1984. The year that changed the Sikh psyche forever. This year is entrenched in every Sikhs mind, because of what happened in June and Nov’84. In this post I have tried to make an attempt to explore the real reasons of this attack in perspective of current situation of Sikhs and Panjab. 

We all know that reasons that the popularly known for the attack on Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) are :

• Anandpur Sahib resolution – Akali dal passed this resolution in 1973 and main stream media dubbed Sikhs as separatists and wanted to break away from India.
• 1978 Vaisakhi Masacare – 13 Sikhs were killed on 13th April 1978 Vaisakhi during peaceful protests.
• Indira Gandhi wanted to create a divide between Hindus and Sikhs and win forthcoming general elections.
• Indira Gandhi was hell bent to teach Akalis a lesson because they opposed  her during emergency.

All the above reasons that I have listed and several others were there but in my opinion they were not the main reasons for the attack because if they would have been the main reason then they would justify following:

• Why Sri Darbar Sahib was attacked with full military might specifically on 3rd of June the martyrdom day of 5th Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji (who got the Gurudwara constructed in 1581) and when thousands of pilgrims were paying their respect at Darbar Sahib and thousands of those pilgrims  got killed.
• Why 37-40 other Gurdwara’s in Panjab were attacked at the same time when Darbar Sahib was attacked and innocent pilgrims including women and children were killed.
• Army commandos getting trained by Mossad prior to attack in mid 1983 at secret location in Israel. Why UK and Russia got involved in advising India on how to attack. All these preparations were done one year in advance even before Sant Bhindrawale moved inside Darbar Sahib complex (He moved into Darbar Sahib complex in late December 1983) . Indian Government’s official line have always been that “they were left with no choice but to attack Darbar Sahib to flush out Bhindrawale and his men”. So if Indian government was forced to take an action then why was it planning for attack since early 1983, because if they wanted to arrest Sant Bhinderanwale then they could have easily done that because he moved into Akal Takhat by the end of 1983. but the idea was not to arrest Sant ji or to sit with him on negotiating table to resolve the crisis peacefully but to attack at the heart of Sikhs. So Sant Bhindranwale’s moving inside Darbar Sahib was a reaction of the government’s policy to attack Darbar Sahib and not the cause of attack. It is worth mentioning here that Gen SK Sinha has mentioned this in his interview that he was asked to give tanks back in 1981 during Mehta chowk incident to which he refused. After that Gen laid down the procedure on if at all army had to go in any Gurdwara what procedure would be followed which obviously was not followed. Lest that Gen knew the intentions of the State were never to resolve any thing peacefully.
• Army looting the rare historical manuscripts from Sikh Reference Library and burning the rest of it. Those manuscripts have not been returned to Sikhs till date.
• Why Sikh genocide took place in Nov’84 after Indira Gandhi was killed on 31st October. It was not a spontaneous out burst of anger of the people against Sikhs in Delhi and other states.  It was a pre-planned attack on Sikhs because the arsenal that was used in it and the kind of planning that had been done to identify Sikh homes by using voter lists and Ration card lists. That kind of detailed planning and execution can not be done over night (Indira Gandhi was shot on 31st of October 1984 and Sikh massacre started on the morning of 1st of November and continued till 3rd of November ) it takes weeks to plan if not months, which states that this genocide was planned and had to happen anyway. Killing of Indira Gandhi had just bought its execution date forward.

Now this begs for a question that why to go to such extreme against a minority that doesn’t even constitutes 2% of the whole population of the country and the community that had suffered most amount of losses during freedom struggle for the country, then in 1947 during partition  and after that in 3 wars against its neighbouring countries and had always stood by the side of India ? Detailed answer to this question could fill couple of books so won’t go in much detail here but a simple answer is the project of Nation building (Fascism under the garb of Nationalism) required few fundamental changes to be implemented to assimilate Sikhs (and eliminate those who can’t be assimilated) which couldn’t have normally be implemented. So The Shock doctrine was implemented.

Shock doctrine

only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change”. First comes the war, designed according to the authors of the Shock and Awe military doctrine, to “control the adversary’s will, perceptions, and understanding and literally make an adversary impotent to act or react.

Next comes the radical culture shock therapy which uses moments of collective trauma to engage in radical social and economic engineering. This is how the shock doctrine works: the original disaster – the coup, the terrorist attack, the market meltdown, the war, the tsunami, the hurricane puts the entire population into a state of collective shock. The falling bombs, the bursts of terror, the pounding winds serve to soften up whole societies much as a blaring music blows in the torture cells soften up prisoners. Like the terrorized prisoner who gives up the names of comrades and renounces his faith, shocked societies often give up things they would otherwise fiercely protect.

To understand this better lets see following changes that took place after 1984 in Panjab.

Change of Education system in Panjab and Status of Punjabi in Sikh households

Punjabi is being treated as second grade language in Schools. Kids in Panjab are being urged to talk in Hindi. All this has happened in a state where people have struggled and spilled their blood to get a state on the basis of language after 1947 when all other states were carved out on the basis of regional language but centre refused to do the same for Punjabi.

