Punjab India - Going Beyond Local Politics? Real Issues Today

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Who are Punjabis ? - Our Present, Past and Future as a Community
Punjabis are at the forefront of India - in every single sphere of life.
We have had one Punjabi President, One Punjabi Prime Minister and now the Vice President of Indian Republic is a Punjabi.
Illustrious and brave Punjabis have shown their skills, style and ingenious quality on every single area of work - wherever they are involved.
Punjabis are in fact, the top most and most emancipated community of India and we together have influenced India's overall life in many ways.
Punjabis dominate the states of Punjab, Himachal, Haryana, Delhi and many principal metropolitan areas.
Punjabis form the most qualitative structure of Indian industry, lead the agricultural production and are born leaders in many other areas of life. Punjabis also play an important role in Indian defense, the top ranking military strategists are Punjabis.

The chief Spokesman of Indian Military is Mr. Bikram Singh. The Chief of election commission who controls and manages the elections of the largest democracy in the world is Dr. M S Gill.
Some of the topmost Jurists, Judges, Ministers, Top Government administrators of India are Punjabis. The Indian Film, Entertainment and Television content, Journalism, Mass media is led by Punjabis. Some of the leading basic industries are led by Punjabis.

It's so silly to suggest that Punjabis are merely an agricultural community. Well that was long time ago.
Today Punjabi community in India leads as top professionals and almost all service sectors of any discipline.

Punjabis also migrated in great numbers in last 120 years to far off lands and contributed with their talent, hardwork and compassion.
Today Punjabis live in all corners of the world and continually grow and our people stand top in the world in any field you name.
Dearest friends, We, as one of the oldest civilizations of the world, must feel proud to be Punjabis and think of ways to help others of our community and to bring all members as close as we can. There are too many obstacles and too many difficulties which lie ahead but we together can face them and help lead our community and our country high in the world.
India looks for Punjabis help and contribution to its multi-dimensional progress in all spheres.
We have to be strong and one to eradicate the evils of our society, the poverty of every single person and make our lives worthwhile.

We should be proud of our culture, customs and noble heritage. Punjabis have always made their way out of nothing and they have survived all onslaughts and attempts to break our will and strength. We are clean hearted, open, simple and honest people with something special in our genes and we should try to dig out for our roots and once you do you will find that we are all connected somewhere intertwined like tissues and nerves.

Punjabis also sacrificed the most in the struggles to free ourselves from foreigners and their undue domination in past 1000 years. Punjabis were at the forefront and our brave brothers and forefathers gave their lives to save our lives and today we survive and kicking around for their enormous sacrifice and leadership.
India's freedom struggle was led by Punjabis although we never got any credit for this but we are the people who have suffered the most. Who can forget the sacrifices of our brave heroes like Guru Teg Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh, Banda Bahadur, Hari Singh Nalwa, Shahid Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Rajguru, and so many other lesser known but equally brave and incredible personalities. Who can forget the great upheavals of partition of Punjab and in this whole episode of 1947 drama, we were the worst losers. Atleast 30% of our people had to re-start their lives from scratch and many lost their loved ones. But no human or manmade force so far broken our spirit, our strength and our will to survive.
Punjabis have risen from the ashes like phoenix and we will continue to rise.

Past 25 years have had a very damaging and very serious blow on our cultural fabric and the blood stains of the barbarism of some political goondas are dry but not erased.

People who have lived abroad or are not familiar with genuine realities should try to visit India and see for themselves where we stand today.

Friends, there is no time for self-pity and suffering as we need to see how can we go ahead and protect ourselves from future onslaughts and attempts to break our closeknit communities.

We should discuss here every aspect of life but our focus is on the state of Punjabi Community in India in past and potential in future.
I am proud to be a Punjabi and I love my culture, my community and my dear friends.
In my family we have no absolutely no difference between one faith or another and we consider ourselves only Punjabis and that is our pehchan, our identification and our basis where we stand.

If someone is born in a Sikh family he has to respect all others irrespective of their caste, creed and color, and if someone is born in a Hindu family he has to respect all others but have very special respect for all our Sikh brothers and sisters. We have to defend each other as nobody else is going to defend us nor interested in our problems.
In my personal experiences and dealings I have seen that Hindus and Sikhs love each other very much and we have to recognize the cruel people who have attempted to separate us, to break our inseparable fabric made of love and compassion.
We have to discuss and find out the reasons of our anger, our state, our problems and our future.
None else but we Punjabis can understand the pain of other Punjabis.

