CHANDIGARH: Former, Director General of Punjab Police, Mr K.P.S. Gill allayed the fears of terrorism returning to the state of Punjab, since the populace had rejected the separatist ideology pursued by a handful of mischief mongers.
Participating in a LIVE discussion on Canadian – Multi – Cultural – Radio’s (CMR) Asian Connections programme broadcast in Toronto metropolitan late night yesterday, Mr Gill trashed the idea of terrorism reviving itself in Punjab. “The Khalistanis have no locus – standi as the masses are in favour of peace and tranquility, as taught by the Sikh religion,” he said.
Mr Gill was speaking on the third and penultimate episode of the debate under the title ‘History of Terrorism in India.” Asian Connections radio programme broadcasts two segments pertaining to the History of India, every month in collaboration with the Departement of History, Panjab University, Chandigarh The programme can also be heard on the internet at www.cmr.fm at 2215 IST.
Mr Gill accused a section of the Diaspora of blindly supporting the separatist minority creating trouble in Punjab, with truck-loads of money and weaponary. He said that a few Sikh NRI’s were misled about the ground realities of militancy in Punjab.
Initially, terrorism was home-grown in India but at a later stage Pakistan jumped in the ruckus, attempting to avenge creation of Bangladesh in 1971.
Mr Gill did not agree with the contention that innocent Sikhs were shot in fake-encounters during terrorism in Punjab. He bounced back on a caller and asked, why, did not the human rights groups create a cacophony during Mr V.P. Singh’s rule in Uttar Pradesh where hundred of fake encounters were witnessed. The human rights organizations in Punjab were actually acting as frontal bodies for the terrorist groups.
To a question posed by Professor M Rajivlochan, Chairperson, Department of History, who coordinated the LIVE talk show from Chandigarh, through international tele-conferencing, Mr Gill replied from New Delhi, that terrorism in Punjab was the fallout of political failure in the state. He categorically said that before and after the bloody days, two important Sikh leaders, Giani Zail Singh and Darbara Singh, showed no vision to tackle the cauldron.
Taking questions from the listeners, Mr Gill replied that putting up pictures of Bhinderanwale and Shaheed Bhagat Singh, side by side, on the wind screens of vehicles did not signify any ideological shift towards violence, but was a weired style statement. He said, “I asked a youngster, why was he supporting the picture of dreaded Bhinderanwale on the rear screen of his car? The youngster said “it looked so cool.”
On Naxalites, Mr Gill said that they were a bunch of criminals out to damage the country. He advocated strong steps against the Naxalites before it is too late.