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In the name of investigation, CBI
pushes witness
and protesting Sikhs
WSN Bureau
 SAN
FRANCISCO: A virtual rainstorm hit San Francisco Bay when the
Sikh community received information of CBI’s intention to record Jasbir
Singh’s statement, a witness in the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in which
thousands of Sikhs were killed in broad daylight but not a single
senior political or executive functionary has been brought to
justice.
The Indian
embassy officials here chickened out as soon as they learnt that a
cross section of Sikhs had gathered outside the embassy to express
solidarity with Jasbir Singh who had been asked to report to the
embassy to depose. They abruptly shifted the venue to Gadar Memorial
on Wood
Street. Not to be cowed down, on the bright sunny morning, the
protesting Sikh men and women, carrying placards bearing the names
of Sikhs for Justice and Sikh Youth of America, walked two miles to
reach the changed venue.
Dr. Pritpal
Singh, Convenor of American Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Jaswinder
Singh Jandi of Sikh Youth of America and Supreme Council member of
Fremont Gurdwara Sahib, Jaswant Singh Hothi, Vice president of AGPC,
Prof. Pritam Singh Cheema, Mrs. Sarbjeet Kaur Cheema, Ram Singh of
Gurdwara Sahib Fremont, Rajinder Singh Thana and Gurjit Singh
Jhampur of Sikhs for Justice, Kulwant Singh Khaira and Gurbachan
Singh Rana of Sikh Youth of America.
In their typical
Indian style, an Indian embassy official with menacing looks and a
harsh and hostile mannerism appeared in the balcony ordering people
to leave the site. He also signaled the
San Francisco
police to evict the peacefully protesting Sikhs. Had it been India,
the police would have shown exaggerated enthusiasm to tear-gas,
lathi-charge and even shoot the peaceful gathering.
While the Indian
officials tried to provoke the police, the police refused to oblige
the Indian officials’ illegal request. Nuisance- to- neighborhood
tactic was also used to enlist
San Francisco
police’s support, but the cops present there, instead witnessed some
neighbours stopping by and expressing their sympathy. An old San
Franciscan even offered to donate.
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Indian Embassy
Official taking photo
of Sikh protesters |
When police
refused to entertain his request he went inside got camera and start
taking pictures of protesting Sikhs. A member of the silent
protestors retorted, “Bhai sahib what is your problem? First you
illegally occupied our building (Gadar memorial) and now you are
telling us to move. This is not
India
my friend – it’s not gonna happen, even police cannot remove us. Go
inside and do your work.”
Many protestors
were aware that the photos would be used against them when any of
them went for visas, but they did not care.
Jasbir Singh
going to depose presented the sight of being sent to the gallows, as
if he was the criminal on the run. The protesting Sikhs were looked
upon as accomplices, with one of the embassy officials photographing
them, “to be used whenever any of them applies for an Indian visa.”
It was distressing to see Sikhs encouraging Jasbir Singh, as if he
was going to falter or as if he was nervous to face the
investigators.
The whole
scenario demonstrated underlying message to Sikh community that
nothing could happen to the alleged culprit so long authorities were
on his side. In
America, it
would have been just the opposite. The American officials would have
come to thank the community in collaborating with the law
enforcement. Here, the role of the communities is encouraged,
appreciated and rewarded for helping maintain justice in the
society. For instance, the Bureau of Justice, Assistance of the US
Department of Justice started the Community Based Problem-solving
Criminal Justice Initiative.
Collaborative
Justice Court
Advisory Committees make a difference in lives of victims and lives
of neighborhoods. It also enhances ‘trust in justice system.’
It does not
require much imagination to think what horrors Jasbir Singh might
have undergone while revisiting the scenes of Hindu mobs throwing
burning tire loops on turbaned and bearded creatures of
India’s capital.
The clobbering on their heads, gouging flesh from their bodies and
eyes from their sockets were some acts that quenched the thirst of a
section of people. For leaders of the mobs, it was just a
preparation for Parliamentary elections. The proof came in an
unprecedented victory of Congress I in 1985. For the world media,
the largest democracy of the planet had proved its mettle.
Jasbir Singh is
reported to have identified Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar as the
main culprits leading the marauding mobs to maim, burn and kill
Sikhs. He has been asked to report again tomorrow. Attorney
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who is legal adviser of Sikhs for Justice
has stressed the need to formulate “hate crime” laws in
India.
Sikhs await with
abated breath the outcome of this cry in wilderness, hoping for
justice after 24 years of apathy.
27 December
2008
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