Vol. 32 No. 39 NEW DELHI. 30th May.

1983
Price: 75 Paise
Mystery Of "Formulas," About Punjab
Tangle Deepens
Akali Morcha Has
There is stalemate on tbe centre-Akali talks front,
despite Union Home Minister Setbi's bopeful prediction
tbat a settlement would be reacbed before June 17-date
fixed by Sbiromani Akali Dal President Sant Harcband
Singb Longowal for tbe next pbase of tbeir agitation.
Prime Minister Indira Gandbi
bas also been speaking in
different voices at different
places.
Akali Morcha has so far been
very peaceful. Volunteers have
been coming forward to court
arrest and board the waiting
buses quietly to be transported
A Solid Mass
to jails. This has won them
plaudits from one and all.
Acts of violence in PUDjab
are tbe handiwork of a misguided
rew. There is substance in
allegations that they are "hired
men" of the ruling party to give
the Akalis and their struggle a
bad name.
A few weeks ago an agree-
m ~ n t was almost reached at the
Base
tripartite talks in which central
cabinet's negotiating team, an
Akali delegatIOn, and almost'
all national opposition leaders
took part. But then the govern-
ment, for reasons known to it,
backed out and abruptly called
off the talks.
Maybe Mrs Gandhi's ire was
aroused because Akalis refused
(Continued on next page)
Last month there was a talk
of several formulas . Mr Sethi
told parliament 'that a formula
had been sent to Akalis for their
comments. When Sant Longowal
denied its receipt, then Mr
Setbi claimed that a "new
formula" had been despatched
to Amritsar. The Sant again
declared that be had not receiv-
ed any sucb communication a,;,d,
therefore there was nO question
of Akali high command con-
sidering it.
Facts Expose Mrs. Gandhi's False
Allegations
Mrs Gandbi also said last
week tbat a "solution" of the
Punjab tangle had been found .
Where these "formulas" or
"solution" arc, nO one knows.
Their existence is an enigma
wrapped in a riddle.
Now the prime minister, in
her election speeches in Jammu
and Kashmir, has been lashing
at tbe Akalis with a vengeance.
This merely shows tbat sbe is
not in a conciliatory mood. And
the much promised "solution" is
still very far away.
All outside Congress(l) ranks
are now convinced that the
centre is not keen at all in
coming to terms with Akalis and
bring peace to the strife-torn
Punjab May be tbis is connected
with the mod-term poll to Lok
Sabba which is so much in the
air. Perhaps Mrs Gandhi wants
to give tbe imprtssion that sbe
cannot be ccwed down by Akali
tbreats.
Akalis Have Been Consistent In Their Stand
In her present tirade agai.nst Akalis! r i m ~ Minister
Indira Gandhi has been dartmg allegations which do not
stand the test of accuracy. The cynical can be forgiven
if they deduce that these outbursts are designed to con-
ceal her own reluctance to solve the Punjab tangle and to
divert public gaze into wrong alleys.
She sai d at Kathua, near
Jammu, on May 23 that "cer-
tain leaders of the Akali
agitation are getting foreign
money". She also claimed tbat
tbe Morcha was being en-
couraged by certain "foreign
powers" .
But ber own union borne
minister, . Mr. P,C, Sethi, had
empbatically stated at Kanpur
on May 15 that he did not see
" hand of any foreign power"
in the agitation. '
This only proves that Mrs .
Gandhi is indulging in mud-
slinging in the vain hope
tbat some of it would stick.
The Akalis do not need
any money from outside fodia
not even from Sikh sympathi-
sers settled abroad. The ques-
tion of accepting money from
any foreign power cannot and
does not arise.
It is true that Sikhs , in
fact all Punjabis, in foreign
. counte ies are exercised over the
government's delay in cou-
cediDg Akali demands whicb
are demands of entire Punjab
and all Punjabis and which are
just and fair. To accept sucb
,ym pathy is no sic or crime,
much less an act of treason.
Mrs. Gandhi has also as-
serted that Akalis have been
shifting their stands. She
said: "A political 'party bad
raised certain demands of a
religious nature, but when these
were accepted, it put forward
a few more demands to create
a complex situation.'
This is a complete travesty of
truth.
Sant Harchand Singb
Longowal has described her
. statement as " unfounded ,
misleading and politically moti-
vated".
At the very outset Akalis
bad submitted a charter of 45
demands which Were a combi-
nation of religious, economic
and political ones. Later, they
reduced them to about a
dozen. At all times the list
included those on ' immediate
merger of Chandigarh with
Punjab and retention of Abohar-
Fazilka belt in the state. refe-
rence of Ravi-Beas waters
dispute to a supreme court
judge, and appointment of a
commission of linguistic ex-
perts to go into the territorial
claims and counter-claims of
Punjab and Haryana, with
village as the unit and the
language actually spoken and
contiguity as the sole criteria.
These demands were fully
explained to Mrs. Gandhi and
her team of negotiators by
Akalis during a series of meet-
ings during the last few
months. fo some of them,
national opposition leaders also
participated. and they are
Jiving eyewitnesses to nail
Mrs Gandhi lies .
ft is the governmeot which
is guilty of mercurial behaviour,
not Akali s.
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 2
Centre's Delaying Tactics Deplored of the Sarkaria Commission
have, not been finalised as yet.
Atma Singh Denies Prime Minister's Charges I quile agree wilh the
Sardar Alma Singh, former Development Minister, Punjab, Prime Minister when she <ays :
in a statement, has blamed tbe Prime Minister in not resolving "Unless we are united we will
the Punjab tangle and issuing , wrong and false statement with not be able to help our brothers'
regard to lhe demands put up by Shiromani Akali Oal and its Pres i- and sislers" . But who is res-
dent San I Harchand Singh Longowal. ponsible for creating wedge ,
When the lanta party was Gandhi is thus solely respon<i- prolonging and delaying settie.-
io power in the Centre, the ble for creating Punjab t angle ment of just and reasona ble
Akali Dsl pursuaded the then and delaying settlement. The demands, which have been sup-
Prime Minister Shri Morarji iuterests of her party are ported by tbe all peace-loving
Desai to reopen tbe river waters ' dearer to ber tban the interests , citizens of Indi, and all tbe
case and tbe award of tbe Prime oftbe country. ' opposition parties :
Minister Mrs. Indira Gandbi Sardar Atma Singh said lhat The Prime Minister should
given in 1976 was chaUenged in the Prime Minister is misleading read what is written on the wall.
the Supreme Court when Sardar the public, when she says that I would request her not to issue
Parkash Singh Badal was Chief her efforts had been to fight misleading statements and t ake
Minister in Punjab. The Prime injustice, but unfortunately when immediate steps to solve tbe
Minisler is responsible for one demand was met aootber Punj ab tangle, Instead of
thrusting her decision on Punjab cropped up. She was never sending formulas and waiting
and compelling the Punjab siocere to solve tbe Punjab the reaction of Shiromani Akali
Chief Minister to sign tbat taogle. Even the demands Oal , she should try to solve
agreement in 1981 and further which are said to bave been the Punjab issue witbin lhe
a,ked bim to withdraw the case accepted by her, have not been Constitution of India and keep-
from tbe Supreme Court. Had i'llplemented as yet. So much ing in view the sentiments of a
the Prime Minister not compel- so tbat the terms of reference brave minority community.
led the Punjab Chief Minister ----------------...;;.,;,...;.;,:...:.;..:.:......::..::.:.:.:..=----
to withdraw the river waters
case from the Supreme Court ,
today the position would have
been different one.
W,th regard to tbe transfer
of Chandigarb and adjustment
of other territorial claims and
counter.clairos were under
discussion with Haryana Gov-
ernment when the Prime Minis-
ter disso'ived the Punjab Vidhan
Sabha in 1980. Mrs. Indira
(Continued from page)
to accept her decls Ions, In case
of disagreement , as final and
binding on all. KnowlDg her
own predilections in favour of
Haryana and Raj asthan, how
could Akalis sign the death
warrant of their beloved
Punjab?
Agreed that no government
would like to succumb to
or give impression. C!f
being weak-kneed. But then It IS
equally true that nothing in this
country gets done unless a
massive agitation is mounted.
Tbe central government is
labouring under a misconception
if it thinks that the Morcha shall
peter ou t into a fiasco . It is also
incorrect that only a "handful
of Sikhs" support the present
struggle. So far more tban
I 30 000 women and children
fl ocked to jails. This is
more than twice the number of
60 000 persons who went to jail
the Quit India movement
of 194245 from all over India.
About 1,15,000 men have
pledged to doordie for tbe
Panth and Punjab at Sant
Longowal's call.
Wbat 3' ore proof is needed
that the Morcha has a solid
backing of Sikb masses ?
It is also supported by
Punj abi inteJlectual,-:-H indu.
Sikh, Muslim and Chnstlan and
all parties in Punjab,
It would be better if New
Delhi would catch time by the
forel ock and untie the Punjab
skein before it is too late.
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PSB's savinll with a smile scheme ensures a bright
tomorrow Without enduring a grim today.
Punjab & Sind Bank celebrates
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-If BANK
Bank with PSB Where service is a way of life
30th May, 1983
27th May, 1953
A Well Deserved Slap
in Nationalist
Sikhs' Face
(An Editorial)
Mr. Sachar in a recent
pronouncement addressed io so-
called 'Nationalist Sikbs', said
some unvarnished trutbs which
are as good as a lusty, mighty
slap in the face of tbis peculiar
species of creatures and a patent
brand of humons. These
delightful gentlemen were patted
on the back by the seeming wise
Premier of India wben they
collected some top-most caree-
rists and opportunists, along
witb balf penny (two penny
hirelin3s and staged a mock-
show in the Rakab Ganj). The
careerists, anxious to curry
favour witb the Premier who bas
gifts of patronage in the hollow
of his bands, beal their drums
of self trumpets to catch the eye
of tbe mighty god. For a while
it seemed tbat tbey had succeed-
ed in exhibiting their self-
importaDce to the New Delhi
gods, thus prepariDg the ground
for a rain of favours. Wbile
receiving a deputation of so-
called Nationalist Sikhs, Mr.
Sacbar struck hard at them.
Here are some of the bard things
said by him.
ID wbat respect are tb.
Nationalist Sikhs different from
other Sikh Congressmen is
difficult for me to understand .
Being , Congressmen their
economic programme and poli-
tical ideology cannot be different
from that of the CODgress and
as such tbey are bound to feel
concerned about injustice
wberever it is done regardless of
religion or community to which
the victim may belong.
There was no need for a
Sikh who professed allegiance to
the Congress to describe himself
as nationalist Sikh. Tbe nationa-
list Sikh was a good enougb titl .
They could not figbt narrow
sectarianism, by broad out-
look and appeal to the national
interests.
My frank advice to you is,
said tbe Chief Minister, that you
should cease to describe yourself
as such. Perhaps you have no
distinctive organisation that if
Ihere be any I wonder if it has
any effective membership . So
far as I know occasionally some
of Sikhs who OWe allegiance to
the Congress come together and
start functioning as nationalist
Sikhs.
