Sikh Diaspora Versus India

During the course of travel for my first book, to the west, I was astonished to listen to some of the views a section of Sikhs held.Even after almost one and a half decades of Punjab terrorism being comprehensively quelled and necessary balm (though not of very high quality) being applied, some of them not only rabidly hold an anti-Indian government stance, but a few still think Khalistan is feasible.

Also, during the travel, I observed that the west, especially America,was never so unsafe for the Sikhs as post 9/11. Many Sikhs had been targeted, some even killed by ignorant people who mistook the Sikhs,because of their turbans and flowing beards, as Arabs.

Being a community that has a natural instinct for survival and enterprise I was particularly interested in examining how the Sikhswere grappling with a post 9/11 America. While one of the significant outcomes of these circumstances has been the unprecedented rise of Sikh activism in America in terms of mushroom growth of Sikh advocacy organizations, the most note worthy is the dual policy adopted by those few maverick Sikhs who think that India as a country is Sikhs worst enemy. A sad situation by all means as India is from where we get our social, cultural and moral values.

Anybody who has traveled to the West in the last six years would agree that for a brown skin person the safest bet is calling himself an Indian. I know of several Pakistanis and Bangladeshis whom I met in UK and USA who have been doing it for years.

Similarly, Sikhs who would enter into an animated discussion over why Sikhs urgently needed Khalistan, when confronted with a situation whereby someone mistook them for an Arab, would call out I'm not an Arab but from India.

Not only do they use this line when fearing a physical assault, but they continuously use it for business enhancement as Indians over the years have carved out a reputation of being hard-working and professional.

"I concede this point", said the Fresno doctor who had got into a heated argument and on the verge of kicking me out of his clinic because of my outburst accusing him has a lunatic expatriate, divorced from ground realities. "But before you leave, answer my one question," he barked? "How do you justify the storming of the Golden Temple, followed by the 1984 Sikh riots?"
A tough one, this!

Khushwant Singh has recently authored 'Sikhs Unlimited' (Rupa & Co). It's a travelogue from UK to USA, featuring fourteen extra ordinary Sikh menand women. This article is an observation, made during the travel.