[Reader-list] Was congress really responsible for '84 Sikh massacre

[M Javed]

Genocide 1984: long search for culprits
By Shamsul Islam
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saldwr/message/1382

It is generally believed that the Congress cadres were behind this genocide.
This is true but there were other forces too which actively participated in this
massacre and whose role has never been investigated. Those who were witness to
the genocide of 1984 were stunned by the swiftness and military precision of the
killer marauding gangs (later on witnessed during the Babri mosque demolition,
burning alive of Dr. Graham Steins with his two sons and recent pogrom of the
Muslims in Gujarat) who went on a burning spree of the innocent Sikhs. This was
beyond the capacity of the Congress thugs.

I have an important RSS document which may throw some light on the unhidden
aspects of the genocide. It was authored and circulated by a veteran ideologue
of the RSS, Nana Deshmukh on November 8, 1984. Interestingly, this document was
published in the Hindi Weekly Pratipaksh edited by George Fernandes (Defence
Minister of India 1999-2004, and presently a great pal of the RSS) in its
edition of November 25, 1984 titled ‘Indira Congress-RSS collusion’ with the
following editorial comment:

“The author of the following document is known as an ideologue and policy
formulator of the RSS. After the killing of Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi) he
distributed this document among prominent politicians. It has a historical
significance that is why we have decided to publish it, violating policy of our
Weekly. This document highlights the new affinities developing between the
Indira Congress and the RSS. We produce here the Hindi translation of the
document.”

This document may help in unmasking the whole lot of criminals involved in the
massacre of innocent Sikhs who had nothing to do with the killing of Indira
Gandhi. This document may also throw light on where the cadres came from, who
meticulously organized the killing of Sikhs. Nana Deshmukh in this document is
seen outlining the justification of the massacre of the Sikh community in 1984.
According to him the massacre of Sikhs was not the handiwork of any group or
anti-social elements but the result of a genuine feeling of anger among Hindus
of India.

This document also shows the true degenerated and fascist attitude of the RSS
towards all the minorities of India. The RSS has been arguing that they are
against Muslims and Christians because they are the followers of foreign
religions. Here we find them justifying the butchering of Sikhs who according to
their own categorization happened to be the followers of an indigenous religion.

The RSS often poses as a firm believer in Hindu-Sikh unity. But in this document
we will hear from the horse’s mouth that the RSS like the then Congress
leadership, believed that the massacre of the innocent Sikhs was justified. Nana
Deshmukh in this document is seen outlining the justification of the massacre of
the Sikh community in 1984. His defence of the carnage can be summed up as in
the following.

1. The massacre of Sikhs was not the handiwork of any group or anti-social
elements but the result of a genuine feeling of anger among Hindus of India.
2. Deshmukh did not distinguish the action of the two security personnel of
Mrs. Indira Gandhi, who happened to be Sikhs, from that of the whole Sikh
community. From his document it emerges that the killers of Indira Gandhi were
working under some kind of mandate of their community. Hence attacks on Sikhs
were justified.
3. Sikhs themselves invited these attacks, thus advancing the Congress
theory of justifying the massacre of the Sikhs.
4. He glorified the ‘Operation Blue Star’ and described any opposition
to it as anti-national. When Sikhs were being killed in thousands he was warning
the country of Sikh extremism, thus offering ideological defense of those
killings.
5. It was Sikh community as a whole which was responsible for violence in
Punjab.
6. Sikhs should have done nothing in self-defence but showed patience and
tolerance against the killer mobs.
7. These were Sikh intellectuals and not killer mobs which were responsible
for the massacre. They had turned Sikhs into a militant community, cutting them
off from their Hindu roots, thus inviting attacks from the nationalist Indians.
Interestingly, Deshmukh would not mind having militant Hindus. Moreover, he
treated all Sikhs as part of the same gang and defended attacks on them as a
reaction of the nationalist Hindus.
8. He described Indira Gandhi as the only leader who could keep the country
united and on the killing of such a great leader such killings could not be
avoided.
9. Rajiv Gandhi who succeeded Mrs. Gandhi as the Prime Minister of India
and justified the nation- wide killings of Sikhs by saying, “When a huge tree
falls there are always tremors felt”, was lauded and blessed by Nana Deshmukh
at the end of the document.
10. Shockingly, the massacre of Sikhs was being equated with the attacks on the
RSS cadres after the killing of Gandhiji and we find Deshmukh advising Sikhs to
suffer silently. Everybody knows that the killing of Gandhiji was inspired by
the RSS and the Hindutva Ideology whereas the common innocent Sikhs had nothing
to do with the murder of Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
11. There was not a single sentence in the Deshmukh document demanding, from
the then Congress Government at the Centre, remedial measures for controlling
the violence against the minority community. Mind this, that Deshmukh circulated
this document on November 8, 1984, and from October 31 to this date Sikhs were
left alone to face the killing gangs. In fact November 5-10 was the period when
the maximum killings of Sikhs took place. Deshmukh was just not bothered about
all this.
Deshmukh document did not happen in isolation. It represented the real RSS
attitude towards Sikh genocide of 1984. The RSS is very fond of circulating
publicity material, especially photographs of its khaki shorts- clad cadres
doing social work. For the 1984 violence they have none. In fact, Deshmukh’s
article also made no mention of the RSS cadres going to the rescue of Sikhs
under siege. This shows up the real intentions of the RSS during the genocide.