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
____ _______ _
$ A THOUGHT FROM GURBANI $
$ What powers have been I to describe Thy creation? #.
t> What po"er have I to praise it (in appropriate words) ? :
'I Whatever pleases Thee, tbat is best, 'f
t> 0, Tbou Eternal , Abiding, Formless One! "
'f -Guru N anak 'f

Vol. 32 No. 39 30th May, 1983 Price : 75 Paise
CAMPUS TRAGEDIES
Student indiscipline has been a malaise afflicting
educational institutions throughout India. But two
renowned universities have been scenes of events which
send shudder of remorse and pain in everyone's veins.
Punjab Agricultural University at Ludhiana has
witnessed two shooting incidents within the last four
weeks; this is strange because it is usually the idle
student, with no constructive interest in life, who enjoys
participation in a gang war. The PAU has earned
worldwide fame for its research and production of new
varieties of high-yielding seeds of all crops, and its
students have clear professional targets to pursue and
should, thus have little time for gang wars or personal
feuds.
On April 21 Sardar Piara Singh was killed follow-
ing a gun fight. That his assailant, Ashok Kaushik, a
brilliant sportsman himself, should have claimed the
life of another sportsman was very saddening. Now
comes the senseless killing of Sardar Prithipal Singh. an
outstanding hockey player of international fame, which
has been condemned by all, high arid low, politicians
and academicians. The only silver lining is that this
latest crime is unconnected with the extremists now on
rampage in Punjab and is simply the result of intra-
union or student rivalries. Sardar Prithipal Singh, dean
of student welfare at PAU, became target of attack as
he was intent on stamping out campus violence by
exposing and coming down heavily on anti-social
elements in the university. Sometime back he had con-
ducted a raid on a few hostels which led to a haul of
weapons from rooms of Punjab Students Union activists.
He was preparing to appear before Mahajan Commis-
sion, appointed to probe into violence at PAU, and is
believed to have in his possession evidence which others
did not want to be made known.
The way, in which students of Jawaharlal Uni-
versity in New Delhi went berserk, merely because a
student was transferred from one hostel to another, and
gheraoed the vice-chancellor and other highups, was
disgraceful. The resultant interference by the police
became inevitable. The mass jail break by JNU students
and their earlier entry into prison under fictitious names
last week betray an attitude of mind where violation of
norms or even onaw is treated as youthful fun and
games.
Happenings in New Delhi and Ludhiana betray
laxity in discipline and administration and undue toler-
ance of goonda elements masquerading as student
politicians. The danger of politicisation of all institutions
of higher learning by partisan and vested interests has
to be fought with all the force and ingenuity at our
command.
3
30th May, 1983
NOTES AND COMMENTS
Another Delay
A new spanDer has been
thrown into the execution of
Thein dam project. The union
finance ministry has written to
Punjab government about
centre's inability to commit" any
help or even "pose" the project
for internatioDal financing. This
volte-face makes no sense,
especially when Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi bad publicly
announced the project's
clearance at the inauguration
ceremoDY of SUllej-Yamuna
link canal near Karpuri village
in Patiala district last year and
when the planning commis-
sion. as a follow-up action,
had asked the ceDtral miDi stries
and other agencies conceroed
to .4take necessary action in the
area of their respective res-
pODsibilitics
tJ
In other
the finaDce minislry's h.mmer
has reduced all decisions at
the highest level into a pith and
thrown tbem into th: garb.g.
heap.
Reasons for this abJut-turn
are not clear to the naked eye.
May be Mrs. Gandhi to alight
the Akalis. as they were voci-
ferous votaries of the project.
Perhap, the ceDtre wants to
please Haryana and RajasthaD
again, much to the detriment
of Punjab. For long New
Delhi had been insisting on
prior agreement on sharing of
water aDd power from the
project among Punjab, Raja.-
than and Haryana before a
green signal could be given .
Punjab goveroment's contention
was that only two states,
Himachal Pradesh and Jammu
and Kashmir, were connected
with the project, and it had
already signed bilateral agree-
ments on sharing the project
costs and benefits with them.
But New Delhi insisted
on the " rights" of Rajasthan
and Haryana without quoting
any legal Or constit utional
authority in favour of its view.
Punj a b Chief Minister Darbara
Singh must be a very dis-
iIIusioned man, as he had talked
of eKecut ing the project On a
"war fo,ting ." Last year
R . 22 croro. was provided for
it , of which Rs . 18 crores were
actually spent .
Thein dam se.m, to have
b.en haunted by a curse from
the very beginning. Its blue-
print wa. submitted by Punjab
government way blCk in 1964
but it continued to gatber dust
in the murky corridors of
central secretariat till last year.
The cost has since risen from
Rs. 67 crores to Rs. 680 crOres
now. The net result now is
that Punjab will not be able to
get 5L5 MW of power for many
more years, and water wortb
R.. 100 crores a year will
continue to fl ow free to Pekis-
stan . Wbat a folly, my country-
men!
Definitely Undignified
Quarrels betweeD tbe mother-
in-law and daughter-in-law and
between the wife and her
husband's sister are subjects of
many folklores in Punjab rep-
lete with taunts, invectives and
accusations . But their spread
.normally remained con lined to
the boundaries of the house-
hold, or, at the most, tlie
villag. or tbe Mahalia concer-
ned. But now the quarrel
between Prime Minister Indira
GaDdhi and her daughter-in-
Iaw. Muneka, has been pusbed
on to the national and inter-
national stages ; this should
wrench the heart of every sane
Indian, as thereby the prime
minister'S own image gets tar-
Dished. What drove her to
this desperation is beyond our
conceptioD.
The first international salvo
was fired by Mrs. Gandhi in
aD interview with Arab News,
published from Saudi Arabia.
Then she said MaDeka was
"planted" in her family by
conspiracy of powers inimical
to her ; she was against
Maneka's marriage with her son.
Sanjay, who was "wooed and
made to marry" . It was DOt a
stray remark because she
publicly reiterated her views at
a meeting of Congress (I)
workers in Lucknow last week ;
she said the matter was nO
longer a domestic or family
issue and called upon those,
wbo knew the background of
Sanjay's "strained rel:ltiJns
with Maneka" , to speak up .
The con piracy theory of" plant-
ing" M, neka in hoc h,u,ehold
is totally bizarre which makes
everyone laugh at its stupidity;
even if one were to suppose
there WB some truth in it, why
did not the prime minister
take steps to push out this
"foreign agent" from her family
or res idence ? M,s. Gandhi
also said Maneks did not dress
like a widow and had donned
the robe of a "suhagan'"
(married woman) within IO days
of Sanjay' s tragic end. It is
admitted that a mother's heart
weeps over the departure of
her son. but the maiD blow
falls OD the poor widow whose
husband is snatched away "
Maneka could not be an ex: .
ception and was DOt one . The
prime miDister herself is a
widow but has DOt retreated
into a lonely place nOr does she
carry a black veil over her
face or dress like a widow.
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
4
Akal Ustat is one of the finest
com positions of Guru GObind
Singb. Its various portions have
been written at different times
bu t the underlying unity is also
"xplieit aod is clearly reflected
in its spirit, its style and its
tbought pattern. It is composed
in twelve units viz. Swayya,
KabU, Choupai, Totak, Toman,
Di,agh Tribhangi , Dohra, Na,aj
Padh",i, Bhujangi Proyat, Pua-
.mal and Laghu Naral Swayyas
are repeated twice. Kabit and
Padhll, i Chlzand three t imes
:each. Each metre is to convey
. 3 certain mood, theme and situ
, ation. The luxurient fluency and
the musical ness of tbe vocabu
lary can be felt every time when
AKAL USTAT
Style and thought pattern
By : Prof. Surjit Singb Gandhi
you go througb it. Its different
'verses are full of pictures and
images. Breavity and lucidity
.are the outstanding merits of
:this long poem. Guru Gobind
!Singb seems to be masterartist
who uses words in such a way
- that they not only convey' tbe
idea but at the same time paint
a picture and playa tune.
As tbe Akal Ustat is unique
.in its poetic qualities, so also it
is unique for bis thoughtcon
tent. Guru Gobind Siogh seems
to be in tuoe with God, feels
bim and overt aken by the sense
<>f wonderous realisation, dwells
on his omnipreseDce. ornnipote
nce and supreme oature. To bim
,God is Aloklz-beyond compo
Transcendental, (mmanent, Me-
taphysical, Theist ic, Aesthetical,
Heroic. Struck by his all-
comprehensiveness in all its
dimensions, the Guru exclaims
spontaneomly 'Only Thou Art'
and goes On to repeat the same
for sixteen times.
In a state of oneness with
God which can be denoted as a
state of complete absorption
in Him and complete realisation
of Him, he, in a sweep, subjects
to ridicule different rituals,
penances, aU.5terities and dill'erent
paths as told by different sects
in the country.
The Guru says:
'( have wandered and in
their Own homes seen croNds
of Sarvagis, Sudhs, Sidhs, Jogis
and Jatis.
Brave demons, demigods
feasting on nectar an d crowds
of saints of various sects :
I have been the religions
of all countries but none app
eared to be that of Lord of Life.
Without a particle of love
The composition of Akal Ustat is
maoy-splendoured, strong in diction,
rich in poetic fancies, superb in ima-
gery and sublime in thought content.
;rehension, Anbhekh-without
hypocrisy, Purokhjoi-Supreme
fiame , Suchet-Consciousness,
Sopohi -Soldier, Shasier Dhari
-Bearer of weapons, Sarbloh-
.AlI steel, Akal (the immortal),
'Padma poti-Lord of wealth,
Uma poti-Lord of Uma,
Banwori (Lord of Forest), Sunde,
-(Beautiful), Agadh-(un-
fathomable}, Ageh-(intangible},
Gopal-(cowhert) , Pratipal--
(cherisher), Akal Purakh-
(immortal being), Aneel-(couo-
tless} , Atole-(unweighable},
Abhang-( unbreakable), Aclzhed
Cumpierceable), Achheh-
1mprishable), Adi-(beginning),
Anadi-(without any beginning},
Ant-(end of all), Sarab ko kart
.( creater of all), Sarb ko Kal-
(destroyer of all), Bishwalzati
-(protector of the world),
.Iagot Ka/-(destroyer of the
world), Anteryomi-(knowing
everything of innermost}, TaM
-(the soul beyond the original
soul) , Sahib-(lord}.
In short, the Guru perceives
Him in his many aspects; Perso-
nal, Impersonal. Material,
.... nd favour of God, they are
only worth a 'Rotti'.
He enjoins upon the seekers
of truth that it is of no use to
keep on standing with face up
wards or in burning heat of sun
or with legs upwards or to live
in a cave or to smear dust on
body, or to keep on sitting, or
to observe silence. Even to
conceive God in circumscribed
and parochial manner is also an
exercise in futility so far as
the process of spiritual elevation
is concerned. The Guru expres
ses Himself very pOignantly
on this point:-
"The tortoi se, the fish and
the shark may all be called
Narayan , if you speak of God
as KaulNabha, the lake in
which it grows is also Kaul-
Nabha .