I invite all Punjabis irrespective of their belief, name or any background to think and give your thoughts on our past and potential.
You can criticize, review, analyze s much as you desire but kindly do not use foul or filthy language as this space is mainly for Punjabis and we also have a large number of children and women coming to these discussions and your kindest cooperation will be highly appreciated.

Sorry we can not accept politics nor political discussions on this site. We are not interested in politics nor its fans
By power on Saturday, October 02, 2004 - 7:20 am:

Our Gurus did not performed one practical to erase casteism from society, means were not able to offend their own parents and caste/community and as their guru lineage was based on within caste or relatves so they have never taken courage to marry intercaste. If people can unite by getting baptism from same Amrit/nectar bowl why they cannot unite by intercaste marriages. It is a leadre's or teacher's(Guru) duty to show the path to followers. In case of Sikhism, Our Guru's preached against Brahminism and superstition by creating or providing practical scenes or examples like --Watering to DIRECTION OF fields to remove superstion about Ganga river and Sun worship, CURING POOR FROM lEPROSY,DINING WITH POORS OR LOW CASTES ETC. At those times when illitracy was prevalent, the only way to provide new direction or light to people was by creating examples in front of them and by becoming their role models to bring social change, eg only Brahmins were allowed to worship or become saints to attain Godliness, But Guru's created a change, and Khatris , farmers and Dalits started performing religion practises and started Nam Japna in language other than Sanskrit(wasa must at taht time for religion practice) but they never created or pracitsed intercaste marriages themselves so people/public never done that too. Still today people are on Gaddis of Bedi Vansh etc. so I think If our Respected Guru's would have taken this practical and real courageous step to erase the practice of casteism from society we would not be suffering from this leprosy among sikhs today, Our Guru's found able sikhs from their followers to marry their daughters etc.eg. Bhai Lehna Ji of their own castes but never of any other caste for 3 centuries.I think at that time, they were not able to bring that much big change in society.But They found able sikhs to fight from all castes. Unless you provide yourself as a role model as a leader, only then Illitrate public adopts new change. eg Sant Bhindranwale were full Amritdhari and so 80% 0f punjabi rural people became amritdhari in 3-4 years during Sant ji's times. Rajputs and Brahmins were never alligned with Sikh Gurus as they not seen (Sikh Gurus) them as their leaders as they were having higher status than Khatri community at those times.Brahmins used or expoited Sikh Gurus against Mugals only when our Gurus gained some socio-political and military power. Our Sikh Guru Sahiban failed (or never attemted-- may be there were too many things to be done to bring social revolution and this was the most courge demanding or our Guru Sahiban ancestory in later part started struggle to uplift Khatri caste above Brahmins and Rajputs of those times by becoming leaders of the ignored masses) at this front against casteism eradication.It is understood , in those times there was no mass media of communication like TV, RADIO, PRESS OR BOOKS PUBLICATION TO AWAKEN THE MASSES, AND THE ONLY WAY TO AWAKEN THE MASSES WAS BECOMING A SELF ROLE MODEL FOR THEM TO PREACH NEW IDEAOLOGY AMONG THE MASSES. Otherwise all the Bhakti movement saints of all provinces of India, have preached same ideology as our Sikh Guru's.

Sonyo udaas no hoya karo tusi..punjabi.net te aya karo


By Ramnick Lal Verma, Malaysia on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 12:43 pm:

Hello fellow Punjabis,

I am a Malaysian Punjabi and happy to now that whereever we Punjabis are, hardwork and success has always been its forte. As Punjabis, we are all one be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christians.We eat the same food, dress similarly and speak the same language.Henceforth, let religion be a personal matter between the believer and God and lets all Punjabis be united.


By Yaser Mujeeb Chauhan (195.219.183.6) on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 12:31 am:

Hello!!!
salam to all of you
My Name is Yaser Mujeeb Chauhan.
I m a Muslim & a PUNJABI.


By DANGEROUS JATTI (80.7.166.9) on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 10:41 am:

HEY PUNJABIS.............ARE THE GREAT PEOPLR!!!!
LON LIVE PUNJABI....SSSSSSSSS!!!

~jithe janday...
~pashaan bna lainde...
~tohr wakhra ee rahoo punjabia daaa!!!

