DID Indira Gandhi promote Khalistan, as has been suggested by the trailer of Kangana Ranaut's latest film? The simple answer is 'no'. Indira Gandhi never promoted Khalistan in any way. She never even imagined that Sikhs were a separate nation or an ethnic group because they were not.
What about Indira Gandhi's relationship with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale? There is nothing on record as yet to suggest that she had any direct contact with him. Bhindranwale on his part had only contempt for Indira Gandhi. In his speeches he would derogatorily refer to her as 'Bamani', a contemptuous reference to her caste.
The names of Sanjay Gandhi, Giani Zail Singh and Kamal Nath crop up frequently as those who helped Bhindranwale grow. The name of Darbara Singh, who became chief minister of Punjab for a brief while, is mentioned as the man who ensured that no coercive action would be taken against Bhindranwale even when he openly indulged in wrongdoing.
Bhindranwale was able to get away with wrongdoings because, as Buta Singh-a close confidante of Rajiv Gandhiexplained in a seminar in Delhi in August 1994, in the eyes of the Congress leadership in Delhi, Punjab had a Sikh problem since Independence. The proceedings of the seminar were published almost verbatim by Mani Shankar Aiyar.
The solution envisaged for what was perceived as the Sikh problem of Punjab, first by Jawaharlal Nehru and then by Indira Gandhi, was to be indulgent towards those making communal demands, those who insisted that Sikhs were an oppressed minority that needed to be mollycoddled. When Partap Singh Kairon, a former Akali leader who joined the Congress because he thought the Akali Dal was veering to the communal side, refused to accept such an estimation of life in Punjab, Nehru chided him.
Denne historien er fra October 01, 2024-utgaven av Outlook.
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Denne historien er fra October 01, 2024-utgaven av Outlook.
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Layers Of Lear
Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold
Loss and Longing
Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago
Fortress of Desire
A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort
Of Hope and Hopelessness
The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film
Ruptured Lives
A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles
The Big Book
The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha
How to Refuse the Generous Thief
The poet uses all the available arsenal in English to write the most anti-colonial poetry
The Freedom Compartment
#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers
Love, Up in the Clouds
Manikbabur Megh is an unusual love story about a man falling for a cloud. Amborish Roychoudhury discusses the process of Manikbabu's creation with actor Chandan Sen and director Abhinandan Banerjee
