Lancing an Urban Myth - Baba Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala

[shaheediyan]

http://www.sikhchic.com/article-detail.php?id=221&cat=11

Lancing an Urban Myth

by VARINDER WALIA

A new book, Cannon Unto Canon, by Indian diplomat and Ambassador to Madagascar, Diljit Singh Pannun, unveils some startling revelations which belie many of the claims made by Indira Gandhi and the Indian government on the subject of the 1984 attack on the Durbar Sahib and the destruction of the Akal Takht.

Amritsar-born Indian Ambassador to Madagascar, Diljit Singh Pannun, who had made efforts to avert Operation BlueStar - the name given by Indira Gandhi's government to the attack on the Durbar Sahib in June 1984 - by mediating between Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and the union government, has said certain forces had played mischief and misguided Indira Gandhi, leading to the Army operation.

This was despite the fact that the firebrand sant had agreed to initiate dialogue to resolve the deadlock.

The exclusive meeting between Bhindranwale and Pannun assumes significance, since the latter had put his life in danger by trying to resolve the "Punjab problem".

The Indian envoy reveals this and other first-hand information about the talks between India's Central government and Bhindranwale in a new book, Cannon Unto Canon, just released by Singh Brothers, Amritsar.

"I was pushed to talk to Sant Bhindranwale at the Akal Takht. It wasn't my personal effort. I was pushed into it by a large number of friends, including the then senior-most officer of the government of Punjab, S.S. Sidhu, who was the de facto ruler of the state".

The Indian envoy asserted he was kept in the dark about the impending Army operation by vested interests; otherwise, many innocent lives could have been saved. He said he worked out some details with Sant Bhindranwale and it looked so simple and straight.

"We had an informal and frank exchange of views".

The book by Pannun further discloses that "the dialogue with Sant Bhindranwale was conducted in such a warm and cordial atmosphere that he called for Rooh Afza (a soft drink), which was arranged by Baba Thara Singh and we took it".

"I remember I made the proposal that Indira Gandhi shall speak to the nation and appeal for peace and normalcy in the country, particularly in Punjab, and elaborate that all problems afflicting the state shall be resolved through mutual discussions", Pannun writes. He adds that he wanted the sant to respond to this appeal by announcing that he would wait for a month and would persuade his followers and others to keep their guns unloaded during this period.

The envoy said he had proposed a period of four weeks for the same (while Bhindranwale wanted just one week), which they hammered down to ten days. Pannun assured Sant Bhindranwale that if some mishap took place, Indira Gandhi would not blame it on his men. The sant, however, sought a commitment from Pannun that the Central government would stop torturing Sikh youths during captivity. Pannun claimed that Sant Bhindranwale was keen that this plan should not be sabotaged.

The documentation of the reports sent to the Central government before Operation BlueStar reads, "We ended this meeting in utmost cordiality and understanding and were happy at the outcome. In fact, I found there was nothing that would frighten the Government of India, nor anyone else".

Pannun claimed that Bhindranwale had repeatedly told him, "I don't want Khalistan, but they would give it on a platter to me". He said the sant was "grossly misunderstood", and had he been treated with honesty and consideration, Operation BlueStar would have never taken place.

[Courtesy: The Tribune]

[Kam1825]

interesting, will have to order the book

[chatanga]

The congress and indirasur , first start a fire in 1978and then burn Guru Granth Sahib at chandokalan, and then when the fire gets out of control, think about making an appealfor peace and normalcy.

What normalcy are they talking about? There never was normalcy at all in Panjab, just ravan raj.