BALLE...BALLE....BBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAA!!

PUNJABNA VI GHATT NAHIN.....!!COMEONNN...KURRIO!


By Anonymous (80.7.166.9) on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 10:55 am:

kida.............chakk de!!!11
bbbrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


By dangerous jatti (80.7.166.9) on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 11:21 am:

jatt ho gaya ishq wich jogi...
oh lagda hai roop rab da.....
ranjha kanna wich mundra pwa kai...
gwachi heer pherai labda!!!brrrruuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaa!!

ohnu sudh budh bhulli sansaar di....
khich naina wich yaar de didar di...
na oh heer to binna na hor jaann da..
hai khoon ohdi ragg ragg da...aaaaaaaaa!!
ranjha kanna wich mundra pwa kai...
gwachi heer pherai labda!!!

balle balle....bbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaa!!
kehra bolda....
commeonnnnnnnn...........punjabis!!!!
chakk dao phatte!!

rehndai aa perdes...
saada dil phir bhi punjabi,, oh saaada dil phir bhi punjabi...dil phir bi punjabi!!

i miss my punjab a lot....ts great!!
~door dai dhol suhavnai lagde nai~
thats how my mum says...u wont find any other place like punjab...!!!it have its own shaan!

guys dont runn to other countries.....ronnaa palle pai jaauuga!

(plz paste this massage!)

miss my punjab a lot!


By Anonymous on Tuesday, August 20, 2002 - 3:12 am:

aeh site sirf indian punjab d a ya-n saray punjab di a
wasay site no-n parh k enj lagda jeenva-n a sirf east punjab di site a ehday wich lahore walea-n wastay jaga hagi a agar ahagi a tay manu-n dasso tuhada bout bout shukria zahid chohan from lahore


Bhai sahib

Eh site sare punjabiya vaste hai, jera ennu apna mannan.

network


By sabby rana on Thursday, December 13, 2001 - 12:19 am:

hello friends ,
i came here to share my viws with u people ,first of all i must choose such a lovely topic that u people like & read it carefully , just i saw this web site & become very curious about it , yes this the stage


By Inbred Paki Boy on Sunday, October 14, 2001 - 7:30 pm:

From Pakistan Information Network:

The chances of Congenital Disease or Disorder in children are more than
12 times higher if you marry your cousin rather than if you marry someone not
related to you. In Pakistan, 1/3rd of the marriages take place within the
relatives which is the highest ratio amongst all the Muslim countries. The
ratio is higher than that in the Pakistanis of Birmingham, UK's, ... 2/3rd. In
a recent study, it has been discovered that children born to Birmingham
Pakistanis have 8 times more Congenital Diseases, Disorders than the rest of
the population of that city. The Study did not count the Muslims of other
countries living in Birmingham who may also have marriages between cousins, so
the actual ratio could be higher than 8 times. Pakistanis are 7% of
Birmingham's population but they have put so much financial strain on the
British Subsidized Health Care System there that City of Birmingham has started
an Awareness Campaign in it's Pak Community because the city can not stop such
marriages according to British Laws. There's no news that any Mullah in UK has
started opposing this Awareness Campaign yet. The anti-Pakistani White
Supremacist of UK have already alleged that Pakistanis want those Congenitally
Idiot Children to make an excuse to collect money and free benefits from the
British Welfare System without working.
People who want to oppose this Awareness in UK and Pakistan on religious
grounds must consider the following facts before making fool out of themselves
and putting another joke on Islam for the World :

1. Does Quran say that marriage within the family is better than marriage in
non-relatives?
2. How many times the Holy Prophet himself married any of his 1st, 2nd or 3rd
cousins?
3. How many of his daughters had the Holy Prophet marry within his family or
relatives?
4. Is it not possible that he (pbuh) knew that mixture of Genome of Hazrat Ali
and Hazrat Fatima would not cause Congenital Disease or Disorder in their
children?
5. Did the Holy Prophet ever encouraged marriage between cousins more than
marriage in non-relatives?