If you s peak of God as
Gopinath, all Gujjars are Gopi-
nath all cowherds Gopals.
If you call God Madhav ,
that is the bemble bee, Kaniya
is the name of the
if you speak of God as the des-
troyer of Kans, you ' peak of
myrmidons of death.
Fools utter names but know
not there meanings and worship
not Him by whom man is pro-
tected . (Akal Ustat-74)
The Guru be mons that
people have been made to belie-
ve that bypocrisy is a reality.
The Jogis and other religious
bodies are preaching untruth
unabashedly. Tbe Guru utters :
"What availeth it to sit clos-
ing both eyes and meditating
like a crane."
The world is lost, and the
next for those who go about
bat bing in the seven seas.
They pass their lives in vain,
dwelling in the midst of sin.
I speak verily; hear me all
ye people-they who Jove God
have obtained him (Akal
Ustat-29)
The Guru has a pity for all
those people who regard pilgri-
mages as one of the tangible
means to achieve God. How
can one going on pilgrimages
and doing other acts of merit
can attain the state of God-
realisation till one bears God
in mind 7 The Guru asks.
Yogic fears and acts may evoke
wonder but have no relevance
to the spiritual regeneration of
man . In this context, the Guru
draws the attention of his dis-
ciples to the following:
The peacock dance, the
frogs croak and the clouds ever
thlinder.
The tree even standeth on
one leg in tbe forest , as for
those who take not life, the
Saravagi blowth on the ground
before putting his feet on it.
The stones througb several
ages remain in one place. The
ravens and the kites travel from
country to country.
How can the poor fellow
(the wretch) who is without
divine knowledge and who is
never absorbed in the great
Benefactor be . saved ,vithout
faith in Him?
(Akal Ustat-81)
In the world contemporary to
to him the people had started
thinking that the raising of
different types of cries sawing
of the body; drowning himself
in the ganges are sucb acts which
can get salvation. Guru de-
nounces all these false practices .
He asks the people to ponder.
'If raising a cry is a means to
get soul bliss then bow can we
deny this status to a Jackal who
yelps so many times a day in
30th May, 1983
cold season an d the elephant
and the donkey who utter vari-
ous cries . Similarly he Con-
demns the custom of getting
ones body sawn at Banaras.
The Guru says:
"What availth it to be cut
in by the saw at Banaras?
Thieves cut men in pieces and
kilrthem with axes ."
"What availth it that a fool
hath put a halter round his neck
and drowned himself in the
Ganges ?" (Akal Ustat- 83)
The Guru also pronounces
his deuunciation of magical
practices . He calls these
'Bharamjal'-network of magical
tricks. The Guru takes note of
differences in magical practices
debasing the innocent people
and shares no pains to make
them awake to the reality.
Performing a miracle was an
act of jugglery or make-believe
according to his conceptual
framework .
The Guru says:
"Swine eat filth, deer wander
aloDe in the forest, trees ever die
in silence". "owls live in tombs
deer wonder alone in forest, ali
children on earth drink milk
serpants live on air." ,
"They who eat grass and
renounce the desire of wealth
are nO more than calves and
oxen. They who fly in Heavens
had only the attributes of birds,
they who engage in meditation
resemble cranes, cat, and
wolves." (Akal Ustat-72)
.. Those who perform the
'newly' fcat, who sacrifice to
water, fire and wind who hold
their
l
heads down, who stand on
one eg and never sit." .
HMen, serpants, and
demons find no God's secrets,
the Veds and the book or the
Muslims say that God is
indescribable."
(Akal Ustat-72)
Readers of Veda, penitent
like Shiva or the Sons of
Brahman will also Dot compre-
hend Lord.
God can be known through
right type of search and right
type of Divine knowledge and
right conrtuct.
There are always people who
prove to be great hurdles on the
path to soulbliss and impose
themselves on the people in such
a way that they can't discover
the path of rightousnes,. Such
people are Dush(-(wrongdoers},
Asont-(wicked}, Durjall-{igno-
ble). They must be brought
to right path and in this content
force is also justified. In the
contemporary society, such
people were many and to reckon
with them, God appeared to, the
Guru, Ail-Steel, Mightiest of the
mighty and a great Saviour.
The Guru's sentiments of this
type come to surface when in his
invocation verse he says:
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 5
.. May we have a protection of
the immortal being.
May we have the protection
of AlIsteel
The Divine Master
May we have the protection
of All-Death.
May we have the protection
ef Ali-SteeL"
, God has created all things
living and non-living. He Hlm-
self feels that all Ihe uDiverse
and Ihis being so, all human
beings are parI of Him. Infact
there is universal brotherhood of
man. To create differences
among them on the bases. of
caste, creed, race and rellg.IOQ
tent amounts to acling agalDst
God's wilL The Guru regards all
human beings as children of
the same father .
"All men have the same
eyes the same ears, the same
body Ihe same built, a com-
pound of earth, air, fire and
water."
'By nature they are the same.
It is onlv the outward appear-
ance that they differ.'
Deities, demons, . yaksha"
heavenly singers, Mushms and
Hindus adopt customary dress
of their c<,uotry. They have
different modes of worshll:',
though the object of the"
worship is the same, the one and
the same God.
"The temple and mosque
the same; The Hindu Worshlp
and Muslim Prayer are the
same."
The Guru made this improve-
ment in the previous idea that
they declared the whole huma-
nity to he one and that a man
was to be honoured, not because
he belonged to this or that caste
or creed, but he was a man, on
emanation of God whom God
had given the same senses and
the same soul as to other men.
U All meo are the same
although tbey appear same
under different imBuences."
.. Tbe bright and the dark,
the ugly and tbe beautiful , tbe
Hindus and tbe Mushms bave
developed themselves according
to tbe fasbions of different
countries. n
"Allah Abekh are the same,
the Puran and Guran are the
same. Tbey are alike";
"It is one God who created
all. "
Akal Ustat thus presents
the Guru's point-of view about
God God-realisation, His self-
Society as envisioned
by his and God
intoxicated self, tbe place of
. demons deities different
Avtars 'magical practices, ritu
als 'pilgrimages, cbarities,
Yoga, idol worshil" penances,
austerities and dlfferent reh-
gious practices .as by
different sects 10 India. Tbe
composition is many-splendour-
ed, strong in diction, in
poetic fancies , superb 10 1m ..
agery and sublime in thougbt
content.
One day people saw him
going for a dip in the
whicb ran past the town. C.stmg
his garments upon the 'Shore of
Life' Nanak plUnged into the
Infinite. He suddenly dISappear-
ed and was taken as drowoed.
.. He must have misappropriated
botb provisions and proceeds,
and being afraid of the consequ-
ence must have put . an end. to
bis life," the gosSlP: mongenng
tongues lasbed out 10 support
of tbeir seemingly commendable
prudence, whicb unfortuDately
for them did not appeal of tbe
Nawab','righteous miod.
The waters of the river were
combed. Divers were pressed
into service. Search partie,S were
organised but to no avat!. In
fact bope' faded, dwindled and
was lost altogetber ..
At the end of tbe third day,
Nanak reappeared On the scene
to the unending joy of the
sorrowing citizens of Sultanpur.
But he was nOw a compietely
cbanged man wi th a divioe glory
on his face and lummous halo
around tbe head. Crowds
gathered around him. He was
not Nanak now, but Guru
Nanak-Tbe DiviDe Master, tbe
World'Teacher. The call had
come the much awaited call!
Now 'he was to go fortb into
tbe world as the Divine
Messenger to. extirpate the
agonies of a mllhon furrowed
brows and inoumera ble gropmg
bearts lost in tbe wildereness of
a dark, world.
Nanak had had a visioo of
the Infinite . The vision had
thrilled him:
"I was a minstrel orthe Lord
out of work,
Tbe Lord gave me His
apPOintment.
Tbus spake Great God uoto
me
Night and day, sing ye my
praises!
Tbe Lord did summon this
minstrel
To His most Exalted Court.
00 me He bestowed the robe
of honour of those wbo
sing His glory,
On me He bestowed tbe
Nectar in a cup,
The Nectar of His Eternal
Holy Nam.
Tbose who at tbe bidding of
tbe Guru
Feast and take tbeir fill
Of the Lord' s HOliness
Attain Peace and Joy.
Thy minstrel spreadetb Tby
glory
By sioging Tby Word;
Naoak, by adoring tbe Truth
We attain to the All-
Highest."
When Nanak came out of
water tbe words that were 00
his ]ips, were: is ,DO
HiDdu , nO Musalman , meaDing
thereby that tbere 18 to be no
distinction between man and
mao. Hindu' aDd' Muslim' are
our names for the I Mask',
bebind tbe mask is 'Man' .
Nanak realized the unity of
Hindus and Muslims io the Man
universal. Nanak's was the
religion of Man. The em ph.SIS,
in his message, was not on
rituals, ceremonies, and dogmas,
but on life, on love of God and
rigbt action.
N anak rose above pbilosopby
and metaphysics above rites and
rituals above creeds and COnven-
tions all nation-cults and
an to a vision of
the deeds of love. "God will not
30th May, 1983
ask man", said Nanak "Of what
race aod religion he blongs tt:>.
He will but ask him 'What bave
you done?' Deeds, not creeds,
is what Naoak asked of his
disciples. Nanak preacbed &
religion for which men would'
live a religion which would
iIIu.:oiDate lives, a religion of:
love, . servjce and sacrifice ..
Nanak's vision of life embraced.'
all countries and all races and..
all times .
As Nanak had declared that"
there was no Hindu, no Musal-
man, the Q.zi of Sultanpur was
furious . He said, "The Hindus
may not be the Hindus, but we
Muslims say our prayers five
times during tbe day and we are
truly Muslims." He then called
for an explanation from the>
Guru for his remarks. Thus
spoke Guru Nanak :
"Five prayers thou sayest
five times a day
Witb five different names,
But if Trutb be thy first:
prayer ,
The second to honestly earlY
your daily bread,
The tbird to sh"e thy bread
with otbers in tbe name of""
God,
Purity of mind be tby fourtn
prayer
And adnration of God thy '
fifth;
If tbou practiseth these five
virtues,
And good deeds be thine '
Kalma-the article of.-
faith,
Tben thou can'st call thyself
truly a Muslim.
By mert hypocrisy Nanak,
A man is deemed false
tbrough and througb."
As Nanak had pronounced
that al1 men were tbe same
and there was to be no distinc-
tion bet9leen man and mao,
thereupon tbe Qazi prevailed
upon the Nawab to ask
to partiCipate in tbe Namaz ID
tbe mosque. Guru Nanak accept-
ed the invitation, but be stood
silent during tbeir prayer and
did DOt join the drill of the
Namaz with the congregatIOn.
The Qazi was angry aDd asked
the Nawab to call for .an ex-
planation.
Guru Nanak's reply, however,
stunned tbe Qazi, tbe Nawab ,
and the public alike.
