's clothes at night and
Kartarpur and when he met him have them dried before the' crack
there be was very much impre. of dawn. On Guru Nanak's ask-
by bis teachings and decided ing, he did not object to the
to stay witb bim. Many incidents eating ora corpse thai lay veiled
are narrated regarding Bbai on a pyre. Tbe corpse, it is said,
Lehna's devotion to the Guru. became a heap of delicious pud- '
Once, wben . Guru Nanak was ding. as soon as Bbai Lehna came
(Continued previa"" page)
The Merciful One snappe<j as
under the bonds ofillu.ion,
He casf His Gracious Look
and made me His own;
I remembered Him and a II
my iUs were at an end,
I dwelt at His reet and all was
biJss,
The Perfect One ever young
and fresb
He sustains us within and
witbout,
Nanak 'has found God,
Tbe wealth of Nom bath God
Vouchsafed to His devotee.
-Guru Arjan-Glodl.
adl madh jo ani nibahai
so sajan meTa man chahai
harl ki prit sada sang chal.
dlaal pa,kh puran prltipalai
binsat iwhi chhad no ja;
jah pekha tah rahia saluoi
sundar .ugharil chatar jia data
bhal put pita proM mata
jiwon pran adlzar meri rast
prit lal kaT ridol nivasl
maia silak kat! Gopol
kor apno lina nada, nlhal
simar sima, kate sabh rag
'charan dilion sarab sukh bhog
puran purakh navtan nit balo
hori anta, bahor sang rakhvala
kaho Nonak ha,; pod chin
sarab so ."am bhagat kao din
-Guru Arian - Gaudi.
Then I began to read one
Word in a different manner.
Intelligently and lovingly, I read
the Sacred Book from end to end
half a dozen times and I found
two central, essontial points,
namely, God, and His realization
through Nam. I should not say
'bat it was an easy job; or perfec-
tly smooth sailing. -But all my
labour, all my plodding was but
11 trifle as compared to tbe peace
contentment, and bliss that I
experienced. Whea I see people
drudging and slaving. for mate-
'fiali.tic trifles, I cOiltratulate
myself on my rare. good fortune
to-have obtained a 'priceless hoOIl
:for my efforts, which were by no
means Herculean.
forward to eat it. Onl winter
night, wben it Was raining, Ihe
. Guru asked his Sikhs 'to repair a
, part of tbe wall of his house
which had collapsed. Everybody
was silent except Lehna. He '
erected the wall 81Ogle-handed.
The Master expressed his dissatis-
faction over the .. 'ork he bad
done, and asked him to re-build
tbe wall. Lehna obeyed the orders
without grumbling. .
Onc day during a Sikb gather-
ing, Guru Nanak 'seated Lehna
on his gaddi, placed five pice and
a coeonv.t in fr ont of bim and.
said to Bbai Buddba, "He is' my
.ueeessor: put a tilak on bis
forehead in token of bis appoint-
to _the Guru.hip." This
beIDg done, tbe Guru instructed
bis people to serve Angad, who.
he said, was his very ima&e. Guru
Nanak's sons weie unhappy over
tbe decision, but they di d not
deserve the exalted position
because of their selfcenteredness.
Guru Angad was worthy of the
Gurusbip by virtoe of bis spirit
of self-sacrifice and devotion to
duty. Guru Nanak directed him
to return to Kbadur . .
Bbai Lebna' s evolution was
perfect. He no longer remained
separate from hi. Guru-God and
became' a part and .parcel of him.
Bhai - Gurdas tbus describes
the succession of Guru Angad :
. Angad got tbe same tilak, the
same umbrella over .his
bead. and was seated on
the same true tbrone as
Guru Nauak. '
The seal in Guru Nanak's
hand entered Guru Angad's
and proclaimed his soverei-
gnty.
He left Kartarpur, and wenl
and lit the lamp in
Khadur. .
What. was sown in the begin-,
ning h . th germinated in this
world; to offer another
opinion was false clev_flIesl.
Lebo. obtained the gift
from Nanak, IIlld it must
descend to the hou.e of .
Amar Dass.
Shortly after the appointaient
of Guru Anlad, Guru Nanak
departed from this life on ' the
tentb day of the light-half of the
month of Asuj, Samvat 1595
(1538 A.D.) at Kartarpur. So
N.nak. in a sense, actually
incarnated in the body of Guru
Angad.
Gnru Angad cultivated humil-
ity and unflinching faith ' in the
existence of God, He "'35 an ideal
diseiple, who, with the belp of
Almighty God rose higher and
higher. He confirmed and
organized the system of langar
the commOn 'community kitchen:. _
This institution was a lesson in
equality of mankind.
Sikhism is entirely based on
spiritll31 considerations. Accord-
ilJ.g to Guru Angad, nearness to
God cir distance from Him.
-depends on our own actioDs :
What men give tbey receive,
What tbey receive they had
given.
Thq are born in ' hell or
heaven according to their
deeds.
Angad , Sarang KI Var)
According to ' him virtue
becomes its own reward evil
its own punisbment. Those Who
are given to evil ways are failure.
and thus earn pain aod sorrow.
Even if one were to act in
l ecrccy,
It shall be known all over tbe
world,
One who acts in rigbteousness
is known as righteous, and
the sinner is known as
sinful.
. . (Guru Angad : VarMajh)
and
Tbough m'an is driven higher
by the force of hi. acts, the
nose-string is in the hands
of tbe Master.
Nanak. be not anxious for
Thy living.
Anxiety far is that of the
Master,
Who c!eated living beings
aven In water.
And there gave theDi their
. sustenance. .
No shop i. open tbere and no
one runs a trade.
No commerce is there and nor-
any traffic.
Animals are the food ' of
animals,
Such is the food that is given
to them:
He taketh of tho crea-
tures He created in tbe sea.
Nanak, feel not anxious for
Thy sustenance.
Anxiety is for the ' Master
'" ho Gave Thee Life.
(Guru Angad : Ramkall)
Guru Angad passed away
from this transitory world ' in
. I 552. He carried on the duties of
the Guru for twelve years, six
montbs and nine days. During Jiis
GurU,blP,' be asked bis _ followers
to serve and love their Guru and
. worship God'. He popularized the
Punjabi .cript, called Gurmukhi '
and recorded tbe utterance. of
Guru Nanak. Later ' on they
along with his successors'
included in the Adi Granth. H.
made the Sikbs independent of
. the Hindu priestly class and
contributed significantly towards
the emergence of Sikhism a
distinct . faith, separate from
Hindui.sm.
He apPoinied Guru Amar
Dass his' successor_on tbe . throne
of Guru Nanak and instructed
him to live at Ooindwal and
guide the Sikh community.
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THE WEEKLY
Deliberate Distortions ot Sikh History-v
(A Rejoinder to the B,ook of Mr Kshitish "Storm in Punjab" by Sardar G.S. Chadba)
On page 45 of his book Mr.
Kshitish hRs marle aoother
absurd remark "Before his death
Guru Gobind had indicated his
prderence for Banda Bairagi as
his ,uccessor. Baoda's heart was
filled with hatred and revenge"
(underlining is mine). It i, a hard
fact that Guru Gobind SlDgb
had never appointed any succes-
sor. He bad issued an edict to
his followers to worship Guru
Gr.ntb Sahib as their Guru.
According to some chronicles
like Mah.1 Parkash tbe Guruship
was passed on to the Granth
Sabib. According to Gur Sobba,
the Guru said" I have bestowed
the physical (or secular) Guru-
sbip on the Kbalil" and "The
True Guru is the infinite Word,
cont.mplation enable one to bear
the unbearable".
Tbe Great Guru further
exhorted the to have full
faitb in the Granth Sabib_
According to him whosoever
wanted to have his darsban he
wouid searcb the Guru in
Grantb Sahib containing "the
Eternal and limitless Word
uttered witb the Lord's light and
is our Supreme Master".
Furtber, it is absurd to say
tbat Banda's heart was filled with
hatred and revenge. The Guru
was not only a warrior but a holy
man and a saint soldier also.
How could be preach hatred for
anyone? In his hymns he had
preacbed Saach kahon sun lio
saMe jin prem kio tin he prabhu
paeo (I say trutb that whoever
loved (the humanity) be had
attained the Kingdom of Godl.