Since I was a teenager, I thought that children of married cousins
sometimes have Congenital Defects. I had observed that even the children who
did not seem to have any major defects or had not died in infancy were
different than normal children. They wore glasses ... if not, they were too
short ... if not, they were too tall but very weak to fight-with because of
their weak lungs and lack of muscles. My one 1st cousin lost his eyesight at
age 10 and he was the only male child. His sister was born so dark that she
didn't look like daughter of her white parents. Very slowly her complexion
turned white at age 45 but it was too late for her marriage now. The 3rd child
has very weak eyesight. I guess one day, Genome Technology would end-up
locating the culprit gene that causes such a misery and cousins would be able
to marry if their Gene Map checked-out fine for marriage. Until then, beware of
the risk you are taking if you are marrying a relative.


By chatni kaur on Wednesday, December 27, 2000 - 2:50 pm:

send tandoori chicken to punjab in 45 minutes through www.eindiamart.com can u beleive it? I sent one to my sister Mirchi on her birthday


By COOLJAT on Wednesday, August 09, 2000 - 3:13 am:

JUDGEMENT DAY WILL COME

DON'T OPPRESS OTHERS


By PunjabiHawk on Friday, July 21, 2000 - 4:26 am:

Ali Haider, I love you yaar:-) barhi kamm di gall keeti ay toon. I hope we had more people like you with correct information and clear thinking about our history and language.

PunjabiHawk


By Ashfaq Ali Haider on Tuesday, June 20, 2000 - 1:10 am:

Dear brothers
2000 de shoroo honde e Punjab d peli takseem ho-e 100 vere poore hoge per me-n kise kolo-n ess wand te ik lafaz v na-e soonya ya kithe likhya perya. a sadi be hisi a yan na samjhi. per ik doje te alzam trashi jari a. Asi aj 2000 vich v esi tra larne a-n jis tra sadya-n pele.
1900 vich british ne peli vari punjab de 4 shamali zille vakhre kar k north western frontier province banaya c. Apunjab d pli wand c jide te kise uf tak na kiti per ede kuj verya-n baad bangal d takseem te sare hindustan wich toofan uth kara hoya.
punjab d doji takseem 1947 vich punjabyan de hothon khud ho-e
fe-r haryana bunya te himachal perdesh bunya. west punjab wich mufad prasta-n ne sarieke soobe da narra laya. J punjabi esse trah daru p k sutta raya te vekho ann wale wakat wich eda nam v rahnda a yan nae-n.

Punjab 5000 verya-n pela puri wad-a-sindh te phalya c. jinu history likhan wale Hurrappan empire da nam dinde ne. ode bad her pasoo-n punjab te ann wale hamlan awaran ne punjab noo kade ganga vadi te kadi central asia nal jor dita per punjab ne apni azadi te shnakht d jang hamesha jari rukhi. kade ranjeet singh punjab d azadi la-e larya te kade pakistan de nam to-n hurapan empire de ahya d koshish ho-ee per her wari punjab di ass azadi di tahreek noo mahzab de nam to-n kidnap ker lya gya jide wich na sirf asal tahreek gum ho ga-e bulke punjabya-n wich v wand pa diti. punjab punjab na rya te kite muslim punjab kite heryana de nam to hindu punjab te kite khalistan de nrya-n wich gum ho gya.
ki ik doje noo alzam den nal punjab da future ben sakda a? na-e punjab da future ki hona cha-e da a? a sochan d zroorat a.
mere khyal wich sanoo pele step te pakistan te hindustan wich rehnde hoya-n punjab noo punjabi de nam te ik banan d lore a. hindustan wich punjab , heryana te himachal perdesh noo far to-n ik banan te pakistan wich punjabi to-n miti charan d zroorat a.
ede nal nal punjabi lakharya-n te loka-n wich rabta wadan d zrorat a
akher wich ik reqest a k negative thought d baja-a positive rwaya rakho ta k assa-n lagya re-n te mayoosi na phele.
Alla beli te sub da rub rakha.
Ashfaq Ali Haider


By Riz on Friday, May 19, 2000 - 6:21 am:

anonymous,

Before you make your decision, consider this:

NO ONE IN SOUTH ASIA'S GOVERNMENTS TELLS THE TRUTH! THEY ARE BOTH FULL OF PROPAGANDA!

Obviously what you heard was a lie, or it would have been posted everywhere~~!


By Anonymous on Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - 2:12 pm:

Is it true about Khalistani propanda chief aulakh in washington D.C. is sending funds collected in the USA to Pakistan? I have heard from a close friend that GS Aulakh is instigating a big game with Pakistani general. I heard that he gave the idea of killing kashmiri sikhs by pashtooni militants hidden in the valley to call attention of the world.


