Hundreds of thousands Indian farmers, mostly from the Sikh-dominated state of Punjab, have been camped on the borders of New Delhi, the capital city, for past few months, demanding the stubborn BJP-led government to roll back the agriculture laws passed in hurriedly in September last year.
The protest, which has entered its 100th day amid 248 causalities so far, has managed to galvanised the international community, including celebrities, into raising voice for the poor farmers.
From cunning acts to violent use force against innocent protesters, mostly from Sikh community, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to beat back the farmers and impose unwanted laws in the country to leave them at the mercy of private sector.
2 URDU interviewThe Modi government’s measures to suppress disgruntled farmers have exposed its growing authoritarianism, trading insecurity to minority group of Sikhs, who have long-standing demand of separate homeland Khalistan, in the so-called “biggest democracy” of the world.
In a challenge to the growing authoritarianism, the protesters, in January on the eve of the Republic Day military parade, entered New Delhi where they hoisted Khalistan flag atop the Red Fort, sending a clear message that they don’t need a state where their rights are curbed and their concerns are not heard.
Amid curbs of India’s Sikh community in wake of agriculture laws, how one can forget the founder of Khalistan Movement, Jagjit Singh Chohan.
To know his views, there is a need to peek into the past where you will find an exclusive interview of Chuhan, conducted by Pakistan Observer’s Editon-in-Chief Faisal Zahid Malik in 1985.
Here are excerpts from his interview.
Sharing his views with Faisal Zahid Malik, he confidently said that Khalistan Movement is getting strength and spreading
He rejected the allegations of promoting violence, adding: “I am very old and peaceful person, I do not believe in politics of violence. I don’t feed that death of one or two individuals could alter the course of politics”.
Indian’s recent nefarious designs against Pakistan, including staging Pulwama attack, DisinfoLab revelations accurately support the views shared by the Sikh leader decades ago.
Chuhan had said, “The truth is that Indian has never accepted the existence of Pakistan. They believe that they will once again make it a part of India. They also think that they will convert all minorities of India into Hindus, and thus fulfil the dream of a Hindu India. But I think that the thinkers of India are residing in a heaven of fools.
It is most unfortunate that they [Hindu leaders] are uselessly promoting tension and commotion in the entire region; though Indian is three times more powerful than Pakistan.
He had then revealed India’s warmongering attitude by saying that they [India] are purchasing highly sophisticated weapons from America, the Soviet Union, England, France and other countries.
“India makes one excuse or another to blame Pakistan. First, it invaded the Golden Temple claiming that Sant Gernail Singh had made it a centre of disruptive activities. Now, for some days, it has come up with a new notion that Pakistan is engaged in all this mischief by wearing longer beards and hair on the head.
In other words, such absurd and silly things are being invented just to mislead world opinion against Pakistan and to arouse a feeling of revenge among Indian against Pakistan”:
India greatest objective is to weaken the Sikh Movement.
“Indian wishes to accomplish two goals. One is to destroy Pakistan, and the other is to annihilate the Sikhs. Furthermore, it will also attain the objective of diverting the attention of its people from its internal problems.
Currently, India, Afghanistan and the Soviet Union are fully united. He said that it is easier to launch this attack from Afghanistan.
He rejected claims that Pakistan providing support to Khalistan movement. Pakistan has fully honoured the international law and values. Despite this, all kinds of accuasations are being levelled against Pakistan.
The truth of the matter is that the aggressive policy of India has just begun, Chuhan said in 1985.
jagjit singh