The Wages of Oppression
He bas made tbe following
hasty comments whicb have
depicted bis jealous beart: - "It
seems tbat as long as Sikhism
was confined to spirituality, not
only Hindus but even Muslims
respected it and accepted it with
full faith. But when it .tarted
taking interest in politics, it
became tbe target of Muslim
fury. Guru Gobind Singb did
not get full support of tbe Hindu
Kings of the hills because bis
troops tried to forcibl y bring
tbem round to bis side. The
Hindu popUlation was looted and
harassed. A. a result tbe Hindu
kings of Bilaspur, Jasova,
lasrot.. Nalagarb and D.d",al
collected! 0,000 troops and join-
ing Fateh Shab of Srioag.r they
engaged the 2000 Khalsa of
Gobind Singb at Bbangani. If on
tbis occasion, tbe Sadhora
Governor Sayyad Shab had not
hel ped the Guru; be migbt b.a v.
lost bis life .. , . .. After the
Royal troops bad witbdrawn the
Kbalsa again started harassing
Hindu kings in order to enlist
them 00 their side. Tired of this
barassment, the Hindus coliected
20.000 troops and with the help
of tbe Sirhind Governor attacked
Garbi in Anandpur and Keerat-
pur. Guru Gobiod Singh had to
take shelter in Anandpur fort".
Any person ho is conversant
with the Sikb history would
never dare to make such wild
and silly comments. It Seems that
either tbe said autbor of Srorm in
Punjab does not know the Sikbs'
history or he bas tried to malign
tbe Sikbs with a malicious
approach and denigrate tbis com-
munity'S chivalry by distorting
parts and misquoting episodes
of bravery and thus prejudice tbe
Hindu. .nd Muslims who had
very cordial relations with the
Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh had
never harboured any enmity with
any body. His struggle was
always against injustice and
tyranny, irrespective of the posi-
tion of the perpetrator. This is
proved from his own verses :-
"The House- of Baba Nanak
and that of Babar,
Both derive tbeir aUlbority
from God Himself,
Recognize the former as
supreme in -religion;
And tbe latter as supreme in
secular affairs".
This cerrainly is not the
language of'a man who thinks of
the Moghal Government as an
enemy, apprehends attacks from
it, and thinks 01 radical cbanges
in ma.tters as
essential for self defence against
such an enemy. But his expe-
rience of contact with tbe Hill
Raja$ probably taugbt him two
tbing;: tbeir persistent hostility
and the urgmcy of putting bi.
own house in order. Here we
bave tbe real b,cK ground of tbe
creation of the Khalsa in t699"
(Refer to page 205 of "-.C,
B.nerjee.'s 'Guru Nanak to Guru
Gobind Singh)'. -
Tbe factual position is that
tbere had cropped up some
mi sunderstanding in tbe minds
of Hill Rajas due to tbe fact that
Guru Gobind Singh bad started
using Ranjit Nagara (Drum),
increased bis armed adherents,
improved tbeir the
construct ion of forts and collec-
tion of money etc, which appear-
ed to tbe Hill Cbiefs as symbols
of his political ambilion. They
thought [nat the Guru aimed at
Mulkgiri and jabandari (Umdat-
ul-iawarikh, Vol I, p. 62). This
suspicion bad created trouble
between Raja Bbim Ch.cd (Raja
of Kailiur state) aud tbe Guru
during tbe latter's reside.nce at
Makbowal. Depite the Hill cbiefs
internal intrigues and conflicts
tbey were not prepared to
tolerate the presence of a strong
rival inside their territorial base.
Besides those political rivai-
ries there had appeared social
and religious misgivi ngs also.
Ortbodox Hinduism was d<epJy
rooted in tbe Kangra bil's; it
had virtually remained unaffected
by Islam, for neither Muslim
political autb<;>rity nor Muslim
preachers ever found a bospita-
ble field in tbat regiol!. Tbat
society was dominated by the
traditional caste system, wbich
Sikhism bad rej eeted. Late< on,
the differences between the Guru
and tbe Hill Rajas were sharpen-
ed by the creation of the Kbalsa.
As stated earlier the dll rajas
bad barboured a rivalry against
tbe Guru', House. Tbe marriage
of Bbim Chand's son witb the
daughter of Pateh Sbah bad
approached. He sent an invita-
tion to tbe Guru, wbo did not
personally go but sent Diwan
Nand Chand with presents. The
Raja did not accept tbese
pre"nts. Fateb Shah was told
by th. groom's party to reject
tbose presents of tbe Guru and
also .. ked him tbar unless be
joined hands witb his brother
princes to figbt the Guru, tbat
marriage of bis daugbter would
be canceiled. Then these bill
chiefs prepared for a major
attack on tbeir way back bam .
When tbe Guru beard of that
he marcbed his troops si. miles
abead, towards a place called
"Bbangani". Tbe pathans wbo
had joined the Guru's fOIces
deceived him at the eleventb
hour and joined tbe enemy' s
forces. The Muslim divine, Pir
Budhu Shab wbose disciples
were tbose Patb,DS, got so much
sbocked that he presented him-
self for service along with his
four sons, -a brother and seven
hundred followers. Both Hari
Chand and Fateb Sbah were
killed in tbe battle. It is a
recorded fact that Fateb Sbab had
provoked the Guru without any
cause.
This battle was fought and
won by tbe Guru in April, 1689,
Raja Bbim Cband felt very
jealous over Guru's growing
power. However, he was advised
by bis counsellors to seek a
rapproaobment witb the Guru
in the interest of peace witbin
his dominions and to put up a
joint front against the Mogha!s.
To an envoy sent by tbe Raja,
tbe Guru informed tbat "I have
no quarrel with anyone. I wa.nt
only to be left in peace to pro-
pagate the cause .of 'Dbarma'.
My father gave his head to pro-
tect the religion of Hindus, But
here am [, trying to infuse a new
5th May, 1986
spirit in this dying race, being .
refused cooperation from Hindu
cbiefs, and even resisted and
attacked without any cause. My
followers can not even buy for
casb wbat tbey need from the
surrounding villages. Such is an
hostility generated against us.
We ha vo not aggressed against
anyone even once. BUI. certainly
we mean now to defend our
bODour
H

Again to that envoy tbe Guru

told "In my bouse whosoever
comes with friendly intent and
in humility is received with open
arms. We do not harbour grudge
against those wbo seek to he
friendly. Once a Brahmin Com-
plained to tbe Guru tbat sOll'e
Patbans had abducted his bride.
The Guru sent an expeditionary
force of one hundred cavalry
under his young son Ajit Singh,
to restore the Brahmi,,'s bride.
Ajit Singb fell on the Pathan in
the nigbt like lightning and pro-
duced tbe culprits along with
their booty before the Guru. The
woman was to her
bus band and the Path, ns punisb-
ed for tbeir misdeeds. Tbis is
bow tbe Curu bad belped the
members of 'other communities
and especially tbose who were in
need of help. There was, there-
fore, no question of barassing the
Hindus by Guru's Sikbs at any
stage.
Attack On Identity
"Hunger f iJ( pGwe r: Under
tbi. Mr. Kshiti sh (author
of the Book under review) bas
tried to fabricat, many tbing. to
belittle the identity of ,he Sikb
religion and betray bis own
conscience by misreprrsenting
facts. The nasty remarks print,d
on page 32 of his book are
reproduced as under:
"It is not necessary to repeat
tbat of tbe 10 Sikb gurus
only Gobind Singh had
long hair, and even be did
not issue any edict tbat in
future only long haired
would be c,l/ed Sikh .
Then wby is it in the S.G p.e
there is not a single Sikb
with norma! hair? Tbere is
not a sing1!! normal baired
grantbi (priest) in tbe
gurdwaras. not for appea-
rance's sake. For purposes.
of census and conscription
in the Army., the
British defi ned Si khs as
tbose keeping long hair,
why was this definition not
opposed OI critiCized? A
Sikb with normal hair is
not coasidencd a Sikb at
all."
Before I deal witb such "-
fallacious, baseless atid insultiug
statement made in a most irres-
pODslble and conte-mptuous man-
ner I must make a prot,st to. . . the
S.G.P.C. Amritsar, dealing _wilb.
gurmat, as to wby no actiOli' 'iias
(Continued on page 8)
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 6
Menace of Corruption in Universities
Tbis is a true story; only tbe
identity of tbe university is not
being revealed.
