In his recently published autobiography
veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar has alluded to the role of Dal Khalsa while
writing about the genesis of the Punjab problem. Nayar in his 16 page (from
Page 281 to 297) chapter titled “Punjab in
flames”, has mocked at the Panthic groups and our value systems. Excerpts of
his autobiography have been published in various English dailies.
Dal Khalsa was founded on 6th August 1978 at a meeting held at Chandigarh
Gurdwara organized jointly by several Sikh youth organizations. However, the
founding members made it public through a press conference on 13th August.
The nomenclature ‘Dal Khalsa’ was provided by former ICS Sirdar Kapur Singh.
The organization stood for the glory of the Khalsa Panth and defied the
mainstream political parties including the Akalis.
The controversy relates to the press conference at a Chandigarh Hotel where
the formation of the Dal Khalsa was announced on 13th August 1978. Gaini
Zail Singh happened to hold his press conference at the same hotel and
virtually at the same time. Nayar has leveled allegation in his
autobiography that Gaini Zail Singh paid for the bill amounting to Rs 98
(ninety eight) of Dal Khalsa press conference. It was this incident on whose
basis Nayar had linked the creation of Dal Khalsa to the Congress.
This rumour was circulated ad nauseam that it became a reference point for
all writers including Nayar who do not make efforts to shift the chaff from
the grain. Even now, after 3 decades later, the blinkered vision continues.
Nayar has claimed that the formation of Dal Khalsa was to “needle the Akalis”.
After 3 years of its formation, the Dal Khalsa men hijacked an Indian
Airlines plane to Lahore to seek the release of Sant Jarnail Singh
Bhindrawale and lodge their protest against the killings of 16 Sikh
protestors, who fell to police bullets at Chowk Mehta on 20th September
1981. At the time of hijacking, the Punjab was ruled by the Congress and the
same party was ruling the Centre. Following hijacking, the Union government
led by late Indira Gandhi banned Dal Khalsa, which continued till 1994. I
wonder how come the activities of the Dal Khalsa became the cause of
embarrassment for the Akali Dal?
As far as we are concerned there is nothing further from truth. There is no
iota of truth in Nayar’s accusation. The senior journalist and former Indian
Express correspondent Jagtar Singh is witness to this controversial episode.
While leveling wild allegations, Nayar has crossed all limits. He has not
only passed derogatory remarks against Sikh leadership of that time but had
also attempted to do character assassination of Sant Jarnail Singh
Bhindrawale and Bhai Amrik Singh.
In his book, Nayar has quoted an MP Kamal Nath who claimed that they
provided “money to Santji off and on to challenge the Akali government”.
Kamal Nath is alive and minister in UPA government. He must speak out when
he interviewed Santji as written by Nayar, who others were present and the
amount he gave to Santji and for how long. I challenge Kamal Nath to provide
a single concrete evidence to prove his baseless allegation.
Nayar did not end his avalanche on this and went on to dub Sikh Student’s
Federation president Bhai Amrik Singh, who embraced martyrdom during the
army attack, as “IB’s agent” (last para of page 291). It’s a senseless
allegation that no sensible person can believe.
In the nutshell, Dal Khalsa and Damdami Taksal, which are working for the
Panthic cause in a democratic manner, continue to face the ire of the
malafide and vicious campaign launched by pseudo-sympathetic Panjabiat lobby
in Delhi.
One thing is for sure, Nayar needs community’s reprimand. After all, for how
long, Sikhs would tolerate insult to their martyrs? Enough is enough. The
irony of the situation is that neither the media nor Indian authors and
columnists have learned any lessons from the past happenings. Unfortunately,
they refuse to rectify themselves.