Post 90’s Punjabi was put on the back seat in Sikh homes (both inside and outside Punjab). People started giving preference to Hindi or English for a simple reason that they didn’t wanted to be looked down upon by speaking Punjabi and wanted to considered secular by the majority community. This inferiority complex was instilled in Punjabis post 84 Shock. Those Punjabis who spilled their blood to get their state started disowning their own language.

Punjabis should learn about the love for their own language from Tamilians, French, Jews, Chinese and other communities (Doesn’t matter which country they live in their second and third generations also speak their native language at home and they are proud about it). We all know about the ill effects of disowning our language so won’t go in detail here but In relation to Sikhs the effect it has is that Sikhs believe in SSGS (Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib) as their living Guru which is in Gurmukhi. If Sikhs don’t learn to read and write fluent Punjabi then they are incapable of reading and understanding SSGGS and will have to depend upon others for translations and interpretations because people  interpreting could be deliberately misleading others because of their own vested interests or of their masters or they could be merely misinformed themselves.  This is happening now a days where state supported lecturers are misinterpreting Sikh scriptures either to propagate nationalistic agenda or merely to misguide Sikhs and create a divide among them so that they be kept busy in fighting over petty issues which are of no big importance but Sikhs currently are wasting their time, energy and resources in trying to prove them selves right and fighting over them.

All this is happening because either Sikhs don’t want to read or not able to read themselves mainly because of falling standards of Punjabi and also because of willingness to read. In such case lack of understanding of the language becomes an obstacle in trying to understand the text and that makes the person dependent on the interpreter (in this case the kathavachaks / lecturers ) and the person chooses the interpreter according to ones own mind (man-mat) and not according to Guru’s mind (gur-mat) and eventually becomes totally dependent on the interpreter / middleman.

This defeats the whole purpose of Shabad Guru and making SSGGS as eternal guru of Sikhs so that they can read and get guidance directly from Guru and don’t depend on anyone for it.

Liquor and Drug culture.

Liquor and Drugs had no place in Punjabi and Sikh culture (apart from few outliers which are always there in every community) but now Panjab and liquor have become synonyms. “Apna Panjab hove, Ghar di Sharab hove – Gurdas Maan” I am sure 90% of Punjabis would have heard this song. Liquor was specifically glorified in 90’s after the militancy was crushed brutally in Panjab by killing thousands of innocent young men, women and kids in fake encounters(of which there are no records till date) . In late 90’s when Panjab was mourning its brave men who have been killed by state at that time singers were given the task to reshape Panjab’s culture and sing such songs which disconnects Punjabi culture from Sikh Culture. Things changed swiftly while people of Panjab were reeling from the shock of 1984.

It’s a well-known fact that drug abuse have far reaching effects on human mind starting from shrinkage of Brain cells to having fertility issues and affecting the next generation as these drugs change the gene expression of user. This is a different kind of Genocide Panjab is subjected to.

Objectification of Women. 

Sikh Women had played a very important role in Sikh history starting from era of Sikh Gurus to 18th century to as recently as during 1980’s and 90’s in Panjab. They have always been classed equal to Men in Sikh culture (contrary to the norm of Indian society). Sikh Gurus have always recognised and promoted important role played by women in shaping the society for e.g. during 18th century when Sikhs were fighting Ahmed Shah Abdali and other oppressors and liberating the slaves (consisted mainly women) whom they have captured from rest of India then at that time it were Sikh women only who were preparing their kids in line with Sikh teachings and making them strong enough to stand for righteous. Mir-Manu decided to break the back bone of Sikhs by capturing their women. These women were asked accept their defeat and convert to Islam, which they didn’t accept. When they rejected that then they were made to grind wheat grains the whole day using hand-mill in scorching heat and at the end of the day were given half chapati to eat and half bowl of water to drink. Even their little ones killed and cut into pieces in front of them and their pieces were put in their mothers lap. Mothers were made to wear the necklaces made out of those pieces of their kids. But then also they didn’t give up and remained in high spirits (ਚੜਦੀਕਲਾ) and that’s why their next generation was also in high spirits.

It was this attitude of being in high spirits and having liberal (Azad) thoughts (that comes directly from SSGGS teachings), standing for the righteous  were and are not according to the likings of the state may it be 18th century, 19th century (British powers) or post 1947. To counter this post 1994 the songs and singers who just objectify women, glamorize drugs, liquor and guns were promoted which can be seen easily from the Punjabi songs now a days.

This gives rise to treating women as mere objects and undermines their intellect and importance. It classes them as weak and the one who is always dependent on men for her security, livelihood etc. This not only creates a imbalance in society by giving rise to issues like rapes, dowry, female feticide etc but also produces a generation that is weak and have slave mentality.

Panjab’s Water Crisis

It sounds untrue that the land that derives its name from 5 rivers is facing this problem that it’s at the brink of disaster and runs the risk of becoming barren land because its being robbed of its natural resource (water).  Panjab’s  water is being supplied to other states like Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi and whatever is left for Panjab is not sufficient for its own irrigation needs. All this water that is supplied to other states is for FREE and Panjab must buy other resources that it needs to fulfil its demands from other states. According to Indian constitution all states can sell their natural resources and generate revenue and buy resources from other states.