As bappeDS ever so often, tbe
vice-chancellor's son was an
undergranduate student at the
same university where the father
was tbe chief executive and
academic officer. There is noth-
ing odd or unusual about it. In
any case one cannot expect the
childr.n of the vice-chancellor to
go to anotller university just
because their father bappens to
be occupying a pHticular posi-
tioil. But one does expect of the
vice chancellor to keep scrupul-
ously clear of any action, overt or
covert, where his name C1U be
linked with that plft;cular eX-
aminatioa for which any ODe of
hi' children is a cindidate.
Tbis is an elementary precau-
tion and is by almost
anyone who wishes to avoid
cont roversy. In this particular
case however it was not observ-
ed and, as could have been anti-
ci pated, lh!re was a whispering
campaign to start with and a
little later it acquired tbe dimen'
siano of an academic scandal.
Once tbat happened, tbe chancel-
lor had no choice e<cept to have
the mltter enquired into. A retir-
ed judge of the high cOllrt from a
distant state was asked to conduct
the enquiry and it went ag.inst
the said vice-chanellor.
Several months went by
however and DO action was bken.
Meanwhile the student
from the undergraduate to the
l",stgraduate stage. Si nce the
university followed the semester
system at tile postgraduate level,
there were further compiaint'i
against th't student within the
fi rst si< months. Still no action
was ta ken. A stage came when
Ill' st udents w,,,t on strike and
so did the teachers. Eventually
the whole mattl. r went out of
hand, so to speak. Even then the
was not asked to
go.
He did go however, some-
what belatedly when a
successor to him was appointed
at the expiry of his term which
was allowed to extend itself by
quite some month,. A visit to
that university today would
COD vince even a casual visitor that
nobody has the slightest respect
eitber for the officers or the vice-
chancellor or tbe chancellor of
the university. Eacb one of tbem
is looked npon as a crook, to put
it bluntly, and if students conti-
nne to study and teacher conti-
nue to teach it is more out of
compulsion or babit tban a freely
exercised cboice.
By Dr, Amrik Singb
The quesi(}n to ask is bow
long can one go on with tbis kind
of thing. We seem to be function-
ing in a kind of SItuation where
everybody seems to be cheating
everybody; he wbo does not cheat
is looked upon as someone wbo
does not know bow the game is
played. This may be putting it
somewhat strongly but feelings
like tbis are fairly widespread and
this fact needs to be acknowledg-
ed. It also needs to be acknow-
ledged that the source of this
st.te of affairs is the way political
life is conducted. Has anyone
ever beard of any politician being
convicted of any major or minor
offence, even tbough it is widely
b,lieved that quite a number of
them' are guilty of serious lap,es ?
In this particular case, tbo
vice-ch.ncellor was not bauled up
and indeed let off tbe hook for
the simple reason that he had
strong political backing. That is
how he was appointed in the first
instance and that is how he
managed to survive in office
despite all tha t could be proved
(in terms of legal requirements)
to convict him. When this hap-
pens day after day and in institu-
tion afte-.r institution, most paople
draw their own conclusions. The
most abvious of them are that
what you do or do not do is not
important; what is important is
who you ar" and who patronises
you. When decisions get taken on
tbe basis of such calculations,
social and political life is bound
to get poli ticised. Equally inevita-
bly, some of the academics who
are interested in a quick rilje in
their career are bound to feel
tempted to play politics. Their
assumption seems to be TI10re or
less along these Jines; if other can
do it, why DOt I ?
What is to be done in tbis
si tuation? Evidently what is hap-
pening in the universities is a part
of tbe wider social and political
process that has been taking place
for quite some time. The polity is
collapsing, if one may put it tbat
way, and one can see it happen-
ing in front of one's eyes. Instead
of there being any improvement,
tbings are getting worse and
worse. This sounds like a counsel
of despair but it is only a reco-
gnition of the reality wbich we
encounter everyday. Whether we
can recognise the reality for wbat
it i., a matler partly of percep-
tion and partly how optimistic or
otherwise we are. Some people
are more optimistic than others.
They like to believe that, some-
how, we would muddle througb.
Tbey may be right but my own
perception is that tbings are not
getting belter. Not only that, the
country is in grip of a social
and political crisis. How the crisi.s
manifests itself and how long it
will take before the breaking
point is reacbed are matters of
detail. Wbat needs to be recognis-
ed is that wbat is happening in. the
universities is a part of the gene'
ral political crisis.
If this line of argument is
correct, it gives us some under-
standing of what is happening.
Understanding i. one thing how-
ever and deVISing a strategy to
cope with the situation IS another.
Even after having understood
nature of the problem, the ques-
tion still remaim how to cope
with the situation. Can one co-
exist with the situation as it takes
an ugly turn day after day or can
one step aside and try to look at
the pwblem in a somewhat
detached manner? Equ,lly
important, can one b, really
detached in ". situation like this?
The plain answer to tbese
questions is that while detach-
ment in any degree or manner is
exceedingly difficult, an academic
bas no choice except to detach
himself from what is happening
around him. Most other activities
of life can be carried on even
while f<cling frustrated or cyni-
cal. Teaching however is diffe-
rent. Teaching demands involve-
ment as well as commitment. To
some extent every professional
activity demands theso qualities.
But teaching is different from
each one of them for the simple
and decisive reason that other
activities can be carried on in a
slipshod manner or slowed down
or performed indifferently with-
out anyone all the time sitting in
judgment on what is happening.
1n the Clse of teaching, a
remedy is available. It is not said
with reference to students with-
drawing from the tcacbing situa-
tion, That does not happen and
is not to be discussed seriously.
The real unnerving experience in
teaching is when students attend
the class but show no regard or
respect for tbe teacher. There can
be no worse humiliation for a
teacher than the fact that even
thougb in formal terms he is
performmg in the classroom, in
real terms his performance is not
taken seriously.
The growing menace of cor-
ruption in univenities must be
seen in this light. Corruption is a
fact of life almost every wbere.
As could have heen anticipated,
it has now spread its tentacles
into university life also. In a
sense, corruption and politicisa-
tion are two sides of the same
coin. Witb growing corruption
5tb May, 1986
enters politicisatioll and the two
reinforce each otber. Another way
of saying tbe same thing would
be that politicking cannot be
controlled witbout cnrbing cor-
ruption.
Whetber as a result of ex-
traneous influence or in pursuit
of tbeir own interests, quite a
number of academics choose to
indulge in politicking. Their mode
of functioning without question
puts the university on the same
plane as the market-place. Once
this starts happening, corruption
is not too far bebind.
Can tbe situation be reversed?
The plain answer is in the nega-
tive. This answer may be quali-
fied somewhat however. It is
possible to bring about some
changes. For instance,
thmgs were not so bad a couple
of decades ago. Tbrough a little
concerted effort one can go back
to that situation. nnsatisfactory
thougb it was, The difference
between tbe situation then and
now is that a couple of decades
ago wbile politics was beginning
to penetrate tbe system, it bad
not yet led to tbe next stage of
deterioration wbich is the existen-
ce of widespread corruption.
Therefore, if corruption can be
controlled and indeed combated,
we would have taken the first
important step towards recovery.
It is in this sense that corruption
is tbe most immediate danger to
academic life.
While the general atmosphere
in which politicking takes place
is created by politicians. corrup-
tion in academic life is introduc-
ed through the instrumentality of
academics. Wbat needs to be
understood however is that while
acadmics may sometimes be the
instruments of corruption, they
are invariably its victims in tbe
long run. Some individuals here
and there may stand to gain from
it but as a whole it is the profes-
sion whicb suffers in prestige and
public esteem. Furtbermore
nobody else has a vested interest
in curbing corruption. Wbether
they are clear sighted enough to
recognise their own interest is a
question that needs to be answer-
ed by everyone in the profession.
Courtesy-uTelegraph", Calcutta
POPULAR
FOR
, -
n;E "SP<JKESMAN" WEEKhY 7 5th May, 1986
Mishra Panel's in-Camera Hoax
November 1984. For three '
. days and three nigbts we watched
our city in flames. We saw shops,
godowns, schools and homes (If
Sikhs being looted and burnt.
And we saw gruesome murders of
whom were very poor and lived
in resettlement colonies. Most of
us remained si lent spectators to
the violence which left more than
2000 dead and 50,000 homeless.
