Admin | On 23, May 2018

Bhajan Singh commends commemoration of “victims of Hindutva nationalism”

TURLOCK, CA: May 24, 2018 — On the evening of May 22, the City of Turlock in Central California recognizing the killings suffered by the Sikh community in India in June and November, 1984, calling it “an organized and systematic attack,” and proclaiming a “Sikh Genocide Day” in remembrance of the loss of life.

The resolution is one of several passed by Californian governmental bodies in the past few years. Others include Lathrop, Fresno, Manteca, Sanger, Stockton, and Tracy, as well as the California State Legislature.

Mayor Gary Soiseth welcomed several leaders of the local Sikh community to join him at the podium. “This is a somber proclamation, but it’s necessary, so I’m glad that we’re able to do that today in the City of Turlock,” said Soiseth before reading the proclamation. He then presented the proclamation to the community members. Subsequently, he thanked the Sikh community, stating, “We are just so thankful to have you all here as a part of our community, and being so selfless in your service to the residents of Turlock.”

After Soiseth presented the proclamation, several Sikhs delivered brief remarks.

“All the minorities, including Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs, the majority of the time have to go through atrocities just to survive,” said Devinder Singh Bains, a prominent owner of a local auto-dealership. Speaking about the 1984 Sikh Genocide, he continued, “Not even one single politician has been arrested to this day. Police was on their side, military was on their side, and government was on their side. It was a well-planned genocide.” Expressing his gratitude for the proclamation, Bains concluded, “For the city to recognize our pain as their pain is a huge thing for us.”

Bal Sindal, a local women’s rights advocate, spoke and thanked the city, extending special recognition to Surjit Singh Malhi for his efforts working with the city to pass the proclamation.

Finally, Bhajan Singh, the Founding Director of Organization for Minorities of India, gave the following speech —

Good evening, my fellow Americans, honorable mayor, respected City Council members.

As we gather here today to recognize the 1984 Sikh Genocide that took place in New Delhi, India, we are reminded of the wisdom of American Nobel laureate Pearl S. Buck, and to quote her: “If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.”

Yesterday, in 1776, we all know these famous words of Thomas Jefferson which formed the founding principles of America, “We hold these beliefs to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.”

Just 70 years prior to the declaration of the American principles, in the other side of the world, on the Indian subcontinent in Punjab, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th master founder of Sikhism, shattered the three thousand years old Hindu Brahmanical caste system of the elite, for the elite, and by the elite. This system enforced that all are not created equal and certain are created higher than the masses of India’s population, thus creating the caste system which pervades India today.

Guru Gobind Singh created a martial order of the Sikhs called the Khalsa and raised the sword in an all-out battle against tyranny of the over-lords and the upper-caste elitists. For the next ten years, Guru Gobind Singh Ji sacrificed everything to obtain inalienable rights for the most downtrodden of society, referred to by the elite caste as “worms” and “untouchables.”

In 2009, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom placed India on its watch list, citing India’s violence against its religious groups as a reason. Over the past decade, India has seen persecutions, pogroms, massacres, rapes of Dalits, Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs. The current Prime Minister of India was himself implicated in orchestrating the murders of Muslims in India. Laws to enforce conversion to Hindu religion are enacted.

Here are some of the latest headlines relating to today’s India — what’s happening in India today. December 16, 2017, The National Herald had this headline: “Christians Warned Against Celebrating Christmas by Hindu Nationalists.” December 17, 2017, The Christian Post reads: “30 Seminary Students Arrested for Singing Christmas Carols.” December 21, 2017, The Telegraph (UK) reads: “Right-Wing Hindu Groups Warns Christians to Celebrate Christmas at Their Own Risk.” December 19, 2017, The Daily Express (UK): “Car of a Christian Priest Set on Fire.”

There are so many headlines of lynching, rape, and murder. Just like 1984 never ceased — 1984 still exists today. When we commemorate and remember the genocide of 1984, we learn of new killings, rapes, and tortures, not only of Sikhs, but also of Dalits, Christians, Muslims, women, and other victims of Hindutva nationalism.

We applaud the city officials for showing courage. We are also grateful to the Turlock community, the Sikh Sangat, and the Sikh Gurdwaras for making this day happen. We also pray that our Creator continues to guide the leaders of the city to continue to be courageous in their pursuit of happiness for everyone, all Turlock, all Americans, all human beings in the world. We also are grateful to our community leaders — Mr. Surjit Singh, Miss Bal, Mr. Brar, so many good citizens of Turlock here who made our country great.

Thank you everyone. May God bless every one of us.

1984 Sikh Genocide Day Proclamation From Turlock, CA