There is not a single sentence in the Deshmukh document demanding, from the then
Congress Government at the Centre, remedial measures for controlling the
violence against the minority community. Importantly, Deshmukh circulated this
document on November 8, 1984, and from October 31 to this date Sikhs were left
alone to face the killing gangs. George Fernandes while making this document
public in 1984 wrote that it showed ‘Indira Congress-RSS collusion’.
Nanavati Commission must investigate whether this collusion was confined to
political sphere or went beyond to killing fields.

The Deshmukh document is reproduced below. It is translated here from Hindi
[parts of the document have been underlined for emphasis]:
MOMENTS OF SOUL SEARCHING
Indira Gandhi ultimately did secure a permanent place at the doorstep of history
as a great martyr. With her dynamism borne out of her fearlessness and
dexterity, she was able to take the country forward like a colossus for over a
decade and was able to build an opinion that she alone understood the realities
of the country, that she alone had the ability to run the decadent political
system of our corrupt and divided society, and probably that she alone could
keep the country united. She was a great lady and her death as a brave leader
had added to her greatness. She was killed by a person in whom she kept faith
despite several complaints. Such an influential and busy personality was killed
by a person who had the duty to protect her person. This act came as a blow not
only to her admirers in the country and the world but also her critics. This
cowardly and treacherous act of killing not only ended the life of a great
leader but also killed, in the name
of the Panth, the mutual faith of humanity. Explosion of sudden arson and
violent hysteria throughout the country was probably a direction-less and
improper expression of the hurt, anger and feeling of loss of her followers.
Lakhs of her followers used to see her as the only defender, powerful protector,
and a symbol of united India. It is a different matter whether this is right or
wrong.

For these innocent and uninformed followers, the treacherous murder of Indira
Gandhi was the tragic culmination of the poisonous campaign of separatism,
antagonism and violence conducted over the previous three years in which
hundreds of innocents had to lose their invaluable lives and the sanctity of
religious places was destroyed. This campaign assumed an ominous pace after the
painful army action in June which, in the eyes of most of the people of the
country, had become necessary to protect the sanctity of the religious places.
Barring a few exceptions, the Sikh community observed silence for a long time on
the barbaric massacres and heinous killings of innocent people, but they
condemned the long-pending army action with anger and dangerous explosiveness.
The country was stunned at their attitude. The army action was compared to the
“gallu ghara” action of Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1762 to desecrate the Harmandir
Sahib. Without going into the
objectives of the two incidents, Mrs. Gandhi was pushed into the category of
Ahmed Shah Abdali. She was termed the enemy of the Sikh panth and big prizes
were announced on her head. On the other hand Bhindrawale who was guilty of
heinous crimes against humanity in the name of religion was hailed as a martyr.
Open display of such feelings in different parts of the country and abroad
played a special role in increasing the distrust and alienation between the
Sikhs and the rest of Indians. In the background of this distrust and
alienation, stunned and bewildered people accepted the validity of the rumours
of celebrations by the Sikhs at the heinous murder of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh
bodyguards in retaliation of the army action. Of these the most hurting
explanation was that of Giani Kripal Singh who being the Head Granthi considered
himself to be the sole spokesman of the Sikh community. He said that he
expressed no sorrow at the death of Indira Gandhi.
This statement added fuel to the fire of boiling anger. No immediate and
natural condemnation of this despicable statement by an important leader came
from responsible Sikh leaders, intellectuals or organization. Therefore the
already angered common and unimaginative people took it as correct that the
Sikhs celebrated the death of Indira Gandhi. Because of this belief, selfish
elements could succeed in making the common people become violent against the
hapless Sikhs.

