How Insecure Are India’s Insecure Rulers? VERY
Washington, D.C., Wednesday, April 28, 1999 - A Jaipur dateline story: "Punjab blamed for canal breach" in the Hindustan Times (of Monday, April 26, 99) shows Rajasthan’s ingratitude when the obviously planted story charged that; "it was primarily due to the callous approach adopted by the irrigation department of Punjab which lead to the breach in the joint bank of the Rajasthan and Sirhind feeder canals thereby delaying the release of the water to Rajasthan by seven days."It is strange indeed that the Hindustan Times Jaipur correspondent, who mentions that the Rajasthan Irrigation Minister Kamla Beniwal and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot have; "requested Parkash Singh Badal to intervene in the matter" had the chutzpah to arrogantly accuse Punjabi officialdom by saying that; "the Punjab irrigation department may offer any explanation for the breach in the joint bank but experts feel that it was the 1900 cusecs of water which was released on April 19, which created pressure on the weak point near the joint bank and washed it away". Some arrogance! "Ulta chor Kotwal Ko Dantay" is the appropriate Punjabi saying which describes the above reaction. In English it translates into the following; "a thief rebuking the police?"
Here is a case of an ungrateful non-riparian Hindu-majority state – Rajasthan – which for decades has been stealing Punjab’s Sutlej river water free of charge via the Indira Gandhi canal! To add insult to injury Rajasthan does not allow Sikhs from the Punjab to buy agriculture land in Rajasthan does not allow Sikhs from the Punjab to buy agriculture land in Rajasthan even in the areas where Punjab provides the life-giving water. Yet Rajasthan state government and media have the temerity to accuse the officials of the Punjab irrigation department of bad faith despite the efforts of these Sikh engineers of going out of their way (see Tribune, Chandigarh of April 21, 99; "Breach in Sirhind canal") to ensure that Rajasthan continues to receive the Sutlej river water.
The irony is that on April 21, 1999, the anti-Sikh Tribune newspaper of Chandigarh had in fact acclaimed the Punjab irrigation department for its timely action of saving the Midhukhera Syphon under construction on the Rajasthan feeder canal which is located near the breach. The newspaper went on to say that as a result of a 200-feet-wide breach due to "piping action" last week, near Lalbai village, (where the Sirhind and Rajasthan feeder canals run parallel and have a common bank) release of water into the Rajasthan feeder canal had to be delayed for four or five days till the repairs can be carried out on both the feeder canals". It may be recalled that the canals had originally been shutdown for ten days for repairs and desilting. Let us hope Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal has the patriotism, and the common sense, to turn a ‘deaf ear’ to the request of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot till the later’s Hindu-dominated government passes legislation allowing Punjabi Sikhs to buy agricultural land in Rajasthan.
The above ingrate and false accusations are in marked contrast to the strange behavior of the Indian media and government in the matter of one P. Ravindranathen, an Indian ‘diplomat’ posted at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, who was indeed thrashed by some visiting Sikh pilgrims from India in the Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on April 20, 99, when he ignored polite requests to desist from video-taping the gathering which was praying there. The man had to be evacuated to Lahore’s Mayo hospital for emergency repairs. For some strange unexplained reason the Indian propaganda machinery tried its level best to hide the fact that Mr. Ravindranathan was beaten by Indian Sikh pilgrims in a historical Lahore Gurdwara. One has to wonder why? Had the Agence France Presse (AFP) on April 21 in a Lahore datelined report not let the cat out of the bag that Indian Sikh pilgrims had administered the summary (extra-judicial) punishment to the rude camera-carrying cocky Indian diplomat, the world would have been fooled and brain-washed by Indian propagandists and left with the wrong impression that the man was beaten by Pakistani hooligans while leaving the Pakistani Waqf Board offices in Lahore.
However, as Moof nday, April 26, 99 the Indian government has changed its tune again. Now its claiming (see the Islamabad datelined April 26 PTI Tribune, Chandigarh story; "ISI turns focus on Punjab" which report has been reprinted else where in this newspaper) that the ISI – Pakistani intelligence in; "a series of moves aimed at reviving the fading militancy movement in Punjab has taken over the management of all Sikh Gurdwaras in Pakistan and the anti-India sentiments whipped up have culminated in the severe beating of Indian diplomat P. Ravindranathan on April 20, 99." The PTI’s (Press Trust of India news agency) Islamabad correspondent further reported, in a classic example of Brahmin logic and cowardice that; "The Pakistani intelligence officials were unhappy with Mr. Ravindranathan’s role in ensuring a smooth trip for Indian pilgrims here." Some reason for Pakistani unhappiness! How dumb can one get? Obviously the Indian rulers are feeling very VERY insecure vis-à-vis the Sikhs!