By Tari Singh on Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 12:06 pm:

As the saying goes:together we stand, separated we fall.Or like the story of the twig:several twigs held together cannot be broken,a single twig can be broken easily.So what Sikhs need is unity: unified action, unified agenda, unified thought.It is about time that the likes of Bibi Jagir Kaur and Giani Puran Singh-and of course other leaders- give what Meera has written a thought and concentrate on real issues confronting the Sikhs instead of spending their energies on self-defeating actions.There are so many problems facing Sikhs and Punjab and these need real attention.


By dharminder on Tuesday, December 21, 1999 - 2:31 am:

Look I don't know what you guys are trying to achieve by writing all this crap. Why is no one talking of unity and re-consiliation, I am tired of all this nonsense. There are REAL problems out there like illiteracy, corruption, poverty, disease. I think we should pay more attention to these issues. People like you are no help to India or Punjab unless you change your hateful ways of thinking.


By Sunny on Monday, December 20, 1999 - 7:46 am:

To anonymous on your posting dated Auguest 9, 1999, what you have said may be true. However, when people think of Punjab they think of the most interesting culture and religion there. Punjab is only personified by the Sikh J a t of Punjab. No other culture or religion have so much influence over Punjab. That's why people use Sikh-J a t ans Punjabi synonomously.


By dharminder on Friday, December 17, 1999 - 5:52 am:

To anonymous
If Hindus practiced Islam for 1000 years, then why are they still Hindus? Why are they not Muslims today like other Hindus who converted to Islam?
You are talking rubbish my friend.


By Anonymous on Friday, August 13, 1999 - 5:13 am:

anonymous sikhs were not born out of hindus. baba Naanak was a greek khatri and not an aryan kharti.
and Jats are of Scythian orig (GS Dhillon - History of the Jats)
don't forget: hindus praticed islam under muslim ruler for over 1000 years.


By Anonymous on Monday, August 09, 1999 - 9:49 pm:

This 17 year old child is one of those brainwashed youth. I am a Hindu Punjabi. So when you say Punjabi please specify, sikhs are not the only Punjabis. Sikhs were Hindu Punjabis that converted to Sikhism. I don't know what you're parents have been telling you kid but like my father says regarding the issue of the Golden Temple. The truth is twisted into a lot of exaggeration. It's like putting a drop of milk in water and calling it milk....when it's actually water with a drop of milk. Maybe you should think about it, if you have a mind to think. :-)


By Chanan Singh Dhillon on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 5:01 am:

PUNJABI INTERNATIONAL PEACE CORPS (REGD.) Punjab and Punjabis have been through streams of blood for centuries . Their sacrifices have remained painfully unmatched to the political gains which have been usurped by the cunning and deceitful . The recent nuclear blasts by India and Pakistan , two contending parties in the subcontinent , is a danger signal for the repetition of death and destruction in both east and west Punjab . In view of the impending danger we have floated
PUNJABI INTERNATIONAL PEACE CORPS (REGD.) and give a call to all Punjabis irrespective of their religion and caste to rally around one focal point to work for peace in both east and west PUNJAB so that our future generations live in peace and prosperity.

We are in the offing of raising peace brigades in both east and west Punjab in all the districts. We are also setting up peace chapters all over the world wherever Punjabis are settled to strengthen this most sacred peace move morally so that land of our birth breath peacefully and harmonious atmosphere. Our slogan is EDUCATE ORGANIZE AND ACT FOR PEACE ON OUR LAND. We solicit cooperation from all organizations engaged in the welfare of Punjabis. Membership is free. For comments, suggestions or information please contact the convenor of the Punjabi International Peace Corps: CHANAN SINGH DHILLON, 5-C UDHAM SINGH NAGAR, LUDHIANA, PUNJAB TEL. 91-161-471612

http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/andes/1732/


By Anonymous on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 5:02 am:

Dear Sir
Your initiative is very noble and if you are genuinely seeking people's support it is a fine idea but you may have to remove any religious tones or backing as RELIGION is the result of horrible state of Punjab today.

Religion has played the most negative role. Religion's idea was to guide people and introduce harmony with people, nature and God but here the case is different. Punjabis have been brainwashed and now they are divided in 4 religions and ofcourse further hundreds of belief sets.