This was a most explosive situation which needed utmost patience and skilful
conduct on behalf of our Sikh brothers. I am saying this, being a life member of
the RSS, because on January 30, 1948 a Hindu fanatic, who was a Marathi and had
no relation with the RSS, rather was a bitter critic of the Sangh, committed
unfortunate killing of Mahatma Gandhi. On this occasion we also suffered the
sudden eruption of hysteria, loot and atrocities of misdirected people. We
ourselves saw how selfish elements who were well acquainted with this incident,
deliberately declared a murderer to be a member of the RSS and also spread the
rumour that the RSS people were celebrating throughout the country death of
Mahatma Gandhi, and thus they succeeded in diverting the love and the feeling of
loss and hurt in the hearts of people for Gandhi. Such feelings were spread
against Swayamsewaks and their families, particularly in Mahrashtra.

Having gone through such experiences myself, I can understand the strong
reaction and feeling of innocent Sikh brothers who became of victims of sudden
eruption of people’s violent hysteria. In fact, I would like to condemn in
strongest words the inhuman barbarity and cruelty on Sikh brothers in Delhi and
elsewhere. I feel proud of all those Hindu neighbours who protected lives and
property of troubled Sikh brothers without caring for their lives. Such things
one being heard from all over Delhi. These things have practically increased the
faith in natural goodness of human behavior and particularly faith in Hindu
nature.

I am also worried at the Sikh reaction in such delicate and explosive situation.
As an activist engaged in national reconstruction and unity for half a century
and being a well wisher of Sikh community I am hesitating in saying that if
reactive armed action by Sikhs is even partly true then they have not been able
to evaluate the situation correctly and comprehensively and as a result could
not respond according to the situation. Here I wish to draw the attention of all
my countrymen including Sikhs that in a similar difficult situation arising out
of murder of Mahatma Gandhi when in the hysteria against the RSS crimes of
destruction of property, heinous burning alive of children, inhuman cruelty etc.
were being committed and the news was reaching Nagpur from all over India, then
the ‘dictator’ of the RSS known as the so-called big private army, the then
head of the Sangh late M.S. Golwalkar issued an appeal in Nagpur on February 1,
1948 to the lakhs
of armed young followers throughout the country in the following unforgettable
words:

‘I direct all my Swayamsewak brothers that despite spread of provocation due
to lack of understanding, they should adopt cordial attitude towards all and
remember that this mutual distrust and improper hysteria is the result of the
love and respect that the whole country has for Mahatma who made the country
great in the eyes of the world. We salute such great respected departed soul’.

These were not empty words to hide cowardice and helplessness in the hopeless
situation. In those life threatening serious moments he proved that every word
of his appeal had a meaning. On the evening of February 1, hundreds of
Swayamsewaks in Nagpur urged for armed resistance and resisting till the last
drop of their blood to stop the probable attack on their leader the same night.
And some associates of Guruji told him of a conspiracy against his life and
requested to shift his residence to a safe place before the attack, Guruji told
them in such a black moment also that if the same people whom he had truly and
with full ability, served throughout his life wanted to take his life, then why
and for whom he should save his life. Thereafter he cautioned them in stern
voice that even if a drop of blood of his countrymen was shed in saving him,
then such a life would be useless for him. History is a witness that lakhs of
Swayamsewaks spread throughout the
country followed this directive word by word. Though they had to digest
vulgarities in exchange of their patience and tolerance but there was a faith to
give them patience that whatever may happen to them in present condition,
history will definitely prove them innocent.