However tbere were a significant
number of citizens wbo tried to
intervene and stop the murders,
tbe looting and the arson and
others who tried to use their
contacts in high places to get
official help. There was no
response from the police, the
administration or the Govern-
ment. Even tbe army seemed
unable to impos ; curfew.
On tbe second day some con-
cerned citizen. tried to mobilize
people for a peace march and
.tbese citizens formed themselves
into tbe Nagrik Ekta Mancb. The
mancb hel ped start relief camps,
gatnered clotbe., rations, contac-
ed doctors and talked to tbe
victims. Again and again we were
-struck by tbe fact tbat the victims
clearly remembered tbe persons
who had looted and set fire to
their homes. They remembered
the faces of those wbo had
murdered tbeir husbands, bro-
thers and sons. They rccognized
the criminals and knew their
names.
We started to collect the
names and cross check wi th
others. One research scbolar made
a systematie list of the accused
with tbe names and addresses of
the criminals, the source of infor-
mation and a cross reference.
These lists, made independently
by various volunteers of the
Nagrik Ekla Mancb .nd others
'had one thing in common-tbe
names were ifivariably of local
metropolitan councillors. com-
munity le. ders, members of
Parliament and a minister or two.
All of Ihe.m from the ruling
party.
The question arose in our
minds: Could that terrible violen-
ce have been organized? Was it
planned?
Six different fact-finding
teams carried out independent
inveltigations to try and answer
tbat question. The first report to
be published was based on a
study of tbe violence of Sultan
puri by four professors of Delhi
University: an economist, a politi-
cal scientist and a psycbologist.
The four bold very different
political views but 0n this they
were unanimou9, that important
and senior melllbns of tbe ruling

By : Nandita Haskar
party were actively in'folved in
tbe carnage. .
Tbe Nagrik Ekta ~ n c h
produced two reports based on
the findings at two of the relief
camps they had been running.
The reports were not released to
the public. Both reports have
listed tbe names of persons
involved in the looting, arson and
killings, and the.e person. were
members of the ruling party.
In November tho Peoples
Union for Democratic Rights
(PUDR) and tbe People. Union
for Civil Liberties (PUCL) rele.s-
ed their findings in the now
famous report entitled Who are
the Guilty? This report clearly
stated tbat the anti-Sikb violence
was not;1 spontaneous riot but
"the outcome of a well organized
plan marked by acts of both
deliberate commissions and omis-
sions by important politicians of
tbe Congress (I) at thc top and
by authorities in the administra-
tion." And in support of its find-
ing there is a list wbich is annex-
ed to the report of more than 200
persons alleged to have instigated
violence or protected the crimi-
nals . Tbe list includes names of
MPs and ministers.
In Jan .. ary 1986 two more
report. were published and releas-
ed to .the public, botb of which
concluded that important mem-
bers of the ruling party were
involved in the carnage. These
two repons were based on the
investigations by prominent
citizens of our country, inc1udino
a former chief justice of t h ~
Supreme Court and retired ICS
officers.
The demand for a commission
. of inquiry went unbeeded. Why
did the Government not want to
know the cause of death of more
tban 2,000 citizens 1 After all
commissions of inquiry are set up
with sitting judges of the high
court even in cases of one eleatb.
The Government was strangely
Silent but members of tbe ruling
party were busy issuing .tate-
meDts in the press denouncing
these reports and calling us either
CIA agents or antinationals.
There were threats of defamation
suits and even physical revenge.
However, under pre.sure tbe
Goverment did order an inquiry
into tbe role of the police, to be
conducted by the then Additional
Commissioner of Police (CID),
V.P. Marwah.
The PUDR and th. PUCL
filed a writ petition in tbe Delhi
High Court asking the court to
appoint a commission as is done
in public intereltlitigation cases.
Annexed to our affidavits and
statements of victims and' othels.
setting ou\ the facts and naming
the people involved. We-
Gobinda Mukboty, senIOr counsel
and I - appeared day after day to
face every kind of inlult and
humiliation. The judges would
not believe our affidavits, one of
them questioned our bona fides
and those of our organizations
and finally tbey dismissed our
petition in a 57page judgement
ending with a Sanskrit sloka:
"Mother and motherland are
greater than heaven."
Tbe campaign against tbe
PUDR and PUCL continued and
it began to appear tbat we were
responsible for the state of affails
in the Punjab. We were blamed
for provdiing a hit list to tbe ter-
rorists . The reports could not be
printed because the printer got a
mysterious visit from a police-
man. B.)t we we Ie overwbelmed
by tbe warm response we . got
from Si kh., both in the villages
and in towns. They said our
report was largely rcsponsibl< for
convincing them .hat tbey were
not victims of Hindu violence but
of the ruling party's bizarre
politics.
And then all of a SUdden the
Government announced that it
was setting up a . commission of
inquiry under the Commission of
Enquiry Act. Justice Rang.nath
Mishra, a sitting judge of the
Supreme Court was appointed to
look into the al 'egations with
regard to the incidents of organis-
ed violence which took place in
Delhi following the assaBSination
of the late prime minister. Indira
Gandhi . That was in July, 1985.
Eighteen long montos had pas-
sed since the November violence.
N ooe of the a ccused bad been
punished and the victims were
living in constant fear. All those
who had been active in relief and
rehabilitation work relt it was
their responsibility to assist the
commission. They took time off
from their work and collected
affidavits, and gathered matena1
to place before the judge. The
PUDR-PUCL filed an affidavit
annexing their report and stating
that tbey . would be will ing to
assist the commission. Senior
citizens formed the Citizens Jus-
tice Committee headed by former
Chier Justice Sikri with the sale
purpose of helping the commis-
sion arrive at tbe trutb.
Justice Ranganath Mishra did
not want our help. He did not
allow either tbe PUDR or PUCL
to be oarties on a technical
ground and Nagri k Ekta Mancb
wa. given mere observer statu
The Citizens Justice Committee
was allowed to be a party. But
be allowed three pboney organi
zations to intervene despite the
ract tbe tbey could not establisb
tbeir bona fides. Tbese were:
Vidbi Chetna, Citizens for Truth
and Citizens Committee for
Harmony. He also allowed tbe
Arya Samaj to be a party .
Nellt, Justice Misbra declared
that the proceedings before the
commission would be in camera.
The press was not allowed to
report.
It was with tbis background
that the commission began to
record the testimonies of citizens
in January. I represented the
Nagrik Ekta Mancb.
There were nine sessions
altogether in IIohich witnesses
(victims and others) were called
to give their evidence. Tbe Union
of India and the Delhi Adminis-
tration failed to prod uce any
witnesses. Only the Citizens
Justice Committee and Nagrik
Ekta Mauch witnesses came.
The other parties also failed
to adduce a scrap of evidence.
Tbey had filed hundreds of affida-
vits, all of whicb stated tbattbere
was no incidence of organized
violence and that the local
Congress (I) leaders helped in
maintaining peace and harmony.
No witness came in support of
these 'affidavits, except one. And
he came to tell the commission
tbat he had not filed the affidavits
and the signature at the bottom
of the affidavit was not bis.
Justice Mishra ordered an inquiry
into the incident. Tbree months
have passed.
Only a few selected Nagrik
Ekta Manch witnesses were cal-
led. The advocates for the Union
of India and the Dolbi Adminis- '
tration spent their time in ques-
tiOliing the witnesses about their
bona findes and tbose of the
Nagrik Ekta Manch. Neitber they
Dor tho judge asked anything
about the material placed before
them with regard to the organized
nature of violence. On one occa-
sion when a witness (the wife of
senior naval officer and a volun-
teer in the relief camps) said sbe
would like to explain how she
bad compiled tbe evidence. Justice
Mishra said he would call ber to
bis chamber some time later. So
he seem. to be conducting an in-
camera inquiry witbin an in-
camera inquiry.
And after nine sessions, with-
out calling all the . witnesse.,
Justice Mishra asked tbe Citizens
Justice Committee to address
their final arguments. He' said hi.
investigation machinery bad
(Continued on page 8)
THE "SPOKESMAN" WHEKL Y
(Continued from page 7)
carried out au independent inves-
tigation but the results of this
were not given to the Citizens
Justice Committee.
The Citizens Justice Commit-
tee asked tbe commission to
lummOn thole who had been
named as being involved in the
violence 50 that the committee
CQuld cross examine thero.