"How could I follow rDe '
Qazi," said the Guru, "whose
body was in prayer, but wbose
mind was anxiously lookiog after
tbe new born filly tho t it migbt
not jump into tbe well in
courtyard and Nawab's mind!
too was busy planning to buy
horses in Kabul. Botb of you.
were absent-minded all the.
wbile, wben you were sayiog.
your prayer, so how could r:
follow you ?"
liCIt is a wonder", the Nawao'
cried aloud to the Qazi, "thou
seest not, Khuda (God) speaketh
to us through Nanak ?" .
THE "SPOKESMAN" WiiEKLY 6 30th May, 1983
By virtue of its size and
legacy, India has emerged as a
major centre of scbolarly and
scientific activity in the third
world. After tbe U.S. and
Britain, this counlry publisbes
the largest number of book's
in English language. This is
natural because the reading pub
lic in India is extremely large
and tbe number of students
5t udying at various levels
pbenomenal.
National Book Policy Needed
Witb all thi s, there is bardly
any reason to be happy with the
situation which is indeed far
from satisfactory. This is so
because while India has ceased
to be a colony in the political
and economic sense, in the in-
tellectlJal sense it is stiU ve ry
much of a colony. Most of the
knowledge is produced elsewhere
and imported into India. In the
economic field, lndia is much
more self-reliant tban it used to
be till a few decades ago. How-
ever, in other fields of intellec-
tual activity reliance on the
West, especially the Anglo-
Saxons, continues.
Obvious Reasons
There are two obvious reasons
for this state of alfairs : The
first is the neocolonial hangover
from which the vast majority of
the educated public sulfers.
Secondly-and this is no less
public has or can have access bas
not kept pace witb demand.
And such libraries as exist are
not properly serviced. Tbe
upshot, therefore, is that those
who are interested in books find
it mOre and more difficult to
have access to them.
Academic libraries are in no
better shape than tbe public ooes ,.
While tbe number of studeais
has been increasing, tbe outlay
on purchase of books has not
been keeping pace. Some four or
five years ago, (with the' beginn-
ing of the sixth Plan) there, was
a severe cut in library budgets.
It is only now tha t libraries are
beginning to recover that shock
and receiving more funds. But
there is no certainty about what
will happen tomorrow. All this,
in turn, has thrown local pu b-
Iishing also out of gear .
The point at issue, however,
is not the plight of the indigen-
ous publishing industry but the
situation in respect of access
to knowledge whether at the
general level or at the scholarly
and scientifie level. With a very
small percentage of knowledge
With a very small percentage of
knowledge being generated within
the country, India has no choice but
to turn to knowledge being generated
elsewhere.
important than the first-there
is an ulter absence of intellectual
perspective on the part of those
entrusted with the responsibility
to frame policy. The two
reasons, more over, interact with
and reinforce each other. By
noW a situation bas been reached
in which knowledge is being
priced out of India's reach.
The inflation of the seventies
has wrought havoc on iotellec-
tual and economic life in this
country. A decade ago, one
could walk into a bookshop and
buy a cou pie of books without
much difficulty. The price of an
average imported paperback
then was around R.,. 15. But
nOW it has jumped to Rs 50.
Rare is a hard cover book which
can be had for less than Rs. 100.
No wonder those genuinely
interested in books and reading
feel thwarted and frustrated.
In such a situation the
obviou$ alternative is to turn to
a library . But libraries too are
feeling the pinch of inflationary
pressures, Library budgets have
been overtaken by the escalating
prices of books. As if this was
not bad enough, the num ber of
.libraries to which the general
being generated within the
country, India has no choice but
to turn to knowledge being
geoerated elsewhere. The
primacy of Englisb within the
country makes India unavoid-
ably dependent on the U.S. and
the U.K. In any case, 40 per
cent of the books being publish'
ed in the world today are being
publi shed in English. This can
be said to be a factor in favour
of India But this assessment
too needs qualification.
For the situation was truly
favou'able only till the beginn-
ing or the seventies in so far as
books and journ,l. could then
be imported relatively easily and
the prices were within the reach
of an a.verage relder as welJ as
the libraries, both public and
academic . Since then things
have deteriorated from this
country's point of view.
When a new book is publish-
ed, the decision to import that
book is not made by the reader
who does not generally know
that a parl icular book has been
published but by the importers
or the booksellers. If, in their
judgment, 25 copies of a parti-
cular tille would be sold, they
By : Dr. Amrik Singh
would import only a dozen
copies. This is for the reason
that even One or two unsold
copies would mean substantial
amunt of capital being locked
up. The bOOksellers are interest-
ed in quick turnpver, and this
can be best ensured by creating
a situation of ,carcity. Con-
sequently unless an alert reader
is in the h.bit of visiting book-
shops frequently, he is likely to
miss several of the titles in
which he might he keenly inte-
rested because any book in
demand but in short supply is
bound to be sold.
One need not be unduly
upset at this situation. Book-
sellers are there to sell their
books and make profit. If this is
how they can make profit they
would do it , whether anyone
likes it or not. But there is
another aspect of the problem
which has virtually destroyed
the book trade in India as it
existed even a quarter century
ago.
Stocking of books is becoming
more expensive in America . and
Britain. Therefore most of the
publi shers there ",ually liquidate
their stocks within two years. In
simple words, if a title gets
sold out within the first year or
so, well and good; otherwise it
is likely to be sold at throwaway
prices a little later.
This phenomenon, which has
become a marked feature of the
book trade in these countries,
has proved to be a boon for
those enterprising Indian impor-
ters who can manage to buy the
British and American remainders
sometimes at 5 or 10 per cent of
the original price. Instances are
not unknown where . a book,
originally priced $ 25, has been
bought in the foreign maket at
half a dollar and exported to
India at $ 5 and sold here at $ 8
or 9! It is difficult to quan-
tify such books. But it would
be no exaggeration to say that
between onefourth and onethird
of the books im ported into
India fall under this category.
A number of other difficulties
also arise. Most of them stem
from the basic fact that know-
ledge is generated elsewhere
and imported into India . Tbis
is only another way of saying
that our universities and
research institutes should per-
form better. The moment One
says tbis, it becomes imme-
diately clear that one has bitten
off more than one can chew. To
make the universities function as
seats of higher learning is a task
bristling with extraordinary
difficulties . In any event so
many factors enler into the
functioning of uoiversities that
no single step will take care of
the total si tuation .
But there is One aspect of the
problem which has not yet been
given much attention and that
is the catalytic role of publish-
ing in generating and disseminat-
ing new knOwledge. Publishers
by them,elve, cannot do any-
thing to generate new knowledge
but they can certainly act as a
pressure group in the desirable
sense of the expression. For
example, on<.:e a scholar or a
teacher agre .. to write a book
on a subject, the publisher
usually follows up the matter
with him provided he feels tha!
the sales would be brisk and
returns good. This is something
which no other agency can or
will do.
Action and Reaction
It is in this sense that the
generation of knowledge (repre-
sented by universities and
research institutes) and the
dissemination of knowledge
(represented by publishers and
booksellers) can act and react
on each other,
The reading public can be
reached only through publishing
and the reading public, in turn
can encourage the author by
buying his books. The world
of scholarship and the world of
publishing are thus inextricably
bound to each other.
However, the point to ponder
is that with prices escalating as
fast as they are aod the bulk of
knowledge having to be import-
ed from outside, a dangerous
situation is likely to arise. For.
excepting those who have special
resources at their command (for
instance, being able to go
abroad), knowledge will be
unavailable to tbe bulk of
people. Or it would be avail-
able in a rather watered down
version. We already see evidence
of this in the thirdrate publish-
ing that goes on in the country ..
Our failure so far to have a
national book policy should be
viewed in this context. In regard
to we have default-
ed by our failure to implement
even the prescribed policies.
But the relevant structure are
there-the UGC, the ICAR, the
Indian Medical Council and so
on.
As for publishing, even the
necessary structures do not
exist. We only have a pretence
of them. This may be owing to
bureaucratic indifference or
worse. An equally important
explanation is tbat we have not
yet given publishing the import-
ance it deserves .
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
BHARAT SCOUTS AND GUIDES
Principal Lakshman Singh Elected
National Commissioner
First Punjabi to get highest honour
Principal Lakshman Singh of Bombay bas been elected as
National Commissioner, Bharat Scouts and Guides, India, for a
threeyear term (198386) by the National Council at its meeting
held recent Iv in New Delhi.
This is t'he first time that a Sikh and a Punjabi has been
conferred this highest honour in the scouts and guides movements.
Formerly, he was Chief Commissioner (Scouts) of India.
As leader'lrainer of rare ment. Sardar Lakshman Singh
di,tinction, he is sure to generate went through the Wood Badge
a new ethos and reorient Course-the highest qualifying
drastically the scouts and guides training in scouting, first at
praclices. Sitlakhet in 1939 and again ,
Sardar Lakshman Singh has
been associated with lhe scout
movement for about si. decades
since 1924 and has wJrked in
multiple capacities a, patrol
leader, scouter, leader trainer
and commissioner at various
levels.
He was elected", state chief
commissioner, Maharashtra, the
highe,t executive po;t in the
state, in 1967 and worked in that
capacity for about 12 years. He
organised during his tenure
of office the VI national
jamboree in Bombay. He also
worked as adviser from 1972 to
1976.
Before Partition, he was the
head of six educational
institutions in Karachi, Sind,
and had the privilege of being
president of the state association
of heads of secondary and
mUltipurpose educational institu-
tions continuously for two
terms.
Sardar Sahib worked as state
commissioner, Sind and
ed scout guide mela at Karachi
in 1946 wherein about 10,000
scouts and guides participated
from all over the country.
After moving to Bombay in
1947, he got started the Guru
Nanak Vidyak Society which is
noW funning about two dozen
institutions. He worked as over-
all executive head of these
institutions as general secretary
of the society till 1972 when
government of Maharashtra
requisitiooed his services as
Advisor to the State Govern-
with distinction, at the then
International Training Centre at
Gilwell Park, U.K., in 1951.
He was elected
President of Bombay Association
of Heads of Secondary and
multi purpose institutions duro
ing their Sliver Jubilee celebra
tions which were presided over
by the then President of India,
Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
He assisted, at the invitation
of the government of Nepal in
1952, in conducting at
Kathmandu, the first ever Scout
Leaders Training Course, as a
step forward introducing scout-
ing in that country.
He was chairman of com-
m i L1ee on .. A dult Leadership in
Scouting and Guiding" constitu-
ted by the national headquarters
in 1961 at the instance of the
then national commissioner, late
Dr. H N. Kunzru.
Sardar Lakshman Singh led
Indian delegation to the Asia
Pacific regional conference held
in Rangoon (Burma) in 1953
and represented the national
association at the three World
scou t conferences held in Europe
(1951), in U.S.A. (1967) and in
U.K (1979).
He also led contingents to
the world jamborees in Austria
and Idaho (U.S.A.) aud travelled
widely in Sri Lanka, Burma,
Philippines, Japan, Europe,
U.K. and U.S,A., studying
trends in education and youth
development programmes.
He was conferred by the
Indiau government the coveted
National Award in 1963 in
recognition of his services of
outstanding merit in the field of
education.
He is also the recipient of the
scouts and guides movement's
highest award in the country-
the Silver Elephant-for his
meritorious services of the most
exceptional character.
