MyInd Interview with RVS Mani, former bureaucrat on the origins of the potent Khalistani tendencies in Punjab
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- 05:02 PM, Oct 23, 2020
- Ramaharitha Pusarla
RVS Mani is a former bureaucrat with Ministry of Home Affairs. He authored a book- Hindu Terror: Insider Account of Ministry of Home Affairs in 2018 in English which has been subsequently translated into Hindi and Marathi. His book effectively debunks the fictitious narrative of ‘Saffron Terror’ and lays thread bare the insidious agenda of the ‘Breaking India’ forces. Ramaharitha Pusarla conducts an exclusive e-mail interview with Sri RVS Mani.
- Assassination of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu who fought against terrorism in Punjab, recently brought to fore the threat of dormant Khalistani tendencies. His killing is believed to have marked the onset of Referendum 2020. Instances of arms dropping from across the border are reported to be on rise. What should we even make of the whole scenario?
State of Punjab has been going through a lot of turmoil in the last decade. However, it has not received the attention it deserves in Public discourse, media, and governance per se. As always, unmindful of the precarious situation, Political parties continue to pursue their vote bank politics. Drug menace has been rampant in the State. When Akalis were ruling the State, the Congress berated them for failing to resolve the issue to score political brownie points, alleging involvement of a member of the ruling family. Now, the Congress is in power for over past 3 and half years. What have they done to bring the person to book?
Pakistan has been dumping drugs into Punjab through couriers, who fall under several categories. Most of them are traced to ‘innocent trespassers’ category. They dump the drugs at the behest of a lobby which bails them out by creating a sympathy wave through the media.
My repeated refrain has always been that drugs are major sources of funding for ISI to brew tensions in India. The nexus must be exposed now.
- Some political parties continue to unabashedly and openly court Khalistanis. What should be our message to such entities?
You are right. I have partly answered your query in my previous question. While there the context was limited to drug trafficking only, there are political groups which is interested in exploiting the issue than resolving it in right earnest. This serves as cannon fodder for Pakistan.
In many parts of Punjab and J&K, Pakistani channels are beamed. Malevolent programs broadcast by Pakistani channels are making a significant impact on the political narrative in our country which is causing lot of disaffection amongst the Sikhs. They seek to romanticise a Ganga Singh Dhillon or Gopal Singh Chawla who is an ISI mole. Through the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, Pakistan government is keeping track of potential recruits. Additionally, India has an ongoing program for Sikh Pilgrims with Pakistan under which Sikh Jathas are sent at least four times a year to places of Sikh worship in Pakistan like Nankana Sahib, Punja Sahib etc. In so far Haj or Kailash Mansarovar is concerned each group is accompanied by a Government Officer to take care of welfare of pilgrims and monitor their activities. But the Sikh Jathas are not accompanied by any Government Officer. There are several issues on which we are failing to counter the disaffection efforts of Pakistan in reigniting Khalistan movement.
- It is no secret that concerted attempts to alienate Sikhs from Hindus have been at the heart of the Khalistan Movement. Analysts reckon the post-1971 Liberation War realm acted as major fault line in this process. Can you throw some light on this postulate?
Pakistan suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of India in the Bangladesh Liberation war.India captured 93,000 Pakistani Prisoners of War.Pakistan could never forget this humiliation. After the war, reportedly a large delegation of 700-800 Pakistanis arrived in New Delhi to negotiate and sign the historic Shimla Agreement.At the instance of Z. A. Bhutto, the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi has agreed to return the Pakistani Prisoners of War. While the largesse of Ms Gandhi is hailed even today, what is notable has been Pakistan’s affirmative no to handover 54 Indian Prisoners of War. For decades, Indian POWs lived in inhuman conditions in Pakistani jails. As we know, despite Indian generosity, Pakistan not only brazenly violated the Shimla Agreement but determinedly plotted to destroy India.
In this context, let me share one more thing. Damayanti Tambe, the leading member of missing defence personnel association, is like a sister to me. We share our love for sports and also pray at the same temple. She had steadfastly pursued for the release of these 54 missing persons from 1971 war. After repeated requests of families of missing defence personnel, Indian government arranged for their visit to Pakistani jails. But they returned empty handed. In June 2007, Joint Secretary of MHA and his mentor then Special Secretary in Ministry of Defence, really wanted to address the issue. So they included an officer who knew about the Pakistani jails. Lt. Gen Bhattacharya, DG (HRD) of Integrated Defence Headquarters, who could have mined the truth. But an Indian Journalist strolling outside his room and which is next to Chief of Army Staff’s Room, dug the information and leaked to Pakistan sources. Pakistan immediately issued an order, banning the entry of any government officer accompanying the relatives who were to visit Pakistani jails. As a result, an Indian official and Mr. Rao, Director (Pak) MEA too could not undertake the trip. The end result has been that no further trips have been offered by Pakistan.