I am not worried about the nuclear but the religious bigots who are misusing it to destroy whatever is left of Punjab.

I pray to God that we are nuked and Punjabis are gone forever and this way they will kill each other in the heaven and hello and other unknown places.

A new punjab will be born where religion will not be important.

I wish you the best and hope you are successful but again dont be discouraged if the religious ignorants discourage you.

Pls keep us informed those who live in far away places. God bless you


By M Virk on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 5:03 am:

The idea of a peace corps seems well motivated. However, till every Punjabi acquires the educational and industrial skills comparable to the Western societies there is little hope of breaking through the vested interests of the politicians who seem determined to keep people illiterate for easy manipulation of their religious sentiments.


By Ankhila on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 5:03 am:

I have read Chanan Singh Dhillon's post again after reading yours and I can not find any religious tone in it. Can dear Anon, please point out what is he calling


By Rasheed J Ahmed on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 5:04 am:

I fully endorse the opinion of Mr. Annon on the subject. Mein Chana Singh jee naal poori taranh muttfiq haan.


By Anonymous on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 5:07 am:

Discussion on Punjab at hindustan.net

Punjab: Motor of India or Lost Train?

Hindustan Discussion: Current Issues and Discussion

By Anonymous on Tuesday, September 15, 1998 - 11:37 pm:

I AM PUNJABI AND DEVASTATED AT HOW PUNJABI PEOPLE ARE TREATED IN INDIA. I THINK THAT IT ALL STARTED WITH THE ATTACK ON THE GOLDEN TEMPLE WHICH DESTROYED PARTS OF OUR HISTORY. PUNJABI PEOPLE IN INDIA ARE TREATED LIKE ANIMALS AND THE BRUTAL KILLING AND RAPE OF INNOCENT PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO ONE DAY STOP. I FIND THAT THE HINDUS THAT ARE AGAINST THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT'S WAYS ARE AWESOME AND IF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA THINKS THAT WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON WE DO!
AGE 17


By Anonymous on Monday, September 21, 1998 - 03:38 pm:

My dear friend,

First of all I would like to advice you against extreme emotions. Extreme
feelings lead to partial judgement, and unjust actions.

Please, read me with as much compassion as you can.

You are right in pointing out that government has been responsible for ruining
Punjab. But then there are a few things to consider -

1. Government is elected from among us, and in that way reflects our own
weaknesses, and demonic traits, besides sometimes the good things also. So, in
blaming the government there are three fingers pointing back towards us, saying
that the basic material - intellectual, moral, etc. from which these
governments are formed has been provided by us ourselves. We ourselves have
some way or the other - like through our eunuch type silence against wrongs
happening around us, our acceptance of so many weird, ugly and vulgar things,
our greed and shortsightedness, our short tempers and smaller ideas of MINE -
strengthened the hands of goons amongst us.

That's why I suggest first of all to sit back and ponder over the things you
are so agitated against. Dare to look into the eye of the problem. Dare to go
through the causes of it, it's origins. Dare to discover that how our own small
weaknesses can add up on mass level and become the demons that bloody us.

2.) If one dares to, one might discover that the things cannot be put up as
black or white. The whole story is the story of mankind. Story of it's losses,
of it's triumphs.

Killing and rape mentioned so brightly in your letter are not the only
problems in the life of a person who has lived through those years in that place
called Punjab. They are the final acts of violence, but the whole process if
seen closely is more horrifying. Let's pick someone in that state in those
times. No one would know when a bomb, or a distoted soul will hurl his/her
folks into an endless pit of pain. A distorted soul is a distorted soul. To
classify him as a policeman, or a terrorist, or as belonging to a certain
community, is oversimplifying the problem. This classification presents an
incomplete picture, tends to tilt bias this way or that way. Whereas, the
reality is something different. Reality is that such painful phases come in the
life of a country or civilization, because a handful of people succeed in
playing with emotions, sentiments and sensibilities of so many people. Reality
is that there is some small amount of devilish intentions hidden in each of us,
which manifest themselves on a large scale, in ways, whose memories will haunt
our collective psyche for the remaining history.