Beside, Section 88 of the Com-
mlssion of Enquiry Act makes it
compulsory for the commission
to hear all " persons likely to be
prejudicially affected." Neither
police offi cers nor the poUticians
alleged to be involved bave been
summoned.
The Citizens Committee was
not given access to vital docu-
ments and was told that Ved
Marwah's report was never
completed.
Under these circumstances
the Citizens Justice Committee
decided to walk out after submit-
ting tbeir reasons in a 17-page
document wbich ends thus: "The
CJC was infor,ned th>t in tbe
month of April '86, it would be
required to address its arguments.
Tbe CJC is really at a loss as to
how it can discharge this duty
when it Iinds that in ail vital
fields of inquiry the CJC is boiog
excluded from its course and
conduct . "
Even the PUDR and PUCL
bad not been called to give tneir
eVIdence. Tbal left the N'grik
Ekta Manch. We were comm ![ted
to the inqUIry. We wanted it. But
under tbl:: circumstances. the
Nagrik Ekta Manch could serve
no useful purpose except to pro-
vide legitimacy (0 a commission
which had been viOlating all
principles of natural justice. I
was instructed to W.ilk out.
1 submitted the reasons in a
small application. As 1 walked
out 1 felt very IIred and empty. I
But my conscience was clear.
CourtesY-"Sunday Mail"
(Colltinued from page 5)
been so far taken against such
defafrlatory and derogatory
remarks . Democracy does not
enjoin upon any person to assail
the identilY of tbe faith of a
puticular community. And in tbe
case of minority communities
they can only exist if necessary
protect!on is afforded to their
memb<rs for keeping tbeir funda-
mentals alive.
Unfortunatel y, what is hap-
pening is that Sikb community is
constantly being attacked by
Hindu hnalics without any
cbecking or curb from the
Governmt nt . It is preposterous to
say that long hairs were not kept
by first nine guru, . Before the
regime of Muslim rulers every
Hindu used to keep long hair.
Shri Ram Chander, Krishna
and Paras Ram hod long hair.
During Ram Lila long hair of
these Avlors (gods) are quite
visible.
There is a legend that when
R,m Chander Jee returned home
afeer winning Sita in the ' Swama-
bhar' P.ras Ram who got eorag-
od came to fight against Ram Jee.
Lakshman got angry and loudly
uttered" tell me w"etber I should
kill you, deport you or cut your
knot of long bair". Cutting of
hair knot was tantamount [0
beheading. This proves that PQras
Ram had also grown long hair.
Take the cas. of Balmiki and two
sons of Shri Ram Cilander, all
are shown With long hair on their
head. How is it 7 Wby are they
sbown with long hair not only
during Ram-Lila but in their
picture, also. All the Rishis used
to have loaa hair.
.In fact the Guru bad issued
edicts for keepiDa in tacl all the
five 'kakkas' and the myth is
created by the said author with
an ulterior motive to sow the
seeds of bat red against the Sikhs
by making false allegatioDs.
(To be Continued)
8 5th May, 1986
Sub-division status
for Abohar
. Abohar, a subtehsil of Ferozepur district wbose linguistic link
with Haryana [n tem,tonal dISpute ,,:[th Punjab was snapped by'
CommISSion s recommendatIOn, was raised to a lub divisio
at a function presided over by tbe Chief Ministcr, Sardar
Smgh Barnala. ][
Tbe higher administrative
statu, of the biggest cotton
maudi of the state was evidently
a gift to the of the area
who came in a Jarge number to
listen to Sardar Barnala at a
public meeting, he addressed
later.
The inaugural function of tbe
subdivision and the public meel-
ing was an Akali Dal-BJP affair
witb the Congress virtually stay-
ing a way from the proceeding'.
Abohar is tbe home town of the
Lok Sabha speaker, Mr Balram
Jakhar, whose son, Mr Sajjan
Kumar, wa. unseated in the
constituency by Mr. Arjun
Singh, BJP, in the Vidban Sabha
election last year.
Sardar Barnala said he had
fulfilled the promise he had made
to Mr. Arjun Singh two mon-
ths ago. The subdivision statu.
would open the gates for piosper-
ity for the town.
ne said Haryana's claim over
tbe Abohar-Fazilka areas had
created "apprehensions" in the
mind of the people "but we were
never worried. We knew tbat the
areas bad no linguistic contiauity
to Haryana,"
Tbe Chief Minister said Punjab
Cought the territorial battle not
with swords but with arguments
and .. on. Ab"har was a part of
Punjab and would remain so in
\?UlUr/A



future despite the "tactics" oC its
cla[mants .
Referring to demands made
by Mr. Arjun Singh and others
for development works in the
Sardar Barnala said a big
frurt'processmg project would'
SOon be launched at Abohar. He
would take up with tbe Centre
the for rail link between
Faz[I,," and Abohar. The town
would have a government College
prOVided land and bUilding were
pr,)Vldfd for [t by the residents.
Chief Minister said
Punjab was fighting anotber
battle for every drop of its water
The pe,,?,,I. were upset
at the snatcbmg' of its water by'
o.thers. So rar as Punjab's calcula-
!tons were concerned the state
had no surplus. The water 0('
Punjab would benefit its land
tban tbat of the neighbour-
JOg state.
Sardar Barnala said he would
not mind raising the status of'
Abobar to.a .district when Punja!)
got 100 adJo[Dlng villages from
on the basis of linguistic
contlgll[ ty.
He alleged that Haryona
demanded Punjab's areas on th ..
ba.is of religion creating com-
munal nfts, the Punjab Govern-
ment would make every arrange-
ment to teach Hindi in tbe area.
THE"SPOKESMAN" WEl!KLY
Projects in memory of M.Ranjit Singh
Statl:l8 to be installed in Delhi
The Punjab government has approved a number of projects to
bighlight the secular character of Maharaja Ranjit Singh with a view
to strenstlien the national integration programme in the country.
At a ,of organising
-committee to observe Maharaja
Ranjit Singh's death anniver-
-sary falliog on June 29
next held in Chandigarh on
April 24, under the president-
'ship of Sardar Surjit Singh
Barnala, chief minister de,cided to
lIeek the help of political parties"
social and voluntary organisations
in propagating the secular charac-
ter of the administration during
Maharaja Ranjit Singh's regime.
A Ranjit Singh chair would
be set up at Guru Nanak: Dev
university at Amritsar. A
-renowned historian would be
enaaged to deliver lectures in
,different uoiversities of the coun-
tryon the life aod times of the
Maharaja.
A subcommittee consisting of
Sardar !-latha Singh Dalam,
minister for public relations, Dr
-ourdial Singh Dhillon MP, ' Mr
Brij Bhushan Mehra MLA and
Sardor Kirpal Singh MLA would
1:ontael Ihe Lt Governor of Delhi
'Seeking aUotment of a suitable
site at Delhi to instal statue of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Sardar
Baraala had desired, that a site
near Gurudwara BangIa Sahib
would be appropriate,
The Chief Minister told the
meeting that the Ranjitgarh
project for setting up a modern
town near PhiU;IUr 'would be,acce-
lerated by inVOlving private
organisations.
Sardar Dalam disclosed tliat a
light and sound programme on
different aspects of Maharaja'.
life and sec;ular outlook would
be held at different plaeel in
Punjab and also in D.lhi. ,
Four books authored by Dr.
Gobind Singh Mansukhani,
Sardar Khushwant Singb, Mr F.S.,
Waheedudin and by Marg Publi-
c.ti,ons of Bombay on Maharaja '
Ranjit Singh would be distributed
in large numbers to fibraries. ,
Sard.t Dalam said that a
nation.llevel football tourn.ment
would boorg.nised.
Those whu attended the meet-
ing included , Dr Gurdial Singh
Dhillon MP, Mr Balramji Dass
Tandon, Mr Hit Abilashi. Mr
Mohan Lal, Sardar Harbhajan
Singh, all former ministers. Dr
Baldev Parkash, president Punjab
BJP, Mr Brij Bhushan Mehra
MLA, Mr Gopi Chand, president
Durgiana Amritsar,
Sardar Kirpal Singll prelident
Chief Khalsa Dewan, Sardar
Jagjit Singh MLA, Lt-Gen.
