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From Sovereignty
to a Pariah state
Jagmohan Singh
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Even though Punjab has come full circle as far as peace is
concerned, Punjab Day celebrations are hardly a day of joy for
the people of Punjab, who cannot still understand as to why they
do not have a capital of their own and a High court of their own
state. The natural resources of Punjab are systematically and
regularly being stolen, the head works of their water resources
are in another state and people of their neighbouring states
view them with so much suspicion that the language Punjabi is
not even the official second language, though a large percentage
speaks it. Jagmohan Singh writes an Open Letter to Punjab Singh
who typifies the Punjabi on the streets. |
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 Dear
Punjab
Singh
Waheguru Ji Ka
Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Let me take you
through a quick journey. While the state of Haryana is rejoicing
like all other states do at the creation of their regional
linguistic identity, sadly there is no scope for such happiness for
you.
After losing
sovereignty in 1849 and living in the limbo for close to a hundred
years -trying to regain status and recognition, the Sikh nationhood
is still undergoing a metamorphosis. In August 1947, the
Punjab as the
world knew then was divided by the hasty departure of the British,
who showed no concern for the unprecedented transfer of population
on a gigantic scale the world had witnessed very few times in its
history.
The transfer of
population preceded the transfer of power. The agony of the Sikhs
and Punjabis was overshadowed in the joy of the average Indian. It
still continues that way. All those who go to the Wagah Border
every day before sunset to witness the ‘legs in the air’ parade of
the army-men of the Indian Armed Forces on this side and those of
the Pakistan Armed Forces on the other side of the Radcliffe line,
do not pause to have a look at the huge plaque which is dedicated to
the millions who suffered and died during the partition.
Like your
parents, even my parents cannot hide their tears whenever they talk
of the material and emotional loss they suffered during those
times. Having lived through that loss, somehow holding on to the
last straw and picking up threads of life, Sikhs and Punjabis
rejuvenated their lives.
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You love Punjab, but just see what your rulers have done. They
forgot your birthday. They were too busy, it seems. Doing what?
Celebrating the birthday of their Master, Guru Granth Sahib. And
how? By making an issue of not being given proper representation
on the stage in Nanded! The chief minister of Punjab, Parkash
Singh Badal thought it wise to go to Karnal to launch his
parliamentary election campaign. |
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The State
Reorganisation Commission in its report in 1954, recommended the
creation of all states on linguistic basis, but in a Machiavellian
move, instead of Punjabi Suba, it sought the integration of PEPSU
and Himachal Pradesh with the
Punjab.
The Commission made the shocking revelation that “the solution that
we propose offers the advantage that the precarious and uncertain
political majority which they seek will be exchanged for the real
and substantial rights which a sizable and vigorous minority with a
population ratio of nearly one-third is bound to have in the united
Punjab in the whole of which they have areal stake." According to
the Commission,
Punjab
was to be merged with Himachal Pradesh!
In 1955, slogan
shouting in favour of Punjabi Suba was banned. Hundreds were
arrested. Master Tara Singh launched an agitation in protest. The
arrests continued and included the present chief minister of
Punjab
–Parkash Singh Badal, eminent politicians and activists of the
Shiromani Akali Dal. To thwart the Sikh legitimate move, even the
Guru ka Langar at Darbar Sahib was under siege and the police
entered the precincts of
Golden Temple on
4 July, 1955. Chief Minister Bhim Sen Sachar apologized and assuaged
Sikh hurt.
The solidarity
of the Sikhs for Punjabi Suba was never in doubt, but the Congress
leadership which was pledged to reconstitute states on linguistic
basis, always had other designs.
On 1 November
1966, after a deliberate struggle which saw a large number of
deaths, thousands of arrests, political unrest and anarchy in
Punjab, very reluctantly, the Indian state passed the Punjab Re-organisation
Act carving the present Punjab and Haryana.
Since then,
Punjab
has progressed –from bad to worse.
Punjab
is the only state in the country which does not have a capital of
its own –its shares it with Haryana. No party and no government
have a plausible explanation for this.
It also shares
the high court in the form of the
Punjab and
Haryana High Court.
 The
headworks of
Punjab
waters are in Himachal Pradesh. Scores of agreements, talks, and
even an accord with the Prime Minister of India –the Rajiv-Longowal
accord has yielded nothing.
You love
Punjab,
but just see what your rulers have done. They forgot your birthday.
They were too busy, it seems. Doing what? Celebrating the birthday
of their Master, Guru Granth Sahib. And how? By making an issue of
not being given proper representation on the stage in Nanded! The
chief minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal thought it wise to go
to Karnal to address his first election rally for the ensuing
Parliamentary polls, but failed even to ask any of his junior
ministers or party men to hold a semblance of a function to observe
Punjab day.
And why should
he? Political circumstances and an electorate which bothers more
about its petty interests than that of the community combined with
money and muscle power have ensured victory for Badal. It however,
does not nauseate him to say, even as Chief Minister, “the centre
has always ditched
Punjab” every
now and then. “We can do this, but the centre does not allow” is the
general refrain on a majority of issues. For the interest of
Punjab, when will the centre allow? Will it? How long will they
continue to cheat you?
While your
birthday was ignored by the government, you had some people who
remembered you in their own way. Social organizations in Ludhiana
had poetry and painting competitions, while the Dal Khalsa organized
a ‘Punjab Jagao March’ to focus on injustice to Punjab over the
years, the killings of minorities including Christians an the
dangers of the unfolding demographic change in Punjab.
Weeks ago, you
must have been surprised to know that one of the descendents of the
protagonists of ‘Hindi as mother tongue in Punjab’ –Ashwini Minna,
the grandson of Lala Jagat Narain, regretted the move of his fore
fathers in a front page editorial in his newspaper, Punjab Kesri.
So what is your
future? You have passed adolescence but you have not matured. Those
who observe your birthday –for there is no cause to celebrate, do so
as a ritual. While it is comforting to note that atleast they do,
Dal Khalsa and others need to know that rhetoric is no answer to
real problems. Political parties need to ‘take things to their
logical conclusion’ not by saying it, but actually building systems
and procedures to achieve it.
 The
Tribune newspaper carried extensive stories about how your friends
and relatives are indulging in drug abuse which is at a
life-threatening stage.
While I am
writing this, I know that your cousins who are Non-resident Punjabis
from their homeland
Punjab are
participating in the victory of an immigrant Afro-American
President, Barack Obama. There are many lessons here, in case we
look at them.
There is no
reason to wail. You are doing well in many spheres. Substantively,
you need to reorient. You have to change your idiom to build your
case. You have to develop negotiation skills to gain your rights.
You must work for a more informed polity. For you, struggle is the
way of life.
Koi gal nahi,
Rehn waale te asssi vi Kabul de haan, te
Kabul
de rehn walya nu nit muhima.
Rab Rakha.
Jagmohan Singh
Jagmohan
Singh is a commentator based in Ludhiana. He may be contacted at
jsbigideas@gmail.com
5 November
2008
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