Ref: – India need not be over sensitive to revival of Punjab movement minus terrorism.
Dear Sir
This refers to last week news in Indian and international media that Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister expressed his concern to Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee about separatists in foreign countries (in Pakistan, UK, Germany, Canada etc.) working with the support of some persons and groups from these countries for reviving separatist movement in Punjab. This movement claimed a Prime Minister and as per media 50,000 lives in Punjab in eighties. Hence naturally Manmohan is concerned, may be overly so, himself being a Sikh which may make him prone in future to over reaction out of fear that he may unnecessarily be perceived to be soft with Sikhs.
Bu if Manmohan’s apprehensions are true and a separatist movement gets started again at full fledged scale in Punjab then this time India need not be panicky and over sensitive to such movement provided: –
(i)- This movement is not for religious motivations like Khalistan etc but on linguistic basis i.e. for United Punjab (for both Indian and Pakistani sides of Punjab).
(ii)- This movement is non-violent.
In present circumstances the said sensible and matured approach is warranted from India in view of the following: –
(1)- The last word on partition of India is yet to be written.
(2)- The economical – political – social interest of south Asia will be best served if political issues are not decided on the basis of religion (as partition of India, Khalistan etc) but on secular basis (even Bangladesh came in existence on lingual basis).
(3)- The on going trouble in Mumbai, Maharashtra where Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena are demanding special rights (without violating constitutional fundamental rights of all the citizens to go freely in any State of India for earning livelihood) is a matter which needs mature political approach.
(4)- In India non Hindi speaking people in different States have a general grudge that the Hindi speaking people (who constitute above 40 % of India’s 1 plus billion population) are unjustly appropriating economical and political benefits disproportionate to their due and merit. The only difference is that Maharashtra has again become vociferous (even earlier Bala sahib Thackerey of Shiv Sena, the so-called Hindutva Party, threatened that Marathis may think of separating from India).
(5)- Not only economical and social but also the solution of political problems of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Shri Lanka, Nepal etc lies in “United States of Secular Democratic SAARC Countries” (USSDSC) on linguistic basis as USSDSC will bring democracy (a bull work also against terrorism) to 1,500 million people due to India (an established democracy of 1,130 million people) constituting major part of it.
(6)- This USSDSC can be more or less on the pattern of USA. The center of USSDSC can have martial jurisdiction of defense, internal security, human rights etc. where all remaining jurisdictions can be with States, formed mainly on linguistic basis having minimum population of say 10 million.
(7)- Especially in this age of globalization, this USSDSC with one currency will be better also for economical interest of member States as they automatically will become one big economic zone without any tariff or other barriers.
(8)- Apart from solving the problem of undesirable interference of religion in politics in SAARC region (as USSDC will not have any major monolith religious group, Hindu or Muslim, with formidable dominant majority) the USSDSC will also solve the problem of caste prejudices of this region (especially of India). Cast prejudices even of present India against so called lower and oppressed castes can be gauged from the simple fact that for their benefit National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) is in place which is going to sustain half of India’s population when implemented fully in all the districts for both the spouses for 300 working days. But Government of India is trying to strangulate NREGS by not providing adequate funds (only Rupees 160 billion in 208-09 budget were provided which is only 30% of what is minimum required) and by its hopelessly poor implementation (even as per report of Comptroller & Auditor General of India).
(9)- This USSDSC will also solve the linguistic problems in other member States. For example also in: –
(i)- Pakistan where other linguistic groups have permanent grudge against Punjabis.
(ii)- Shi Lanka where Tamils have such a complaint against Singhalese that it has already consumed one Indian ex-Prime Minister and hundreds of thousands of people of Shri Lanka.
(10)- In favor of linguistic reorganization of SAARC region, it can be said that if so many economically advanced countries can have so many languages then there is no reason why so many different countries with minimum population of say 10 million can not come together in a federal structure in USSDSC on lingual basis.
(11)- This USSDSC can become reality much sooner if Kashmiris (who have already as per media laid down the lives of 1,00,000 of their people (which is more than the lives lost combined by India and Pakistan for their freedom from British Raj for achieving “Unified J&K”, again also a linguistic unification) start mobilizing: –
(i)- The Sikhs not only in other countries (including Pakistan, UK, Germany, Canada etc) but also in India in the interest of United Punjab (both India and Pakistan side) as a member of USSDSC.
(ii)- Other people of SAARC countries so that they can see reason of USSDSC.
(iii)- The world community including UN to fulfill its obligation towards the solution of Kashmir problem which can be in the form of USSDC in which Unified J&K may also be a member States like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Shri Lanka, Nepal etc.
This way Kashmiris will ensure, in a time bound period that not only the martyrdom of 1,00,000 Kashmiris does not go in vain but also this region gets respite from terrorism. This way Kashmiris will also play a historical role in shaping the destiny of SAARC region with a population of 1,500 million.
Yours truly
Hem Raj Jain
208, Supriya, Plot # 20, Sector – 10, Dwarka, New Delhi -110075, INDIA.
Mob: 09871194983, 09871365288
Submitted by Hem Raj Jain