India’s Foreign Interference: Telling Lies, Spreading Hate
Guest blogged by ResistSingh
As the month of June has passed, Canadian Sikhs, along with human rights activists and their allies, are recovering from yet another campaign of misinformation by the Indian High Commission and a recent wave of visceral and unfounded attacks.
Twenty-eight years after the Indian Army Invasion of the Darbar Sahib Complex during Massacre Bluestar, the Government of India has continued its assault by attempting to deny Canadian citizens an opportunity to engage in the healing and reconciliation process as they deal with the wounds inflicted upon them during the invasion.
With the recent attempts by the Government of India to undermine unity and reconciliation in the Diaspora amongst all South Asians in Canada, it has given rise to some serious questions one must consider: how and why is India interfering in the lives of Canadian citizens and their democracy?; is there any substance to the claims they are making?
While conducting an analysis of India’s response to the Leader of the NDP, Tom Mulcair’s statement of solidarity with the Sikh community, a basic review of the Indian High Commissions claims has shown many nuances and problematic statements have been made, lacking independent validation. Additionally, beyond the factually incorrect statements that have been identified, the language of the Indian High Commissioner has unfortunately been mirrored by members of Canada’s unelected, patronage-appointed Senate.
Of particular concern, a published article by Conservative Senator Asha Seth titled “Building walls, spreading hate” contains many sentences that resemble those in a letter written by the Indian High Commissioner, along with claims that are simply, factually incorrect.
10 Responses to “India’s Foreign Interference: Telling Lies, Spreading Hate”
But, in terms of the diaspora,Canada has the most Sikhs in positions of political power. Exactlly what use are they ? I ask because the Italian sangat regularly get their politicians to make public statements critcising India's human rights record in the Parlamento Italiano in Rome and the European Parliament in Brussels. The German sangat regularly get their MP's to make public statements criticising human rights in India in the Bundestag in Berlin and Brussels. 2 days ago, an early day motion was debated in the British Parliament in London regarding India's human rights abuses of Sikhs. http://www.sikh24.com/2012/07/india-must-respect-…
The problem, as I see it, is apathy among the Sikh youth in Canada. Whenever India starts a misinformation campaign in Canada, the Canadian Sikh youths need to put their English language skills to some use and counter the misinformation by being active on mainstream media discussion forums. The message needs to be gotten across that it is the Sikhs that are the natural friends of Canada whereas the pro-Indians have more of an allegience to the flag of India than they do with that of Canada. You find that alot in England, where the right wing, and the far-right media is firmly in support of the Sikhs and it is the liberal left wing that are somewhat indifferent. Just to give an example of what I'm talking about the young educated sangat across the border in America could counter similar India misinformation by reminding ordinary Americans about the similarity between the Sikh struggle for freedom and the American struggle…..i.e the Boston Massacre (or riot) of 1770. The British called it a 'riot'……The colonists (Americans) called it what it was…i.e a 'massacre'. That event, proved to be the catalyst for the American independence movement because the colonials (americans) felt that Britain was placing a low value on their lives by calling a massacre a riot. By reminding Americans of what the Sikhs are going through today regarding the Delhi genocide it is easy to get the mainstream media there on our side. It ain't rocket science. India gets away with misinformation in Canada because the sikh youth is more interested in fitting in and being liked than fighting the Sikh corner.
Don't spread misinformation Mr. Blighty. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people mostly Hindus were killed by terrorists in Punjab and hundreds of thousands of Hindus and Sikhs fled Punjab before 1984 for their lives. What the army did was wrong and they should have adopted a different starategy to counter terrorism which plagued the country diring 80s. There were weapons in temple which is a place of worship. It was not a garrison. What were the terrorists doing in the holy temple? Be true and impartial to yourself and try to find answers. Punjabi Sooba, Khalistan… independence OK but why hatred and killing of minorities. Be true to yourself and people.
I believe that the best way to tackle such LIES is to ignore them. Because when you discuss these LIES you give them the much needed Media they are dying to get on the internet.
Khalsa
There is no doubt that some Sikhs in Canada are spreading hatred against their own mother land India. You can see the pictures of terrorists in Gurudwaras.
Those who spread hatred by posting pictures of terrorists in sacred places like Gurudwaras and siding with Pakistanis cannot be called as Sikhs. There is no place in Canada for such people who don't follow the teachings of Baba Nanak. Nanak never taught hatred. He taught love of humanity, an enlightment and respect of all religions. Gurubani has writings of all kinds of saints and Gurus were Hindus before Guru Govind Singh ji who was the last Guru. There was no Sikh during the times of Baba Nanak. Baba Nanak was a Hindu and was respected by all faiths including Muslims.
We the Hindus have great regard for Sikhs as they have protected Hindu religion for the past three centuries. In fact Khalsa was born to defend the Hindus from Muslim invaders who were converting Hindus by force of sword.
"siding with Pakistanis"
What does that mean? Baba Nanak loves his Pakis just as much as he loves his hrahmins and harijans and everything in between.
Sikhs should not forget the teachings of their Gurus who sacrificed their lives for Hindu religion. Still in our culture the eldest son is donated to Panth to protect the Hindu religion. Those who spread hatred among Sikhs and Hindus are stupid and insane as these two religions are in fact one religion. Right from their birth to death their traditions are same. The Khalsa can be referred to a sect of Hindu religion or a branch of the broader Hindu religion but not as a separate religion
Laudable words Rob but few accuracies. Gurus did not sacrifice their lives for Hindu religion. they did so for DHARMA – the rightous way of life. The traditions of the eldest son (esp khatri) of a Hindu family becoming a khalsa has stopped thanks to the decades of venom-spewing from (primarily) Sikh and some Hindu bigots and 'distortionists'.
As far as 'protection' of Hindus is concerned, it has been a two way process. I know Jodha would not agree with this assertion but there was virtually no difference between a Hindu and Sikh till British sponsored Singh Sabhaites/Tat Khalsa elements (Vir Singh, Kahn Singh, Bhasuaria, Aroor Singh & Co) took it upon themselves to tear this syncretic faith apart for their ulterior agendas in late 19th century. Of course, arya samajis made their despicable contribution to widen the chasm and rigid codification of Sikhi.
If someone cares to know my thinking, Sikhi is an absolutely separate RELIGION today and Sikhs should be recoginized as a separate religion in a way they like but whether Sikh is a separate dharma or not, it is highly debatable. whether Gurus wanted a Sep 'Sikh dharma'? Absolutely NO!
Coming back to ResistSingh's current effort, it would have been more Sikh like if he had also cared to include a mention of the Air India flight 182 victims and also what he thinks about the perpetrators. He should have also mentioned victims of terrorism (majority of them were Sikhs btw) in the days leading to ill-advised, botched Op Blue Star. He should also tell us what the Human Right advocates think about the venom-spewing Bhindranwala and his ilk.
I am pretty sure any HR advocate would shiver after he listen to ANY of the public speeches by Bhindranwala who turned Harimandir into a command centre of his parallel government which ordered (and carried out) killings of the civilians right from Akal Takht building.
Show me ONE report of a credible HR organisation which says those Pak-backed fanatics carrying automatic guns (and much more as revealed later) were 'innocents'. Wannabe Khalistani 'ideologues' writing here suffer from myopia as they focus just on selected few atrocities and completely ignore 'kehar da zulm' carried out by their icons (Bhindran, Talwinder parmar, Rajoana, to name a few.
i am sorry, it should read few 'inaccuracies'
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