These waters that are being given to other states are not in accordance to National and International Riparian Laws, according to those laws water is a public good like the air, sunlight, or wildlife. It is not “owned” by the government, state or private individual but is rather included as part of the land over which it falls from the sky or then travels along the surface. They also state that people of the land where it flows have the first right of its use( Riparian Laws).

To give a brief overview of this:

Panjab has an area of 105 lac acres, and approximately 5 to 6-acre feet of water is required annually to mature an acre plot for a normal paddy-wheat rotation. So minimum annual requirement of the total cultivable area comes to 52.5 M.A.F (million acre feet). Based on flow data available waters of Ravi and Beas were estimated to be 15.25 MAF.  Out of this following allocation were done by tribunal in 1986

• Rajasthan (non-riparian) – 8.6 MAF
• Haryana (non – riparian) – 3.83 MAF
• Delhi (non – riparian) – 0.2 MAF
• Panjab (riparian) – 5.00 MAF
• Jammu and Kashmir (riparian) – 0.65 MAF

Total 18.28 MAF. Tribunal reached at this figure of 18.28 by considering surplus water below base stations of which 40% was considered utilizable. Which had been more of the error nous theoretical assessment but has no relation to the ground reality.

To fulfil its irrigation needs Panjab has gone down the route of getting water out of tube wells which has dropped the water tables in Panjab drastically. Now here one could argue that Panjab should explore dry irrigation system but then also the question remains that shouldn’t Panjab should be paid for selling its natural resources?

When Punjabis fought for their water rights in 80’s and they were classed as separatists, but today Panjab is fighting this losing battle because these changes were implemented as part of the shock that was delivered in 1984 and the havoc that it created for next 10 years. Panjab water issues have resulted in a lot of poverty in Panjab with farmers either committing subsides or at the mercy of petty handouts by state. Their kids not getting proper education because of the lack of finances.

Here it’s worth mentioning Educate Punjab who are doing a commendable job in this area.

Fake Deras in Panjab

In present day and age there are roughly 9,000 deras of babas in Panjab and they seem to preach their own version of Sikhism. They are used as major vote banks both by the state and centre and are given heavy grants. These Deras are promoted because they are exactly opposite to the ideologies of Sikhism of promoting Shabad Guru. Deras and baba’s had always been there in Punjab since British times but why they have multiplied so much and have become so powerful and popular post 90’s. Then the short answer lies in the fact that they get the monitory support from state (e.g. Radhasoami(this is about Delhi land grab but they have done similar land grabs in Beas as well with the support of both centre and state government) , Ram Rahim ) and at the same time the falling standards of Granthis (priests) in Gurdwara.

Part of the reason of falling standards is Sikh political institutions like Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Shiromni Akali Dal and SGPC have been corrupted and infiltrated by state and are working in centre’s interest then in the interest of Panjab and Sikhs. This infiltration was also result of the 1984 Shock.

All the above couldn’t have been accomplished without shocking the whole community in 1984 because Sikhs had simply rejected previous attempts of assimilation and tempering with their culture, but unfortunately today Sikh community has been left rudderless.

Third and final step of Shock doctrine

After the shock is delivered and while changes are implemented if anyone resists then they are rounded up and taken to jails where bodies and minds are met with even more shocks.

Panjab endured this pain for ten years from 1984 onwards and is still happening now when innocent people are locked up since last 2-3 decades and are not being released even after their Jail term is over. Latest case of Jagtar Singh Johal in which innocent Scottish guy has been illegally kidnapped and locked up and no charges have been proved till date against him and now he is being threatened to be killed and burned alive by the police.

Can this ever get Fixed?

IMHO the answer is yes because as Prof. Puran Singh has said “Punjab na hindu na musalman. Punjab Sara Jindaa Guraan de naam te.”  So, with the help of biggest light and the constitution that Sikhs still have in the form of SSGGS and Guru can’t be taken away from Sikhs (provided they read understand and implement what is being said in SSGGS). It’s the need of the time for Sikhs to return to their basics, return to their mean position because until and unless they will not return to their mean position they will keep on swinging from one side to another like a pendulum from one political party to another.

But then the question is how to return? I guess the answer is through music. We all know that music has big psychological effects and it was music only that was used as a tool against Sikhs (as discussed above) and it is music only that will help Sikhs return. As it’s there in SSGGS that  “ਕਲਜੁਗ ਮਹਿ ਕੀਰਤਨੁ ਪਰਧਾਨਾ“ (In dark age of kal-yuga i.e in this age of ignorance, singing of the lord’s praises are most sublime and exalted, i.e. attach with the wisdom of Gurbani).

Finally, Sikh politics should be as per SSGGS the way Maharajah Ranjeet Singh did then only Sikhs will be sovereign* in true sense.

*Will try and cover this in more detail in next post.

-Harpreet Singh