Sardar Lakshman Singh was
appointed Justice of Peace in
1965 through 1974 and again
worked as special executive
magistrate.
And last year in April the
world scout bureau invited him
as guest participant to the Asia-
Pacific region staff management
conference held in Manila.
7 30th May, 1983
Tbe former Ace Hockey Olympian
PRITHIPAL SIN G H
An intellectual Among Sportsmen
Prithipal Singh, the former ace hockey Olympian and Dean
of Student Welfare in the Punjab Agriculture UnIversity, Ludhiana
was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the university campus
on May 20.
The assailants fired from close range as Prithipal Singh was
parking his motorcycle outside the administrative block. The first
bullet hit him in the head and he fell down. The assailants fired
another shot before running away.
Prithipal Singh was taken to the hospital where he was declared
dead.
To Prithipal Singh, life was a crusade, a constant struggle to
overcome the mean and meaningless. .
Ever since he came on the Asian Games (1958, 62, 66) and
national scene in 1957 as a right tbree Olympics (1960, 64, 68) and
full back of outstanding merit a host of international tourna-
till his exit after the debacle in ments, the most noteworthy of
the Olympic Games at Mexico which being the one at Ham-
in 1968, the impediments he had burg in 1966 where he led India
to surmount were far too many. for the first time.
Lesser mortal, would have given For all the seeming indiffer-
up but Prithipal Singh survived ence, Prithipal Singh was a man
crisis after crisis by sheer of firm convictions. He had
strength of his character - strong views on many issues and
In his heyday, Prithipal never compromised on them.
Singh was a full back nonpareil. For a brief period, he was in the
He added a new dimension to selection committee of the IHF.
the conversion of penalty He was also the, Secretary of the
corners, and the power he Punjab Hockey Association, but
generated from the steely wrists could not work effectively in the
was a despair of the goal- face of a strong dissident group
keepers. and spent much of his energy in
Prithipal Singh, it must be litigation.
admitted, throve in his chosen Holder of a Master's Degree
field by the relaxation of the in Agriculture, Ptithipal Singh,
"sticks rule", which, however after a turbulent period in
was reimposed after the Olympic Punjab Police, and Northern
Games in Tokyo where Prithipal Railway, was attracted to educa-
Singh proves his proficiency in tion and took up in an academic
no unoertain terms. That he position in the Agricultural
played a leading role in India University in Ludhiana. He
regaining the Gold Medal showed a penchant for student
cannot be denied. welfare. He felt that the young-
Tall, erect and stern looking, sters had lost their sense of
Prithipal Singh was rugged, but values and direction and was
hardly looked the genial person appalled by the abuse of drugs
that he was. He played the and alcoholism in the campus,
game in the right spirit and not to speak of violence.
refused to be provoked even Ironically, an intellectnal
when the situation looked like among sportsmen, Prithipal
warranting it. Singh, was consumed by
Prithipal Singh's international violence. He was the first reci-
career which began with a tour of pient of the Arjuna Award in
Eas! Africa in 1959 spanned three 1962.
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"THE SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
Letters to
the Editor
"Importance of intellect in
Sikb Dbaram"
Sir, With reference to the
article "Importance of Intellect
in Sikh Dharam" (Spokesman,
May 16), I bave tbe following
observations to make in order to
clarify the true concept of Gur-
mat:
It bas been stated tbat tbe
"Sikb Gurus bave given top-
most importance to intelligence,
understanding and knowledge"
and that "a person wbo does
not possess qualities of aware-
ness, knowledge, intelligence and
education is like tbe most stu-
pid beast i.e. ass." These are no
doubt admirable qualities
wbicb everyone sbould try to
possess in order to make life
progressive and meaningful.
That is wby in tbe Sikh liturgy,
kirtan is followed by katha
every day in tbe Gurdwaras.
But tbese qualities cannot be
described, in tbemselves, to be
of topmost importance in Gur-
mat. It is tbe sincere and cons-
tant devotion ('saTam') towards
self-realisation and above all
tbe Almigbty God's grace
(' karam') wbicb bave to top our
endeavours. Otberwise, intellec-
tual and mental qualities alone
will tend to raise a wall of ego
between man and God. Gurbani
has clearly warned "Parheya
Murakb ~ Akheye Jis Lab Lobh
Abankar" (tbe socalled
worldly educated person-more
than the simple man of faith
and devotion is apt to act fool-
ishly because he is ffiiacted by
a sense of attachment, greed
and ego). Even our intelligence
sometimes leads us astray as
depicted at several places in
Gurbani. It has to be kept
untarnished tbrough constant
prayers. "Akli Parh ke Bujhea"
(to seek realisation after gain-
ing worldly knowledge) has,
therefore, to be a Sikh's aim
in life.
Again, mere equating of
hukam with God's power ('shak-
ti') will not lead us to a correct
understanding of Gurmat phi-
losophy. A Sikh is not required
by his Guru to be a sakat
(worshipper of sflakti) but
remain a hukmi banda. Hukam
(or higher still 'Raza') is God's
supreme unquestioned, Will
which is above all physical,
chemical or natural laws which
themselves are_ His own crea-
tion. We have to realise our seif
through submission to that
Divine Will by weeding out
falsehood and unhappiness from
our life.
Let us, therefore, by all
means develop our intelligence,
knowledge aud understanding
but at the same time beware
of their inherent limitations.
-Joginder Singh, M.A.
New D.lhi 110057.
Not A Nationalist Government
Sir, For the Panjab tangle,
Mr. Girilal Jain, (The Times of
India), bas put all the blame
on the Akalis, who represent
the Sikh Panth-the Sikhs in the
Congress are not the represen-
tatives of the Sikhs.
Firstly, ilis wrong to compare
Sikhs with Jews. The case of these
two nations is quite different.
The Jews, scattered all over the
world had no place they could
call it their home, and a home
had to be found for them. As
for the Sikhs they bave the
Punjab as their homeland-for
that matter the whole of India
is their homeland, where the
younger brother (Sikhs) want to
lead an honourable life-the
basis of the present struggle on
their part. At tbe present the
majority community, intoxicated
with the power fallen into their
hands out of the blues, finds it
difficult to have rational thinking
and is victim of prejudice
and communalism-this, it is
boped, will mitigate if not
vanish absolutely in the due
course of time. It is because of
their prejudice and communal
thinking that the Panjabi
Hindus have denied Panjabi as
their mother-tongue-no other
instance of such an out and ou t
lie, can be found in any other
part of the world. Because of
this a truncated Panjabi Suba
has been carved. If tho Sikhs
are in a slight majority in this
state, the Panjabi Hindus have
themselves to blame for it. In
the other hand, had a proper
Panjabi-speaking state been
formed, the Hindus would have
been in a majority in such a state
also. From this one is com-
pelled to deduce that if Panjabi
Hindus are not faithful to their
own mother-tOngue and their
state, it is very difficult to
expect them to be faithful to
bigger, i.e. nationa] issues.
As regards the Hindu fears
in the Panjab, this is baseless.
Why should the all powerful
Hindus be afraid of a people
who form only 2% of the
country's population? Perhaps,
8
it is the force of habit that keeps
tbem crying even when no
damage is being done to them.
On the other hand, these are
the minority communities such
as Muslims, Sikhs, Christians,
etc. whose very existence is being
threatened in one form or the
other. As for the Sikhs, their
fears, that they might be
assimilated with the Hindus, for
which subtle methods are being
used, are genuine. As such the
Sikhs are perforce required to
fight against this. What has
happened' to the Muslims in
Assam and at variou5 other
places in the country, might not
happen to the Sikhs also.
Under such circumstances to
call India a secular state does
not hold good. This ideal may
have been inculcated in the
Constitution, but what is
happening in practice is quite to
the contrary, All the thinking,
actions, framing of rules and
regulations clearly show the
communal tinge of the powers
that be. The reduction of the
numbers of the Sikhs in the
country's armed forces is
another example of the com-
munal thinking of the auhori-
ties. As such there is no ques-
tion of the Akalis pushing
around the Union Goverument
towards compromising its
"s:cular character".
30th May, 1983
-
To call only the few Sikhs
working with the Congress as
"nationalists" is wrong use of
the word The Sikhs in general
aJe more nationalists than any
otber community in the country.
Their sacrifices for the mother-
land are far greater than the
majority community, but
strange, its fruits are bei ng
reaped by the latter. Even now,
no Sikh is known to have given
away national secrets to foreig
ners, which cannot be said of
the members of the m.jority
community. The Sikbs bave
defended tbe frontiers and the
honour of the country; in the
West, they are the real hurdle
against any attack from
Pakistan.
Finally, the trouble in Assam
and Pu"jab is the creation of
the Congress party, a party that
believes in the policy of divide
and rule, as jf it WlS ruling
a foreign country. The party
realises that if there was unity'
among the Sikhs and the Panjabi
Hindus, the Congress could
never hJpe to rule i1 the
Panjlb. And a Governm ent
whicil believes in creating
discord among its citizens
cannot be called a nationalist
government.
- Lt-Coi. Gulcharan Singh
J aladnhar (Reid.}
Sikbism is not a part of Hinduism
Sir, While Chaudhri Charan
Singh may have his viewl whe
ther Sikbs should or sh'Juld not
be recognised as a minority
community, he has expressed
certain views on Sikhism which
have to be contradicted,
Sikhism is no part of Hindu-
ism. For Sikhs it is not a ques-
tion ,of interpretation but of the
commandments of the Guru
Granth Sahib.
He has called Guru Gobind
Singh a devote of Bhagwati. He
is the tenth in line of Gurus.
Says he himself: "I am not an
idol worshipper; nor would I
pay obeisance to anyone except
God; nor would I create inter-
mediaries for this purpose,"
(Bachhitar Natak). He (Charan
Singh) seems to consider that
Guru Gobind Singh is neither
true to the teacbings of his
predecessors, whose tenth light
he is, nor to his own words and
thoughts!
He has also been misled by
an essential difference in Hindu
and Sikh thinking. What Sikhs
regard as rich. mythology to be
drawn upon for literary purposes,
Hindus think of as a part of
their religion. Here our Hindu
friends mix their own religious
beliefs with literary flourishes.
Chaudhri Charan Singh has
also said the Sikhs were created
for protecting Hinduism, He
has not specifically said so but
h. seeml to think that there is
now uo need for it. The creation
of Sikhism owes its origin to
Guru Nanak and . tbe line he
laid down for its development.
Until Guru Hargobind there was.
no question of protection. It is
after the Hindus of Lahore
martyred Guru Arj an D,v that
Sikhs took up sword against
tyranny. They defended every'
one who wa. confronted with
tyranny including Hindus. They
also defended themselve., against
Hindu tyranny, Guru Gobind
Singh', first detractors after the
creation of Khalsa Were Hindu
Rajas of the hills who joined the
Mughals to try to eliminate thl>
Guru and his Khalsa.
-Indarjit Singh
New Delhi -11 0048.
V IS I T
GURU NANAK
LIBRARY
k ~ l i Baba Phoola Singb Marg,
RaJIDder Nagar, New Delhi-60.