Gurbachan Singh, Lt-Col. Gul-
charan Singh, Dr S.S Ba!, Vice-
Chancellor GND University.
Mufti-FuzilurRehman, Mr Veda
Vyasa, Mrs Mona Ghulam Qadir
and Mn Phoolan Rani.
Congress Leaders Fanning
Communalism
Eleven Akali M.LAs and senior Akali leaders Surjan Singh
Thekedar and Manjit Singh Khaira asked Punjab Pradesh Congress
chief Beant Singh to explain the stand of the Punjab--ongress vis-a-
vis tbe interests of Punjab.
Reacting Sharply to reports about Mr Sat 'P,al Kapoor, a senior
'Congress leader and member of t,be AICC, having led a delegation
to Justice E.S Venkatramiah pleading for the transfer ofPatiala
Samana Ind other Punjabispeaking areas to Haryana, tbey said
action showed that an influential faction of the Punjab Congress "'as ,
actively working against the interests, of the State. '
"In connivance with Bhajan Lal, Ihese Congrel" leaders are
fanning communalism by , asking Hindu. to give Hindi-as their
mother tongue", these.!eaders said adding that Mr Sat Pal 'is a
Trojan Horse" within the Punjab Congress. If he was not immediate-
!y from organisation, t.ho people of Punjab would be
Justified In presumlOg that the Punjab Congress "'as hand in glove
with Ihe anti-Punjab and communal forces.
. The sisnatories to the statemeDt, were beside. Surjan
lhngh Thekedar, Sardar Man)lt SlOgh Kh.lra, general secretary
Akali Dal, Sardar Hari Singh Zira, Prof. Prem Singh Chaodumajra'
Sardar Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Capt. Kanwaljit Singh, Sardar
Singh Sandhu, Sardar Kundan Singh Patag, Sardar Baldev Singh
Mann, Sardar Bachitter Singh, Sardar Arjan Singh Litt and Sardar
Amarjit Singh.
9 5th May, 1986
Dr Johl takes over
as Vice-ChantJtllor of PAU
Llldhiana, April 23: Dr S.S. ments to complete this process at
Johl, Senior Professor of Econo .. the earliest possible. He has also
mics has ' taken over as Vice- constituted two committees for
Chancellor of the Punjab Agri- improving the working of the
cultural University today for two University Library and Store
months. Purchase Organization.
Dr Johl was forl11ally intro- Dr Sukhdev Singh stressed
duced by Dr Sukhdev Singh to that all the officers and Heads of
the officers and head. of depart- Dopartments must take keen
ments in a specially convened interest in the administration of
meeting. He expressed the hope the University and ordered to
that Dr Johl will get full coopera- implement the concept of decen-
tion from the faculty of the tralisation of power. He disclosed
UDiversity. ' that more emphasis will be laid
While add;essing the meeting to strengthen the regional re.ea-
Dr Sukhdev Singh emphasised rch station. in order to provide
that this Univei.ity should switch solutions to be specific problems
over to Semester System of teacb- of agriculture.
ing in place of the present Dr Sukhdev Singh will be on
Trimester System, He adv;'ed the leave for two ,months ' and is
the Deans, and Head. of Depart- going abroad.
AkaU Oal meeting 00 May 9
It has been decided to make Sardar Gordev Singh, said that 'at
functional the Akali Dal head the meeting a strategy would be
office in the Golden Temple evolved with regard to the hold-
complex in Amritsar as part of ing of public meetings in' different
the efforts to strengthen the party districts to increase the party'.
and its wings. , influence. '
A meeting of the party', After the formation of the
officebearers, district Presidents Akali Government, the party
(there are 18) and conveners oC head office has virtually fallen
hllf a dozen wings ' hag been into oblivion and the centre of
called in Amlit.ar On May /}. activity has 'hifted to Chandi-
The party', OffIce Secretary, garh.
India Book House Education Trust
to donate bookS
India Book House Educ.tion
Trust will give away book. worth
Rs 8,00,000 to schools, ball
bhawan., public libraries and
government hospitals. '
Under the scheme, any recog
nised schools, bal bhawan"public
library or paediatries department
of hospitals (where children spend
a lot of time during convalescen-
' ce) can receive a cift packet of
books worth Rs. 200/ -Jree of
charge.
The 'delivery of the packets
can be taken from the office of
Musical
"GaYakee". an organisatIon
ofIndian music lovers,-in colla '
borationwith ' Urdu Academy,
Delhi organised a Musical Even-
ing of Geet and Ghazal by the
singer Sarda! Sahib
Singh, last week, at Himachal
Bha wan, New Delhi, under the
presidentship of Shti T.P. Jhun-
jhunwala. The famous urdu poet ,
and patron of literature, Kanwar
Mohinder Singh Bedi, while
inaugurating the function com-
mended Sahib Singh for his
devotion to improve his talent
and provide best compositions of
the best writers. ' Sardar Gurdial
Singh, High_ Commissioner of
Uganda in India was the , chief
guelt.
India Book House Trust, Maha-
laxmi Chamebrs; Bhulabhai
Desai Road" Bombay 400 026 or
from any of offices of India Book
House in Calcutta, Patna, Delhi;
Ahmedabad, Madras, Hyderabad;
Bangalore, Pune and Trivandrum
against a receipt on letterhead
of the intitulion, library or hos-
pital, duly sigued on its bebalf'by
a1l authorised signatory.
Those who would like to
obtain the copies by post will
have to send Rs. 32/-towards
postage and packing charges in
addition to the advance receipt.
Evening
'Earlier the PreSident of Gaya-
kee, Mr. Mohd ' Shad 'Qureshi
appreciated the constant endea-
of Sahib Singh to display
hIS excellence' in' Jndia and
abroad. The humorous poet Shd
Surinder Sharma compered.
In his performance Sarda'-
Sahib Singh did :well to render
Geet and of renowned
poets like Dr. Iqbal, Jigar
Muradabadi, Chanan Gobin"
Puri and otbers to present rare
feat of melody and
MeanlDgflll couplets vibrated
between high and low pitch.
Orchestra. provided befitting
accompanuoent.
-:-Piara Sinah M.A.
THI!"SPOItl!SMAN" WEflKL'Y
Letters to -
' = h Ed .
t e itor
Punjab Accord: Can it be
?
Revived

Sir, -All well-wishers of
who had set great store
by the Punjab Accord must have
been profoundly dismayed by the
highly dangerous goings-on in
Haryana, and the still more
dangerous talk by Devilal of
abrogating clauses 7 and 9 of the
Punjab Accord and reverting to
the 1970 a ward of Mrs. Gandlli
which had bestowed Chandigarh
on Punjab in lieu of the transfer
of Abohar-Fazilka to Haryana.
Such wild and irresponsible ulter-
ings can create grave misgivings
in the minds of Punjabis about
the future of the Accord, and
cannot but cause the most acute
distress to all patriotic forces in
the country. WIth Punjab Con-
gress (I) and Punjabi Hindu.
signalling their silent approval
of Haryana'. illegitimate de-
mands, an . essentially linguistic
problem has been converted into
a potentially' dangerous com-
munal divide which bodes ill for
the nation .
Far more ominous and
fraught with danger is the fact
that what is very much a national
issue is being shortsightedly
viewed, not only by Ihe Con-
Iress(I) but by the opposition
parties as well, in terms of
Haryana versus Punjab. Herein
lies the tragedy of a fast deterio-
rating situation which may well
lead to the total scrapping of the
Accord and ignite our entire
North-west frontier to flash-
point.
Poor Punjab Accord: Who
will not shed a tear for it today?
Onoe the darling of the nation,
it has been foully abused and
persistently and brutally flogged
by Bhajanlal. and Devilals. The
sad part oC'the story is that there
is as yet no sign on the horizon
of the 'Centre coming to its
rescue. Under the combined
onslaugbt of the dark and sinis.
ter forces which today hold sway
in Haryana, al!d with the Centre,
looking on as a passive and
helpless spectator, the historic
Accord might well, before long,
breathe its last. And with all the
magic of hi. legendary ' charm,
Rajiv Gandhi might find it a
trifle difficult to' breathe life
afresh into its ashes,
Can the Accord be still
revived, or is it already too late?