Lets face the reality, instead of simplifying the problem and pointing fingers.
We can help the situation by firmly believing in ourselves, our religions and
not some devil who has got the gift of gab and power to alter the gullible
minds. We have to build our own characters with the direction provided by our
own Gods. We have to rise above the level of being tame like cows, where
someone tells us that the problem of Punjab is a simple one, and the whole blame
can therefore be thrown at a single person or entity. And blaming the
government, which we all know, anywhere are the most mean machines, running for
the benefit of a few whorish devils, is all the more illogical. Then these
governments are nothing but reflections of our own society.

3.) And since we both are Punjabis I would not like to compare the campaigns of
Guru Gobind Singh and Bhagat Singh, with any one from the Punjab of immediate
past. The reason is, that in those days the enemy was known, and my heroes had
always followed the path of righteousness. They had never murdered or maimed an
innocent. Whereas, in the Punjab of my times, it was all confusion. There was
nothing wrong nothing right. Only a blind, furious trail of blood was the
result. If Punjab is considered a creature, those times were as if the creature
had gone mad and was cutting itself here and there. And as the wounds became
more painful, the anguished creature bloodied itself more.

My dear simple soul, my request is to do yourself and the whole of Punjab a
favour. Please, do not simply stop at blaming. Please do not simply stop at
blaming one single thing. Please do not stop at blaming everybody until you
have yourself to blame. Then go to Gurudwara or Mandir or any peaceful place
where you believe you can listen to yourself, to God. There you pray for calm,
and peace. If you are a Sikh, try pondering what a Gurmukh is. Don't ever let
your blood simply boil in anger and anguish. Learn to control your energy and
power of reasoning. Learn to be truly generous by admitting to the weakness of
human nature. And start correcting those things, with self being the first one.

Extreme emotions always add up. So, hang on to your finer side, share and
expand the horizons of love and peace.

Take Care.

P.S. A quote which may not be reproduced below verbatim goes like -

An optimist is a person who only sees the green light and a pessimist only sees the red light. A wise man is colour blind.


By Anonymous on Monday, March 01, 1999 - 4:11 am:

Emotional Letter of a 17 years old explains everything! Response from above anonymous is a great approach and I hope this growing up young man would listen and assess wisely.I was born in Punjab and grew up in Punjab. Never had so called feelings what this young man is uttering. Mandir and Gurdwara alike have been; will be places for worship.Sure would like to have his teachers or peers read a note of this anonymous.


By Punjab News on Thursday, March 25, 1999 - 3:04 am:

Politicking at Khatkar Kalan
From Jasmine Sandhu Sandhawalia
Tribune News Service

KHATKAR KALAN, March 23 — The 68th martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh was observed here today. Leaders of the SAD, the BJP, the Congress, the CPM, the CPI (ML) addressed separate political rallies. The political leaders gunned for each other, making the martyr’s memory into a political affair.

The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, held the Congress responsible for the ‘financial crisis’, by leaving a whooping Rs 15,000 crore deficit in the state. He said the SAD-BJP coalition government had surged ahead to revamp the economy of the state by launching "mega projects" be it the Bathinda refinery a 16,000 crore project, science city, international airport at Amritsar, which would be upgraded soon with a Rs 180 crore grant from the Centre. However, he regretted, that the ‘martyrdom’ of freedom fighters had not provided the promised homeland as the average Indian still took home a per capita income less than people in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The Chief Minister, while holding the Congress responsible for militancy in the state, accused the hardliners in the SAD, too, for raising provocative slogans.

Dubbing the Congress as the "scandal raj party" he claimed having completed the Thein Dam and Lehra Mohabat, while giving clearance to power generating plants, which would make, the state self reliant.

The Congress president, Mr Amarinder Singh, while paying obeisance to the martyrs, feared that the fragile peace of the state could be "troubled" by the feuding Akalis who had a history of provoking masses.

Clarifying his, party’s position on river waters, he said Punjab had no water to share. However, he castigated Mr Simranjit Singh Mann for his recent drive to fill up the SYL. "No responsible leader, should take such steps, which can destroy the peace", he said.

The Congress he said, was committed to maintain the hard won peace while guarding the interests and issues related to its progress.

On the other hand the newly formed "Lok Bhallai Party" of the former Union Minister, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, was a crowd-puller, with artistes performing political and social satire.

While political leaders were busy making speeches, people seemed little interested, in the political ‘rhetoric’ they are subjected to each year.

Mr Badal earlier laid the foundation stone of Adarsh School in the village.

He said the martyr’s village would get solar power before the next anniversary.


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