Having Books on Sikh Reli-
gion and Gurbani in Punjabi
Hindi & English by eminent
wnters & other books on Punjabi
Literature.
Timings: 5 P.M. to 7.30 P.M.
Books are issued for 15 days,
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
PUNJAB
DEADLOCK
By : Sardar Bharpur Singh, Chandigarh
No indication, no signs are
visible that the solution of
the Punj.1) tangle is iu sight. It
is reported in ttl. press that the
Prime Minister can solve the
Punjab's problem and she will
not have time enough at her dis-
posal to attend to the negotia-
tions which have to take place
between the Akali leaders
and the Central leaders.
No Central Ministers' group
can solve and take deci-
sion on the demands which
Akalis have formulated in very
.clear terms and which have
beeu discussed for a number of
times and which stand dead-
locked at present.
The press bas more than
clearly said tbat the Home
Minister Mr. P.C. Sethi's state-
ment tbat a negotiated settle-
ment with the Akalis will be con-
cluded by June 17th-the day
fixed by tbe Akali dictator for
launching a state-wide agitation
-is not likely to take place. The
Prime Minister-the only ODe
wbo can break the de III )ck is
currently grappling IVI ( 1t the
J & K elections which are to
take place on June 5-, hree
days later she will leave o. a 12-
day tour of SO'De of tho Euro-
pean countries. Sl! hB no
time for attending to th'
problems eKcept in th, !lst week
of June 1983. The Ak Iii leadors
cannot and will not postpone
the struggle which is to start
on June 17 and for whi,h "Do
& Die" volunteers are b,ing put
under training.at A landpur
Sahib. It appears that tho Cen-
tre is ready for anoth" duel
with the Akalis tbe m 19nitude
of which cannot be foroseen or
imagined.
Meanwhile, other political
parties-prominently the B.I.P.
are also pressing for holding a
tripartite conference immedia-
tely. The B.l.P. leaders of the
Punjab have time and again
pressed for the solution of the
Punjab problem by the accep-
tance of tbe Akali demands
which tbe Hindu leadership now
support witbout reservation. The
present prominent demands
whicb need to be settled and
accepted in toto are in the in-
terest of the entire Punjab. The
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar
Darbar. Singh has also support-
ed them negativing the claim of
the Haryana Chief Minister.
It appears to the Punjab
public that the Centre is more
ioclined to sbow (undue) favours
to Haryana at the expense of
Punjabis. Tbe Akali leaders are
determined to have their
demands wbich concern the wel-
fare of the prosperity of the
entire Punjab accepted at what-
ever cost it may be. The govero-
ment, it is believed, depends
upon its power and strength to
control and suppress the Akali
'do & die' campaign. Only
the future events will show at
what cost,
A Bid to End Deadlock
The Janta Party are taking
an initiative to end the present
Punjab deadlock. It is said
that accepting the suggestion of
the Janta Party leaders, Sant
Harchand Singh Longowal has
acceded to convene a meeting of
tbe opposition parties at the
Akali D.l headquarters to find
an amicable solution to the
lingering Punjab tangle.
Mr. George Fernandes,
M.P., Mr. S. Shahahuddin,
General Secretary of the Janta
Party and sume other leading
M.Ps. took part in tbe discus-
,ions with tbe Sant on the
Punjab situiltion and how to
solve it. The Sant, the Janta
Party leaders have said, has
given a positive response to their
suggestion to hold a meeting of '
opposition leaders.
The Janta Party, the B,l.P.,
the Communist parties, in fact,
all the parties which attended
official sponsored tripartite meet-
ings, will join with the Akali
leaders to discuss and support
their demands. Tbe Punjab
problem has been accepted as a
national problem.
The Punjab Unit of the
B.J.P. has passed a resolution in
its meeting held in lullundur on
tbe May 21, saying that the
government is not serious about
solving the Punjab tangle. The
resolution has also alleged that
the Patiala incidents were engi-
neered by the Congress (I)
workers. Dr. Baldev Parkash,
President of the Punjab unit of
the B.J.P. told neWsmen at
lullundur ou May 21, that
the abrupt ending of the tripar-
tite talks was conclusive proof
of the Centre's delaying tactics .
The entire Punjab is anxi
ously awaiting a peaceful solu-
tion of the Punjab's unrest. The
Hindu janta, political and non-
polit ical support the reasonable
9 30th Mav. I Q83
Sardar Kuldip Singh, m.naging director of Simla CiJemic.ls
(Pvt.) Ltd, (seen right in the photograph )-tbe
manufacturers of famous C 'Simco" hair fixer
caned on President Giani Zan Singh recently.
demands of tbe Akalis in respect
of the restoration of Chandigarh
to Punjab river waters jispute
to be referred to a Supreme
Court Judge-,erving or retired
of Puojabi-speaking
areas at vlilage level to Punjab,
retention of Fazilka and Abobar
in Punjab.
Why Delay?
The Punjab public and the
Punjab press in particular and
all India press in general fail to
understand why the Prime
Minister is delaying the accep-
tance of these demands which
are supported by non-Sikh
political parties. The Punjab
leaders say that the Prime Minis-
ter is bent upon in showing
undue favours to Haryana. An
artificial agitation to back the
Haryana's alleged share in the
waters of Punjab river has been
started at the instance of those
who are secretly and strictly
opposed to the Akali demands
and Punjab's prosperity.
Sikh Lawyers
Sikh lawyers from various
parls of Punjab at a conference
held in Chandigarh on May 22,
unaDimously resolved to extend
aU help to Akali Dal's Morcha
for the acceptaDce of its de-
mands including those contained
in the Anandpur Sahib resolu-
tion.
The meeting had been orga-
nised by the Punjab Sikh lawyers
association and it had been
largelyallended. Major General
Jaswant Singh Bhullar and Dr.
Sohan Singh as special invitees
addressed the meeting.
The demand for the Akali
leaders meeting with the Central
leadets is growing and the delay
will only cause unrest with all its
consequences.
Golden Jubilee of
Mira Movement
Celebrated
The Golden Jubilee of the
Mira Movement in Education
founded by Sadhu T.L. Vaswani
in 1933, was celebrated at the
Ball Hall of Hotel Indonesia
Jakarta, where the elite of
town were present, including
Mr. O.P. Malhotra, Ambassador
of India, Mr. S.H. Pudja,
Director Geoeral, Bimas Hindu!
Buddha Dept., and the
Ambassador of Egypt.
Dada I.P. Vaswani spoke on
"Man and Education" and
said :-"What the nations need
today is a man-making, a
character-building education
which may teach the students to
live not for themselves alone but
also to help tbe depressed and
the down-trodden."
A play "The Angel's Meet"
and a tableau On Sadhu T.L.
Vaswani were enacted on the
stage. The documentary film on
Sadhu T.L. Vaswani, produced
by the Government of India was
also screened.
During his stay at Jakarta,
Dada J.P. Vaswani also inaugur-
ated a weekly Sadhu Vaswani
Satsang. Speaking on the occa-
SIon, Dada J.P. Vaswani said:-
"A Satsang is incomplete jf it
does not extend a helping hand
to those in need. Every human
being is a living, moving temple
of God. To serve them, is to
worship God."
An important item in the
programme of the Sadhu
Vaswani SatsaDg will be to pay
penodlcal VISIts to Orphanages
Homes for the Aged, and
Handicapped, and Schools for
the Blind.
I
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
Social, Literary and Cultural Activities in Capital
Promotion Of Punjabi Culture
By : Sardar Piara Singh, M.A.
With the establishment of
Punjabi Academy in the Capital,
those engaged in promotion of
Punjabi cullllre feel encouraged
and partronised. Even certain
philanthropists are showing
interest to cooperate in
organising Punjabi functions.
Punjabi Kala Kendra (Regd )
which had been founded by late
Shri Balraj Sahni in Bombay had
been active in Chandigarh with
tbe cooperation of Sardar H S.
Bhatty and Dr. Harcharan Singh
The organisation opened a
Branch in New Delhi last week
with Sardar Raja Singh of Texla
Television and Sarbh Sanjhi
Gurbani fame as patron. A spe-
cial function was organised at
Kamani Hall with the initiative of
Sardar Bahadur Singh of 3 H O.
The programme opened with
a Shabad. Speaking on the occa-
sian, Sardar Harcharan Singh
Josh said that Punjabi culture
was lively one and the impact
of its folk music and folk lore
had been felt by all whether in
India or abroad. He narrated
an incident that while in
Bulgaria he witnessed how a
gathering of 3 lac people was
bewitched by the performance
of Punjabi Bhangra. He tbanked
the chief guest Sbri Jag
Parvesh Chandra, Chief Execu-
tive Councillor, who in turn
recalled his association witb
Shri Balraj Sahni since his
college days and said that the
Punjabis have a proud place in
Delhi. He disclosed tbat be is
the first Punjabi who id 1952
raised voice in Delbi Assembly
fur the development of Punjabi
language and culture in Delbi
as lakb, of Punjabi refugees
came to Delhi fur permanent
settlement after the partition.
Others who graced the
occasion included Sardar
TarlDchan Smgh, Deputy Press
Secretary to the President,
Sardar Indarj it SlUgh President,
and Sardar Avtar Singh Sethi,
Gooeral Secretary of Punjabi
Cultural Fedecation and Sardar
Amarjit Singh Kohli of Yuv
Kala Manch. The programme
entitled 'MATAK HULARE'
included song' and dances
with rural impact accom ..
panied with instruments lilee
Alghoze, Chimta, Iktara, Kalo,
Dholak etc.
In the photo left to right are Sardar Avlar Singh Sethi, Shri
Jag Parvesh Chandra, Sardar Indarjit Singh Chhabra, Sard"
Ajit Singh, Sardar Tarlochan Singh, Principal Giani Sujan
Singh, Sardar Raja Singh and Sardar Bahadur Singh.
Role of Humour in ~ v i Darb1r convened by Sardar
Punjabi Poetry Tara Singh Kamal, and Prof.
"There are many rasas in life Harmeet Singh at Constitution
and all play important role in Club. With Raja Inder Singh as
their own spbere. In a com- Chairman, Reception Committee,
munity which is chivalrous Bir the function was presided over
ras is predominant but humour by Sardar Ajit Singh Khurana.
and laugbter has its own impor- Kamal decried the low standard
tance", said Union Minister Shri of performance by certain
Vasant Sathe. He added that organisations and stressed that
he bad been much impressed by there had been a need for
tbe life of Guru Gobind Singh, presenting cultural shows of high
Shiva Ji and Maharana Partap standard. Since laughter is tbe
who sacrificed everything for an spice of life, Haas Ras Kavi
avowed cause Darbar entertains people and
Shri Vasant Sathe was inau- soothes tensed_nerves.
gurating Lok Rang Haas Ras Poets like Hari Singh Dilbar,
10
Ram Narain Singh Dudi,
Sansar Singh Gharib, Sadhu
Singh Dard, Tara Chand Azad
participated. The function
opened with a humorous song by
Suman Anand.
AIR & TV
The talk on 'Gurbani and
Integration' by Sardar Avtar
Singh Bagga, General Manager,
Punjab & Sind Bank had b,en
illuminating as the speaker
quoted verses to support his
arguments.