There is but one way ,now to
resuscitate the Accord al1d
restore to it some semblance of
life and credibility. And that is
for the Centre to take a firm hold
of itself and effect an immediate
transfer of Cbandigarh to Punjab
in lieu of lome Hindi-speaking
areas other than Abohar-Fazilka
being given to Haryana. This, at
the moment, looks like asking for
the moon. A complete paralyais
of will grips the Centre as it toys
with the idea of appointing an-
other Commission on the lines
suggested by Justice Mathew.
A word about the shrill
clamour that ' has been building
up for some time for President',
rule in Punjab. The Congress(I)
al a party to the Accord should
be doing all itcan strengthen
all pro-Accord forces including
the Barnala Government. Instead
the Punjab Con'gress(I) has boen
playing the very opposite of a
constructive role, and is right
now whipping up .motions to
force the Ccntre' s hand for the
dismissal of Barnala Govern-
ment. The plain trutb is that all
talk of President'. rule at the
present juncture ' i5 not , only
puerile and misplaced. but highly
mischievous. On the contrary,
this is the time for ,extending the
fullest backing to tbe belea:uered
Barnal. Government which i.
tackling the. herculean task of
containing and ultimately eradi
eating terrorism in a common'
endeavour on behal( of the whole
nation. Given tbe realities on the
ground, Barnala remains our best
bet, his obvious failings notwith-
standing-the more 50 in view
of the "hidden" alieil hand
behind this menace being no
longer a matter of specula.tion or
conjecture.
And finally, let the cynics and
sceptics who never tire of focus-
sing attention on Barnala's weak-
ness and inadequacy, and who
have been insistently and rather
loudly prompting him to do
something drastic to curb
terrorist violence, listen to the
voice of sanity, and reason in the
cool and calm assessment of the
Prime Minister. In a candid
interview with a Bombay Weekly,
Mr. Rajiv Gandhi has said:
"The terrorists did not disappear
on the 25th July (the day of the
Accord was signed), nor did we
expect them to' do so. J give them
at lea.t another couple of
ycars" .
If Mr. Gandhi with the might
of India and the combined will
and resolve of the nation behind
him cannot guarantee the over'
night disappearance of this
terrible phenomenon, why blame
poor Barnlla? He js grappling
manfully with a situation which
is certainly not his own creation.
- Prabhjot Singh Chopra
Bombay
10. May, i986
Tug of war/words
Sir,-I have painfully read
the statemerit.s of Shri Bhajan
Lal and Sardar Balwant Singh on
the issue of Punjab Accord. One
day Shri Lal says, "We will get
I2()0 villages in, lieu of Chandi-
garh, whereas the next day he
offers 24000 acres of land from
Haryan. in lieu of the city of
Chandigarh. In reply ,S.rdar Bai-
want Singh said that they would
request the Venkatramiah Com-
mission to . award Hary.na an
area equivalent to 40% of tbe
Capital project, which i. roughly
only 8000 acres (according to the
ratio determined by the Shah
Commission). This tussle of 'give
and take' seems to be 'ending in
fiasco the principle clauses of the
Accord. The Accord has almost
become a mockery. Where'will
this tug of war end o:1ly G01 '
knows, It is a pity thlt Sliri
Bhajan Lal inorder to satisfy his
ego has not given up his old
' claim of Fazilka and Abohar and
85 other viliages in that belt. He
seems to be more worried to
score over his rivals than actually
doing anything good to the stale
or tbe couimy . .
In his write-up . .. Agenda for
Rajiv Gandbi-II" (I .E. 26-4-86)
a remarkable statement has been
made by M.J.!>. Sethi : "That the
failure to implement the Gandbi-
Longowal Accord has been
directly responsible for the
accentuation of terrorism and
build-up of the politiCal crisis" .
, He further said "As the ' crlsis
deepens further, the forces pppos-
ed JO the P.M. and the Barnala
Qovernment will do their utmost
to create new difficulties":
The statement holds to be
very Hurdles ' are being:
created 10 the smooth implemen-
tation of the "Accord". An
impartial view of the wbole situa-
tion will surely lead us to an
irresistable conclusion that
Bhajan Lal's statements are
doubtlessly fanning communal-,
ism. Sardar Balwant Singh does
not ,seem to be wrong to say
that By "lSlOg such issues Mr
Bhajan Lal is trying to build up
a blmd hatred for the Sikhs an d'
Punjab which lead to strengthen_
ing of separatist forces. I think
the best course would be that the
Centre should ask these politicd
leaders to stop mlking such
injurious public statements till
the boundary Commission hn
not finished its job_
-G.S. Cliadb.
New Delhi.
Compensation to Haryana Irreleva tit
Sir,-It is not the "clash of
vital interests between Punjab
and Haryana which expectedly
crealed hnrdle," in the way of
speeding implementation of the
aceord," as writes Shri B.K ..
Chum, (Indian EApre.s, 6 April
1986.) In reality, it is tbe Con-
gress (I)'s ' prejudice against
Pllnjab that is tlie )liggest hurdle.
, 'If one look' bacle, 'it' will be
seen that ever since 1947 , A.D.,
the Congress (orany shade) has
always worked against the inte-
rests orthe Punjab - whether it is
the demarcation of a Punjabi-
speaking state, the ufe of the
Punjab river waters, conlrol of
the Bhakra-Nangal Project,
allocation of fl'nds, etc.
The Mugha! ' Emperor Baha-
dur Shah, in order not to annoy
the Muslims, had gone back on
the promises he had made with
Guru Gobirid Singh before the
Emperor's cominl to power.
, Similarly, Shri Rajiv Gandhi has
not implemented the Accord
reached with Sant HarchaJld
Singh Longowal for the fear of
antagonising his ' co-religionists,
because, as Chum correctly
WTltes that even he "cannot
afford.. (his).. survival to be
threatened." Self, therefore, has
been coming in the way of
national interests.
The Centre's decision "to 10
whole hog to help the Barnala
Ministry" is limited to the spokeD
word only. In fact Sardar
Barnala's hands have been
by the non-implem.n-
tatlon of the Accord. .Had Sari
Rajiv Gandhi stuck to his word.
acted boldly and given Chandi-
larh to Punjab on 26th.' January
19&6, the present state of a!fain
in the Punjab would not hav""
arisen. In view of the Mathew
Commission's report the question
of compensation for Haryana in
lieu, of Caandigarh become.
irrelevant. But ihem how caD
Congress (I) think and act for the
good of Punjab I '
- Lt Col. Golcharan
Jul1undbar (Retd) ,
Panel to Review
Gurdwara Act
The ' Governmeat of Punjab-
has appointed an eigbt'membel'
committee to review the proposed
All-India Gurd", ara Act. ThO'
first , meeting is sch,duled for
May 7.
Other members are Dr Attar-
Singh, Sardar G.S. Grewal
Sardar Narinder Singh,
Ajit Singh Sarbadi, Sardar Manjit
Singh Giani Lal Singh,
and Dr Jasblr SlDgh Ahluwalia_
f>{l! "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 11 5th May, 1986

In
Tbe international Scene
Mothers have
children's
no say
career
Indian mothers have little or no say in determining the career
for their sons or daughters, reports UNI.
Gross violations of human rights
in Afghanistan
The father continues to playa dominant role in Indian fami-
lies, says a study on vocational choices of young graduates/post-
graduates conducted by the Foundation for Organisational
Research.
The \Var in Afghanistan is
not just a military strain on the
Soviet Union. It has also become
more and more of a political
burden. Thi. became clear in the
U.N. general assembly recently
when a large majority of the
member nations condemned
Moscow for gross violations of
buman rights in Afghanistan.
The tbird world in particular,
wbich on the whole has had a
good relationship with the Soviet
leaders, reacted to tbe Soviet
forces war on the courageous
Afghan mountain people.
The study, which covered
4, \08 graduates and
tes from all over the country, Ms
shown that only 19.2 percent of
the respondents made their own
choices. As many as i 8.9 per cent
of the respondents were guided
by their fathers.
A generational change in the
educational and vocational pat-
terns is also clearly discernible.
While 67.1 per cent of the grand-
fathers had studied only up to
high school or were illiterates,
today, 69 per cent of the fathers
have studied up to high school or
even graduation. Illiterate fathers
are now only 7.4 per cent com-
pared to 33.2 per cent grand-
Iathors.
Occupational inheritance is on
the decline. Young graduates are
moving a way from tbe occupa-
tiun of their parents.