In 1965 while Z.A. Bhutto announced a thousand-year war against India at the UNGA, the Pakistani Army Chief, Zia-ul-Haq prepared ground for the same. Vengeful of the Bangladeshi war, Zia-ul-Haq intensified the propaganda and first implemented it in Punjab. He sowed the seeds of insurgency.
- According to you, why was Punjab chosen for this agenda of “Bleed India with Thousand Cuts” by Pakistan and how they pursued their agenda in Punjab?
Pakistani soldiers suffered immense casualties at the hands of Sikhs. Known for their courage and valour, Sikhs outclassed Pakistani personnel both in 1965 war and Bangladesh War. To avenge for the losses, Pakistan adopted a two-pronged strategy of creating fissures in the neighbouring Punjab state and planned to drive a wedge between Hindus and Sikhs. Being the border state, Pakistan planned to accentuate the latent fissures in Punjab, to create unrest, chaos and communal clashes. What ensued was an unexpected enmity between the Hindus and the Sikhs. Pakistanis indirectly influenced young Sikhs to migrate to foreign lands as well.
Also, after the Bangladesh war, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi constituted a JIC in 1970s headed by Dr. K.S. Narang with a diabolical agenda of reducing the proportion of Sikhs in Armed forces to 10% from 30% stating the reason that Sikhs accounted for less than 3% of the national population. We still do not whether the commission is a fallout of unrecorded decision of the Shimla Agreement between Bhutto and Indira Gandhi.
Dr. K.S. Narang being a Sikh officer himself as well as a true nationalist refused to toe this line. He was shifted out. Another officer was brought in. This innocuous decision besides breeding bad-blood supposedly deprived the Armed forces of the valiant Warrior class. The action plan was supposedly multi-pronged.
On one hand efforts were afoot to malign the community by provoking them into a waging a war against the Hindus. While on the other hand, representation of Sikhs in the Armed Forces was significantly reduced to undercut the strength of Indian Armed Forces.
Indira Gandhi inadvertently played into Pakistan’s hands and even propped up Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a political tool initially, who has been instrumental in spurring the dormant Khalistan movement. Bhindranwale’s steady rise culminated in the rejuvenation of the insurgency, emergence of the militant Sikh cult. Soon, the state steadily slipped into Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. What ensued later was the Operation Blue Star, assassination of Indira Gandhi, Sikh genocide which left an indelible hostility in the minds of Sikhs. Indira Gandhi revived Hindu-Sikh animosity and potentially defamed, defanged Sikhs who lynched Pakistani army. People who used to quote the examples of Jetha Baba’s bravery to save Hindus in the court of Aurangzeb and Sis Ganj Gurudwara’s legacy went missing from public discourse.
Interestingly, as per the second part of the strategy, the migration of Sikhs has been significant during Indira Gandhi’s regime. Settling in ‘vilayat’ has become ultimate goal amongst the Sikh youth. In fact, in 1990s when I was dealing with Small Scale Industries, I noticed a unique trend, in Doaba region, wherein well-to-do entrepreneurs abandoned their successful enterprises to settle outside the country. In the process, the Indian forces are losing on a proven brave catchment Human Resources group. I am not belittling the bravery of the other ethnic formations of the country. The problem of Punjab extremism was seeded in Shimla agreement and political leaders of India played a significant role in disturbing the harmony of the state.
Notwithstanding this nefarious plot, majority of Sikhs still stand with Indian state. The display of supreme valour and courage by 23-years old Sepoy Gurtej Singh of the Ghatak Platoon who killed 12 Chinese soldiers in the Galwan Valley holds a testimony to the unquestionable loyalty and patriotism of Sikhs towards India.
- With India staring at the prospect of two-front war, Pakistan might be seeking to rake up the fault lines in Punjab. But currently, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, is keen on scoring political brownie points. Targeted attacks on RSS workers is raising concerns about the precarious domestic safety of certain groups. What is your take on the developing situation in Punjab?
I had very high respect for Captain Singh till few months ago. But off late he has taken to active politicking. The dark shadow of unabated drug menace is now overcast on Punjab University campus in Chandigarh. Targeted attacks on RSS is just the tip of the ice berg.
As always, Pakistan is ready with a nefarious plan. We have to calibrate our efforts to repel its noxious agenda. Attempts must be made to firstly counter the false media narrative with hard facts involving local populace. All trespassers must thoroughly scrutinised and made to face the law. Free pass to innocent trespassers must be denied. It is a daunting task. For too many years we have allowed the community to drift away. What I am sharing now is the moot reason for seeding of Sikh disaffection.
I did try to share my concerns with a senior bureaucrat. He upbraided me saying the Sikh separatism has been happening since pre independence. Another political leader casually dismissed it “Nahi yaar! they migrate because they want to enjoy better quality of life here”.Several media personnel and groups turned a deaf ear to my concerns. WE are living in denial. But when I discussed this with my Sikh friend, he immediately corroborated with pre 1971 war games.
Image Credits: Prabhatkhabar
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