This Sunday was the turn of
the sponsored programme of
Sarva Sanjhi Gurbani by Texla
TV. The programooe included
Shabad by Bhai Sahib Sohan
Singh Rasia and hi, party.
Listeners generally feel that
thi' programme should be
telecast every Sunday.
All-round progre.ss by
Oriental Bank of Commerce
Oriental Bank of Commerce
has achieved a marked all-round
growth in 1982 with a high
rate of deposit mobilisation,
credit deployment, disbursement
to the priority sector and branch
expansion.
Deposits of thc bank in-
creased by Rs. 91.03 crores to
Rs.487.35 crores showing a
growth of 22 97 per cent against
13.9 per cent for the banking
industry as a whole during 1982.
In the past six years, the banle's
deposits have recorded a
spectacular rise from Rs. 109
crores in 1976 to Rs. 487 crores
in 1982. By 1983 the bank
plans tho cross the Rs. 1000
crore mark in deposits.
The bank's total credit ex-
panded by Rs. 41.60 crores to
Rs. 265.24 crores at the end of
1982. The priority sector's
share was 34.26 per cent at
Rs. 90.87 crores in 1982. The
bank is striving to reach the
target of over 37 per cent in
priority sector advances by
1983 end and of 40 per cent by
1985.
During 1982, the bank
added 23 branches, taking the
total to 386. Of these 261 (67.6
per cent) are located in rural
and semi-urban areas. Thirty
new branches are proposed to
be opened during the current
year.
The bank's gross profit has
risen sharply to Rs. 7.05 crores
in 1982 from Rs. 4.39 crores in
1981. After prOVISIons, the
net profit is Rs. 63.84 lakhs
against Rs. 55.36 lakhs.
Tea Board Chief
Mr Jagdish Chander Khattar
has assumed charge as chairman
of the Tea Board of India
succeeding Mr B. K. Goswami.
Mr Khattar has been hitherto
the director of tea promotions of
the Tea Board in London.
30th May, 1983
Dr Bhagat Singh
Dies In Toronto
Dr Bhagat Singh, M.L.A.,
Punjab and a senior Akali leader.
died of a heart attack at Toronto,
Canada, on May 20, 1983.
Dr Bhagat Singh had gone-
there for medical treatment in
November. He was scheduled to
return this month.
Dr Bhagat Singh was born
on January 5, 1926, at Dera
Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur
district. He did his B. Sc. in
1944 and for some time worked
as Tehsildar. Afrer quitting the
job be did bis M.B.B.S. and
joined the P.C.M.S.
Dr Bhagat Singh resigned
from the P.C.M.S. in 1962 and
joined the Akali Dal headed by
the late Sant Fateh Singh. He,
was elected to the Punjab
Assembly in 1967, 1969, 1977
and 1980 He served as a
Cabinet Minister in the Ministry
headed by Sardar Parbsh Singh
Badal.
Sant Harchand Singh Longo-
wal, Sardar Gurcharan Singa
Tohra, J athedar J agdev Singh
Talwandi condoled Dr Bhagat.
Singh's death and recalled his
services to the Panth.
Giani Zail Singh in a message-
said that a void had been creat-
ed in the public life of Punjab.
Mr A. P. Sharma and Sardar'
Darbara Singh expressed their'
shock over the death.
Court Notice
In the Court of
Shri Jagdish Chandra,
District Judge, Delhi.
Guardianship Act
Case No. 247/83
1. Mr. Upendra Kumar
Agrawal 2. Mrs. Santosh AgrawaE
both residents of 226, Naya
Bans, Delhi-ll0006.
Versus ... Petitioners
1. The State. 2. Delhi Council
for Child Welfare. Qudsi'a
Gardens, Alipur Road, Delhi.
The petitioners above-
named having applied to be-
appointed the guardian of the
person and property of minor
Minor Male Child Master
KARAN alias ALOK born
on 22nd April, 1983. This
28th day of May, 1983 has been
fixed for hearing of the
application and notice is
here by given to general public
that if any other relative, friend,
kinsman or well-wisher declared
as desire to oppose appearance
in person in the court for
declaration of guardian of
the person an d property of
t he said minor. On the
aforesaid date and be prepared
to adduce evidence in support of
his claim to such appointment
of declaration or in support of
this opposition to the applica-
tion the petitioners aforesaid.
Given under my hand and
the seal of the Court. This 16th
day of May, 1983.
Sd/- District Judge,
(Seal) Delhi.
I
I
!
THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 11 30th May, 19&3
Viewpoints
Sikhism has a specific religious
code as synthesised by Sikh Gurus
The Akalis did not come into being with
the 1923 Jaito morcha-incidentally, Pandit
Nehru also participated in that morcha and
Gandhiji blessed it-but, like tbe Akal
Takht which is the sanctum sanctorum of
the Sikhs in their Golden Temple at
Amritsar, the origin and history of the Akali
movement goes back to a hoary past. Akali
Phoola Singh, a famous Sikh general, was
mortally wounded in the year 1810 figbting
the Pat bans on the nortb west frontier of tbe
Punjab to keep the .. marauders from pillag-
ing on plains of Hindustan.
ther you caU the Sikbs a nation, or a
minority community or just a rabble of
Sardarjis, the fact is tbat they form a solid
body of many millions in India and abroad
and they JUSt can Dot be ignored.
Guru Gobind Singb decided that he should
also be the last Guru for he did not believe
tbat human nature could be relied upon
always to produce men of the type for the
leadersbip of tbe Sikhs. He, tberefore,
ordained that on his death the actual book
of the Sikh scriptures-the Granth Sahib-
sbould be regarded as the spiritual head or
Guru of the Sikh people. Such it has ever
remained and, let us be frank, the Sikhs
constitute a theocracy.
temple precincts, tbey must be flushed out
and if necessary by employing an elite police
force, as this is a delicate task but quite be-
yond our run of tbe mill trigger-happy cops
who, day in and day out, are engaged in
reprehensible activities, gang rapes, fake
encounters with citizens who bave tempo-
rarily fallen foul of authority and so on and
so forth. India will be land of law and
order once the Indian cop is placed in law
and order.
Take a simple case like 'rasta roko'. Tbe
The rasta is rokoed in 'Nasik, in Assam and
in so many otber places in India but the
police shoots up nO young "miscreants".
But came April 4 and rasta roko in the
Punjab, and twenty peaceful demonstrators
are shot by our cops . Why?
Secondly, tbe case of tbe Nirankaris
like the Abmediyas in Pakistan vis-avi;
Islam, tbe Sikbs look upon tbe Sikh Niran-
k.aris as heretics from Sikbism for the very
simple reason tbat Nirankaris worship a
living guru whicb is against the 'mool
mantra' of tbe Sikh faith.
The majority of Nirankaris go about in
the garb of Sikhs-uncut beards and unshorn
bair tied up in a knot protected by a turban
-but do not believe in the fundamental
tenet of Sikhism as so categorically laid
down by Guru Gobind Singb.
Now, if the "Sikh Nirankaris" would
shave off their beatds and cut tbeir hair
short and look like other non-Sikhs, the
Sikhs will not have any enmity towards
them. Let tbis new religion 'Nirankarism'
flourish on its own if it has a message for
mankind but tbe Sikhs cannot have a thistle
growing in the Sikh rose-garden. It is as
simple as that.
Students burn ' buses almost every week
in cities all over tbe country and no one is
shot for this rasta roko witb a vengeance.
May One ask why this different approach to
the Punjabi peasant Sikhs?
Lastly, while I have difficulty in finding
strong enough language to condemn the
brutal murder of Mr AtwaJ, allegedly done
by a renegade Sikh, I wouldn't be surprised
if the killer was a dear one of those
twenty so mindlessly shot by the police dur-
ing the Punjab rasta roko trouble last month.
Are not sueh cops criminals, too, and should
not they be brought to book? Equity de-
mands it.
UnlikeHi!ldui.sm is all things to
all men, SIkblSm IS a speCific religious code
and a way of life as synthesised by the Sikh
gurus, the .tenth of whom was the great
Guru Gobmd Smgh. It was Gobind Singh
who, welded the Sikhs into a military body
or church mIlitant'; and though terribly
persecuted by the Muhammedan rulers of
the Punjab, tbey held their Own and became
a sovereign entity under Ranjit Singh. Whe-
My third point is about the socalled
criminals said to be hiding in the Golden
Tern pie complex If our intelligence is
reliable and there are such people in the New Delhi.
COURT NOTlCES
In tbe Court of
Shri Jagdish Chandra,
Distrk' t Judge, Delbi.
Guardianship Act
Case No. 263/83.
1. Mr. Parloh Keese 2. Mrs
Kareh Eberhardt Keese rs/o 21,
Boulderbrook Road, Wilton,
Connecticut 06897, U.S.A. 3.
Mrs C.L. Soin, Hony. Secretary,
Delbi Council for Child Welfare,
Qudsia Gardens, Delhi.
... Petitioners
Versus
I. D.C.C.W. Qudsia Gardens,
Delhi-llOO54, 2. The State
(tbrough I.C.c. W).
The petitioners above-named
having applied to be
appointed the guardian of the
person of minor Miss Nargis
born on 5th February, 1982 at
Delhi (orphan). This 30tb day of
May, 1983 has been fixed for
hearing of the application
Notice is hereby given to general
public Ihat if any other relative,
friend, kinsman or well-wisher
declared as guardian of the
person of tbe said minor
or desire to oppose appearance
in person in the court. On the
aforesaid date and be prepared
to adduce evidence in support of
his claim to such appointment
of declaration Or in support of
tbis opposition to tbe applica-
tion of the petitionets aforesaid.
Given under my hand and
tbe seal of tbe Court. lhi, 21st
day of May, 1983.
Sd/ District Judge,
(Seal) Delhi.
In the Court of
Sbri Jagdish Chandra,
District Judge, Delhi.
Guardianship Act
Case No. 248/83
I. Shri Jugal Kishore Bhatia,
2. Mrs Chander Kala rs/o 169,
Kalyan Vihar, Delhi-110009.
... Petitioners
Versus
1. Sister Tarcisia, Missionaries
of Charity, 12-Commissioners
Lane, DelhiI10054. 2. M.O C.
The petitioners above-named
having applied to be appointed
the guardian of the person of
minor Miss Racbna born on 1st
July,I981 at D'ihi (orphan) .
This 4tb day of June, 1983
has been fixed for hearing
of the application. Notice
is hereby given to general
public that if any other
relative, friend, kinsman or well-
wisher declared as guardian of
the person of the said minor or
desire to oppose appearance in
person in the court. On the
aforesaid date and be prepared
to adduce evidence in support of
his claim to such appointment
of declarati<ln or in support of
his opposition to the applicant
on the petitioner aforesaid.
Given under my band and
tbe seal of the Court. Tbis 19th
day of May, 1983 .
Sd/- District
(Seal) Delbi.
In the Court of
Shri Jagdish Chandra,
District Judge. Delhi.
