Today marks the 30th anniversary of Operation Blue star. This is something which I cant seem to put behind me. Possibly cos I lived through the years and all its turmoil. And yet there are things which tear me up. I can understand some considering Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a saint. To me he was a fanatic. While I can empathise with the deep inspiration he felt in the tennets of Sikhism, yet I cant see how one could take recourse to absolutism on its account. For Sikhism ISNT about absolutism. There is hardly any other focussed and concentrated body of thought which is so heart and life centred as Sikhism. In how much ever I might want to stretch the latitude of acceptability, I cant see a sach purush in Bhindranwale. He was power hungry and took recourse to righteousness. He sought to work up a frenzy and paint villains and put the shroud of victimhood on the populace. But this is an old practice which continues today. We saw the same enacted by Kejriwal recently. This shroud of victimhood is easy to sport. Yet it is so un-sikh. To me, the first desecration of the Golden Temple was by the militants. They converted a shrine into a fortress and changed the energy of the place. What ensued, despite the bungling and the blundering, was fait accompli. My heart bleeds though for the thousands of innocents who lost so much. And that is a deep deep feeling of loss. For, if the contribution of Sikhism were to be taken away from this country, this country would be left with a very deficient story. And I have encountered too many Sikhs in my life to not be touched or inspired by them (I must add here that Bongs mix with Punjabis, like oil does with water). For the innocent thousands who died, this country has failed them in providing their safety. And that is a hurt which has gone unassuaged over the course of history. And in that is a shame and a cry seeking a closure. An honest apology.
Posted on: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 04:49:52 +0000
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