A major change in vocations
has also taken place in a shift
from agriculture to services. Only
12 per eent of the fathers opted
for agriculture compared to 23
per cent grand-fatbers.
The study says that 69.7 per
cent of the respondents are not
only critical of tbe vocational
guidance system, but feel that
there is little or no vocational
guidance in scbools.
The study took 31.2 per cent
of the respondents from the rural
areas for the Slmple survey.
Money provides the least
source of inspiration to the young
people. It says, today tbe most
important things young people
look for in a job are opportuni-
ties to use special abilities and
aptitudes, seop" for advancement
and utiiisation of creative and
altruistic feelings for tbe benefit
of society. For the public scbool
English medium products, how-
ever, social status seems to be the
most important concern.
Women covered by foundation
give a relatively lower importance
to leadership according to the
stndy.
Oood luck is considered an
important factor in career
growth. But not much importance
is attacbed to baving contacts or
knowing influential people.
The foundation has found
that spiritual values among the
Indian youth are on the decline.
Stating that females do not
have a passion for achieving
things, tbe study says that females
show a lower concern for know-
ledge and also affiliations like
"earning a good name and repu-
tation", survival and security
and, peace. Nevertheless, the
Indian female continues to have
a higb regard for moralvalues,
Tbough women are increas-
ingly taking to jo bs, the concept
that they are not equal to men in
occupational fields seems to per-
sist in them. Achievement of excel-
lence through good performance
has not yet become a dominant
concern for women.
Those educated in vernacular
scbools have greater concern for
moral values and peace than the
young people who have received
their education in English medi-
um schools.
But tbe concern for achieve-
ment and success is greater
among the English medium
respondents as compared to those
educatell in vernacular medium
schools.
The rurai respondents show
marginally bigher concern for
social service tban the city-bred,
the study says.
The basis for the general
assembly's front against the war
in Afghanistan is an Investigation
initiated by the international
organization's human rights
commission. This is the first
time that the commilsion has
turned iis critical glance in this
way on conditions in a com-
munist society. The verdict is a
crushing one. In a detailed
report, proof is submitted to
show tbat the Soviet soldiers are
taking part in sometbing close to
genocide.
The war is waged primarily
in the countryside, where resis-
tance to the occupation troops
and Babrak Karma!'s quisling
regime is greatest. The goal is
to subdue the civilian popula-
tion.
According to tbe UN docu-
ment, the most unpleasant
methods are being used. Men
and women are tortured with
electric shocks. Children are
killed and mntilated by explosive
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toys. These objects are camouf-
la,ed as "ens, dol/s, barmonicas
radios, or match boxes. The
of such bea.tial methods naturally
increase. the Afgbans Will to
fight and desire for revenge.
On 27 December they will
have withstood the Soviet Union
and the communist regime in
Kabul for six years. Thousands
of Soviet youths are dying in the
Afghan mountains and valleys
to no avail. Approximately balf
a million civilians have lost their
lives and over four million of tbe
country's inbabitants have fled
to Pakistan. A military solution
is out of sight. But. lately, there
have been vague hints from
Moscow tbat tbe autborities
there are interested in findiDeJ a
political way out of tbis mire.
None less tban tbe party leader
himself, Mikhail Gorbacbev has
intimated that an arrange;"ent
can be found, on certain condi-
tions, that will put an end to
the bloody war. During the
liummit meeting in Geneva
members of president
also had the impres-
sIOn that Oorbachev is prep'ared
to carry out an . "honorabJe"
withdrawal from Afgbanistan.
These sin gals have not yet
crystalized in concrete actions.
And it will not be easy to shape
a which prevents the
SOVIet Uilion from "LosiDO'
Face". But the atmosphere in
UN has gradually become so
obviously critical of tbe Soviet
invasion that it would cost more
politically and cost more friends
than Moscow can afford in the
long run. Oorbachev already has
reason to be concerned about
ynion's falling pres-
tn the tnternational organi-
zatIOn.
Kirtan Samagam
at the Sadan
The Kirtan Samagam organis-
ed at Bhai Vir Singb Sahitya
Sadan, New Delbi on Sunday la.t
included melodious kirtan by
Sardar Indermohan Singb
Kulmohan Singh. After observing
fivemtnute Nom Simran, the
Sangat was de/tghted by Bhai Vir
Singb's poem 'Arti' in which the
River Oanga has been urged to
carry the Dona to Patna, tbe
abode of Guru Oobind Singh. It
was rendered into traditional
melody by radio and TV artist
Sardar Harbhajan Singh Rattan.
Tbe tract 'Ourmat Nam'
published by Sahitya Sadan was
distributed to the Sangat.
Regd.No; D-{C)-85 THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY Regd. 5th May, 1986
Fitting Rebuttal Of Bhajan Lal's
Propaganda Barrage
National And International Norms Must
Followed For Chaodigarh
Be
Punjab Finance Minister Balwant Singh has,
solidly and convincingly, deBated . Haryana Chief
Minister Bbajan Lars propaganda balloons abont areas'
of Punjab wbich are to be given to Haryana in lieu of
Chandigarb.
most, such villages of Punjab
weich are equal in area to 40
percent of the City Beautiful's
area. Notbi ng more. As the
eapital project area comprises
20,000 acres, Haryana Gan claim
8,000 acres only. And Punjab, as
a gesture of generosity. bas
Offered 13 villages, which have
manY times this share.
In his craze for one-,I
ship, Mr Bhajan Lal has offered.
Punjab 24,000 acres if Chandi
garh was left to Haryana. This is
just a repeat of his earlier antics
wben he had offered four villages
in lieu of one villase which broke
Hatyana'g conti,uity with
AboharPazilka belt.
He also argues that R. 8,000
crores were spent on Chandigarh.
But he should realile tbat al\
government property suffers
depreciation at rate .of five per-
cent every year. In this way, tho
present book value of- Chandi-
garh is just Rs. 20 croret
only.
Befere the Mathew commis-
sion, F..ryana bac denuaded
U.5 villages. Later. it Was content
if 83 villages and two towns of
Abohar-Fazilka belt were given
to it. Now Mr Bhajan Lal ask.
for 1, 200 villages.
Clearly, he bas iost his
Perhaps the Haryana leader
wants to ,teal the thunder from
opposi tion leaders within his
state an,d. therefore, goes on
wil d claims which have
no r, l"ti on with realities. Maybe
he thinks that if he made grossly-
exao.erated claims, he mIght
suc;;ed in securing a
chunk of the cake than otberwlse.
There is no doubt that Mr
Bhajan La]' s rantings have the
blessings, if not outright suppor!,
of some highups in New Deihl,
both in the goveroment and the
Congress ( \) hierarchY OtherWISe,
he should have been bridled long
ago.
A healthy-chna
is a happy child
As we have stressed very
often Ihe question of .. compen-
sating" Haryana for IIloss" of
prep?sterous. It
conflicts with both lOteroatlOnal
and national norms .
. For instance, Pakistan
not compensated when l'!ew DeIhl
remained with Jndia dU!lDg 1947;
East Pakistan got Aothmg when
Calcutta stayed with
Bangal; and Indian part ofPun]ab
did not get a pie or an lOch of
land when Lahore went over to
Pakistani Punjab.
So far whenever a new state
was created in India it got no
compensation whatsoever for the
loss of the erstwhile capital.
Andbra Pradesh got nothing
when Madrnl remained with
Tamil Nadu and Gujarat drew
blank when Bambay stayed in
Maharashtra. Punjab was not
compensated when Simla waS
handed over to Himachal
Prade.h. Then why a special
treatment for Haryans ?
Chandigarh was built as
capital of Punjab, in place of
Lahore, on land. belonging to
entitely Punjabi-speaking villages.
Even nOW 95 percent of propert y
there is owned by Punjabi,.
Ninety percent of its population
is Punjabi-.peaking.
Tn keeping with Punjab
Reorganisation Act of 1966
which gave birth to Haryana,
the state could claim, at the
SlaxD-
A, concern
l
for healtH
Edited, printed and published by CharanJit Singh from 6, Northend Complex, R_K. Ashram Marg, New Delhi-I 10001 ,
anci printed at Sumcel Pnnters, C-243, Chinyot Ba.Ii, p.harKanj, New Oelhi. Phone Office; 344676. Residenoe: 621717.