Guardianship Act
Case No. 262/83
1. Mr. Carl Gilbert Driver 2:
Mrs Tuyet Driver rs/o 1513
West Lincoln Avenue, Yakima,
Wasington 98902, USA presently
at 142, Malcha Marg, New
Delhi, 3 Mrs C.L. Soin Hony
Secretary, Delhi Council for
Cbild Welfare, Delhi.
... Petitioners
Versus
I. D.C.C.W. Qudsia Gardens,
Delhi-1I0054, 2. The State
(through I.C.C.W.)
The petitioners above-named
having applied to be appointed
tbe guardian of the person of
minor Miss Radba Charlene.
born on 24th of February, 1983
at Delhi (orpban). This 30th day
of May, 1983 has been fixed
for hearing of the application.
Notice is hereby given to
general public that if any other
relative, friend, kinsman or well-
wisher declared as guardian of
tbe person of the said minor or
desire to oppose appearance in
person in the court. On the
aforesaid date and be prepared
to adduce evidence in support of
his claim to such appointment of
declaration or in support of his
opposition to the applicant on
the petitiqners aforesaid.
Given under my hand and
tbe seal of the Court. This 21st
day of May, 1983.
Sd!- District Judge,
(Seal) Delhi.
-Brig. Irwiu Kullar (Retd.)
In the Court of
Sbri Jagdish Chandra,
District Judge, Delbi.
Guardianship Act
Case No. 258/83
1. Mr. Harbans Lal Anand
2. Mrs Harsh Anand rs /0
C-l/48, Maika Ganj, Delhi.
'" Petitioners
Versus
1. Sister Tarcisia, Missionaries
of Cbarity, 12Commissioners
Lane, Delhi.
The petitioners above-
named having applied to be
appOinted the guardian of
the person of minor Master
Puneet Anand, bOTD on 15th
September, 1982 at Delhi
(orphan). This 28th day of
May, 1983 has been fixed for
hearing of the application.
Notice is hereby given to general
public that if any otber relative ,
friend, kinsman or well-wisber
declared as guardian of the per-
son of the said minor or desire
to oppose appearance ifi
person in the court. On the
aforesaid date and be prepared
to adduce evidence in support of
his claim to such appointment
of declaration or in support of
his opposition to the applicant
on the petitioner aforesaid.
Given under my hand and
the seal of the Court. This 19th
day of May, 1983.
Sdl- District Judge.
Delbi.
(Seal)
Printed at Everest Press, 4, Cham eli an Road, DelhiIl0006 & published by Charanjit Singh from 6-No th d C 1
R. K. Ashram Marg, New DelbiI, Editor: Ghanisham Singh. Phone Office: 344676, Residenc:: ex,
Regd. No. D-(C)-85 THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY R.N.1 Regd.543/57 30th May, 1983
Sikhs Demands Genuine and Just
They are within the framework of the Constitution and law 'of the country
. By : Saot Harcband Slogb Loogowal
The di scriminatory atti tude of the Singh Talwandi and Sukbjinder Singh joined
government against Sikhs during the last 34 in. You say there are two voices but there is
years bas forced them to fight for the rigbls only One voice.
of Punjab, it (tbe goveroment's attitude) has
made them realise that they will have to
fight for their rights. The instances of dis
crimination arc regarding tbe distribution
of river waters. Punjabispeaking villages,
the capit al, Sikhs living outside India, and
interference in the gurdwara. and the
decrease in tbe recruitment of Sikbs in the
army. These issues hdve forced the Sikhs to
fight . A Sikh docs not rely upon any foreign
nat ion (for help) and is not susceptible to
foreign instigation. We have faitb in our
country. We are primarily [ndians. We
believe in the integration of the country.
This country is dearer to us . We are for the
safeguard of tbe mot herland, but we want
equal status in this land.
We want "equal" behaviour from the
government. We want to be treated equally.
lhe feeling of discrimination has arisen
hecause in the di stribution of water the
paltern in t he rest of India is different, and
for Punj ab it is different . Similarly, recruit
ment to all ot her services is on the basis of
merit , but to reduce the number of tbe
Sikbs in tbe military they have taken the
population formula. Similarly tbe Sikhs settl-
cd outside who are in Haryana and UP are
being evicted from their land. Similarly the
Punjabi-s peaking areas have been kept out
(of the Punj abi Suba) whereas in the rest of
India these things do not occur. Our capital
has been taken away. Even the three head-
works has also been taken away from
Punjab. That is why all Sikhs have realised
tbat the attitude of tbe government is step-
motherly, and ali Sikhs have realised tbat
they should join the movement and that
The resolution was drafted, approved,
accepted by the Shiromani Akali Da/. The
Shiromani Akali Oal had launcbed an agita-
tion for the acceptance of this resolution.
All tbese reli gi ous, economic, pvl itical and
territorial demands arc part of that Anand-
pur Sahib Resol ution. The demand Cor
proper water di stribution is not included in
Ihe Resolution . It is extra. The relay of
gurbani is not incl uded in lhe Resolution.
So we are demanding more thaa the
Anandpur Sahib Resolution. Tbe Akalis are
stating the problems of the Sikhs as a
whole. With the passage of time, new
things can crop up. Tbe Akalis have taken
ali those into consideration. As for Sant
Bhindranwale, he is an honourable rel igiou.
teacber. He is supporting the movement.
The Akali Dal is the only organisat io.1
which decides. We had presented a memo
randum to the government of India and we
are fight ing for that . [t WJ S presented to
Mrs Indira Gandhi on Jul y 26 , 1981 during
the World Sikh Convention. We are fighting
on the basis of that charter . Anyhow, Sant
Bhindranwa le was not in tbe pict ure earlier.
He j oined us ob August 4, 1982 whereas
Akali Dal had"been holding morcha from
before . .
From the outset, tbese are . the demands
of all Punjabis. Water and electr icity arc
the demands of Punjab. Religious demand.
also can be for the Sikbs only. But our
demands are not only for Punj abis and
Sikhs but one of our major demands is for
the whole of India, for tbe true federal
system, as per the Anandpur Sahi b Resolu-
A Sikh does not rely upon any foreign nation and is not
susceptible to foreign instigation. We have faith in our country.
We are primarily Indians.
their demands are genuine. Sikhs all Over
the world, Punjabis, bonest Hiodus and
Mohammedans and Christians are support-
ing tbe movement .
In 1978 wben we were in power we passed
a resolution which was approved by 20 lakh
people. At that time Lokn.yak Jayaprakasb
Narayan wrote to us that just as you fougbt
against tbe Emergency and got independence
you must again figh t for more powers for
the states. In 1978, the Dal was in power
and when we were holding a conference,
Loknayak Jayaprakash wrote to us support-
ing the (Anandpur Sahib) Resoluti on. Then
our government broke and we lost power ...
and we had to continue our fight . Chand-
,asekhar was present, and t he case regarding
the waters was taken to the Supreme Court
and the Tbein Dam Project was approved .
The programme is of the Akal i Da!. Tbe
Dal has chalked out the programme and
wboever is supporting the agilation is obey-
ing the programme of the Akali Dal. So the
question of twO voices does not arise_ There
is no moderate or radical voice. That is tbe
programme of the dictat or of tbe morcha.
And lakhs of people have joi ned the morcha
and milli ons have supported it. Rather , the
thi ngs are tbe reverse. You say two voices .
During this agitation, all other Akal i Dais
stood dissol, ed . Even Jathedar Jagdev
tion. If you go through it you will see we
have never demanded anything for Sikbs,
as such. Religious demands can only be
for Sikbs. Of course, Hindus too can
demand like water, territorial issue, Punjabi-
speaking areas, language problem in the
neighbouring states, 'are for Punjabis. I am
confident tbat CPI, CPI (M), even BJP at its
Pathankot session, in fact all the opposition
parties, are supporting me ... not only
supporting but saying tbat our demands are
genuine.
This matter concerns tbe relat ions of One
state with anotber. Desh da kanoon /agu
karo. Je [oha sanu mulat milda howey, je
khand sanu mulat mildi, taad assi paani mulat
de sakdey haan (enforce tbe laws of the
land. If we were to get iron or sugar free,
we would be willing to give water free) . Why
areo' t the same principl es which apply to
other states being applied in my state?
Punjab is already cryiog for more water.
We have less water tban we need . The
question is to accept the principle of owner-
ship of rivers. Punjab is bei ng discriminated
against on tbis count. This is why we say
this issue sbould be taken to the supreme
court. The supreme court is not a Sikh
organisation. Thus I want an ali-India
decjsion ,
. Th.e ne.gotiations are not progressing and
sometimes they have fallen though at the
final stage. Mrs Gandhi has been encircled
by some gangsters whose ' approach is
communal. She is not herself communal.
But her advise" are. Similarly, this lady is
of such a nature that she does not like to
give credit to anyone else. Tbis lady is more
conceroed about party politics and ' self-
interest. And the interest of her party. The
whole of the opposition and the whole of the
genuine thinkers of tbe country arc of the
opinion that the demands of tbe: AkaJi. Dal
are genuine. They are witbin tbe framework
of Ibe constitution, the law of ' the country.
Even then Mrs Gandhi has not conceded
the demands straightaway; because she does
not want to give credit to Akali Dal and '
.she does not want to give the impression that
her parly has suffered a loss by. giving the
credit to some reli gious and regional party.
Time has proved that almost cent per
cent Siklls are supportiog my party and my
agitation except a few who can be counted'
00 fingertips. They (such persons) have
always exi sted in history such as Rajaman
Singh during Akbar's period and Jai Cband.
Similarly in Sikh hi story there has been .
Pahara Singb and a few others. So only
such Sikhs who are capturing chairs and
seek some favours from the government are
supporting the government. Otherwis; the
common Sikhs en bloc are supporting my
agitation. This is not an ' .agitation by a
party, this is an agitation by the Sikbs.
We are determined to keep our struggle
completely peaceful , despite the provocation
of the government. To be ready for a prolong-
ed struggle-as I see it that is the intention
of tbe government of India-this peaceful
force (of one lakh volunteers) has been
recruited. Its purpose is carrying on the
peaceful agitation within tbe framework of
the constitution.
Even retired generals have approved that
the struggle is within the constitutional
framework. They said, your demands are
geouine and not against tbo country. They
have come to me voluntarily.
We have not taken arms from anyone.
nor do we need them. The movement will
remain peacefeul. 1,07,000 volunteers have
already courted arrest . They all remained
peaceful. 150 people have died. But there
is 00 apprehension of violence.
The AkaU Oal is the only party repre-
senting all the Sikhs of the world. That is
why hundreds of Sikhs went to the United
Nations in support of AkaU demands. None
went to the UN for Indira Gandhi or for
a ny other person.
Tbe circumstances were sucb that we
have always tried to accommodate other
parties. We can try, in future to go it
alone. We have never gone to the polls
alone in the past. But We won 60 seats out
of 117 in the last elections in 1977. But if
the need arises ... l doo't say ... we bave neVer
experienced what going it alone is like. If
the need arises, we can form a government
on our own. But We want to keep the
Hindus with us .
We want a government with tbe
of Hindus and Sikhs and Christians
Mohammedans.
help
and