I hope that in present difficult situation my Sikh brothers will also show the
above-referred patience and tolerance. But I am deeply pained to know that
rather than displaying such tolerance and patience at some places they have
retaliated against the crowd with arms and played into the hands of such selfish
elements who were eager to spread the trouble. I am surprised how a section of
our society considered to be most disciplined, organized and religious, adopted
such a negative and self-defeating attitude. May be they could not get proper
leadership at the moments of such a crisis. Through my scanty study and
understanding of Sikh history I consider that such a nonpolitical reaction of
Sikhs in moments of such a crisis came from their complete involvement with
teachings of love, tolerance and sacrifice of Sikh nature. Warrior nature of
Sikh religion was a short time provision against barbarity of foreign Mughals
which was taught by tenth Guru. For him
Khalsa was a relatively small part of a broad Hindu-Sikh brotherhood and was
designed as an armed hand to defend Hindu community and its traditions. Guru
Govind Singh laid down for Khalsa followers five KS (Kesh, Kripan, Kangha, Kara
and Kachha) and ‘Singh’ in the name of Khalsas. This was a symbol of their
being soldiers. But unfortunately today these only are being projected as basic
and necessary forms of Sikh religion.

I am sorry to say that Sikh intellectuals too have failed to understand that
conversion of Sikh religion into Khalsaism is a much later event and this was
due to deliberate plan of British imperialists to divide and rule in Punjab. Its
aim was to cut the Sikhs off from their Hindu environ. Unfortunately, after
independence power hungry politicians kept alive for their own interest the
unnaturally born problems of separation and equal existence, and carried forward
the game of imperialists to divide and rule by their vote bank politics. This
improper equating of Sikhs with militant Khalsaism is not only the basic root of
separatist tendencies in some parts of Sikh community, but it also raised
militancy and faith in the power of weapons to the level of religious worship.

This religious worship gave rise to terrorist movement like Babbar Khalsa in the
second decade and recently Indira Gandhi was killed as a result of
terrorist wave under the leadership of Bhindrawale and a long ‘hit list’ is
yet to be executed.

I used to imagine that Sikh community has freed itself totally from illiteracy,
ignorance, frustration and defeatism in which it was in the fifth decade of 19th
century after losing its freedom and which was exploited by cunning British
imperialists and selfish Sikh elites for their selfish interests. It is clear
that in eighth decade Sikhs adorning the places of high responsibility represent
highly educated, laborious, vigilant, relatively rich, enlightened and active
section of Indian society in every walk of life. In nineteenth century their
experiences and vision was limited to the boundaries of the then Punjab but
today they are spread not only throughout India but throughout the world, and
they are in a situation to directly know the conspiracies of big powers which
are being hatched against independent and united India rising strongly in the
world. In such an advantageous situation they should know their historical
development as an integral part
of India.

Such a revaluation of history will give them the opportunity to see many wrong
formulations of their own religion and past which has been systematically
drilled into their brains by wrong and distorted historical writings by British
administrators and intellectuals about nature and development of their religion.
Such an attempt will take them to their real roots.

This is the time that our Sikh brothers should search their hearts so that they
can get rid of the false description inserted by British imperialists and power
greedy opportunist people into their basic religious nature. Removal of such
false descriptions is necessary to bridge the gulf of distrust and alienation
between two communities of similar destiny, nature and similar traditions. I am
afraid that without such a self-introspection and revaluation of history they
would not be able to live with peace among themselves and with other countrymen.
A disinterested analysis of their own enlightened interests will be enough to
make them understand that their fate is indivisibly linked with the destiny of
India. Such an understanding will save them from falling prey to the disruptive
and destructive interests of foreign powers.

I disbelieve (sic) that my Sikh brothers will accept the cautious words of
spiritual expression of a well-wisher.

Lastly, it is not to deny the truth that sudden removal of Indira Gandhi from
Indian political scene has created a dangerous void in the Indian common life.
But India has always displayed a characteristic inner strength in the moments of
such crisis and uncertainty. According to our traditions, responsibility of
power has been placed on the inexperienced shoulders of relatively young person
in a lively and peaceful manner. It will be hasty to judge the potentialities of
his leadership at this time. We should give him some time to show his ability.

On such challenging juncture of the country, in the meanwhile he is entitled to
get full cooperation and sympathy from the countrymen, though they may belong to
any language, religion, caste or political belief.

In the capacity of a nonpolitical constructive worker I only hope and pray that
God bless him with more mature, balanced, inner strength and ability to give an
impartial Govt. to the people so that he can take the country to real prosperous
unity and glory.

Guru Nanak Divas
November 8, 1984
Nana Deshmukh