Login / RegisterGurpreet Singh: Jaspal Atwal episode reveals why Canadian political establishment should look hard at itself
The controversy stirred by the presence in the legislature of Jaspal Atwal—convicted in the attempted murder of a visiting foreign dignitary—during the budget speech is not shocking. It's part of the continued appeasement of extremist groups within the Sikh community by the Canadian politicians.
Atwal is a former activist of the now-banned terrorist group, the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). The organization is believed to be in an armed struggle for the establishment of a separate Sikh homeland.
Atwal was convicted for the attempted murder of Malkiat Singh Sidhu in 1986. Sidhu, a moderate Sikh politician belonging to the Akali Dal, a mainstream political party in Punjab, was visiting B.C. when he was shot.
Though he survived the attack, Sidhu was later murdered in India. Ironically, Atwal, who has already served time for the crime, is now a supporter of the Akali Dal.
His presence in the legislature as a guest invitee caused embarrassment to the B.C. Liberal government and a complaint was made to the speaker. As a result Tariq Ghuman, a Liberal official, resigned, taking moral responsibility for the goof-up.
Finding her government under attack for the mistake, Premier Christy Clark claimed that she did not know Atwal's background. It is a separate matter that Atwal backed her leadership race and was among prominent Indo-Canadian supporters who accorded her a welcome in Surrey in 2011.
The reaction of Clark is similar to that of Canada’s ruling Conservative party after its candidate in Vancouver South, Wai Young, reportedly received help in the last federal election from Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was acquitted in the Air India bombing.
The party claimed that Young was not aware of Malik’s background, even though he had been charged in connection with a plane bomb that killed all 329 people aboard in 1985.
Both the Liberals and the Conservatives have tried to distance themselves from these two men despite the fact that one has already served his time and the other one was acquitted. So does that mean that these parties still treat them as criminals? If the answer is yes, then why were these men roped in for support in the first place?
The parties' explanation that they were not aware of their backgrounds is ridiculous as both men were associated with high-profile cases and their names and pictures had appeared in the press a number of times.
Besides, the two parties also have supporters among moderate Sikhs, who have issues with these controversial individuals. It is reasonable to believe that they might have raised red flags, but these parties may not have bothered paying attention. The political leadership should either be honest about accepting help from these men or should strictly keep people with suspicious pasts away.
Instead two-faced parties have tried to put the entire blame on these individuals or found scapegoats like Ghumman as a part of a damage-control exercise.
Atwal or Malik have every right to move around in the society—Atwal has served his sentence and Malik was acquitted. It is for the political parties to decide if they want to maintain a distance from those formerly or currently associated with controversial groups.
Past experiences show that most political parties in Canada have relied on separatist groups for support, especially in ridings with large Sikh populations. Even a vocal critic of extremism, former Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, once tried to help Atwal in getting visa for India, even though Atwal was acquitted in the notorious Dosanjh beating case in the mid-1980s. Dosanjh was physically assaulted at the time for his moderate views.
Dosanjh’s former party, the NDP, which is now in opposition in B.C., has not shown much excitement about cornering Clark over Atwal's visit to the legislature. It is not surprising that the NDP did not raise a question in the house, given the association of some of its MLAs with fundamentalist groups over the years.
Political parties can get away with this by saying that they cannot annoy a particular segment of the voting public. Meanwhile, police and the Canadian Armed Forces have also sent conflicting signals at different times by participating in a Sikh parade in Surrey, where pictures of the separatist militants are displayed.
The Canadian armed forces officials attended Remembrance Day prayers at the Dashmesh Darbar Gurdwara in Surrey, whose management openly support separate Sikh state and glorifies militants who died during the armed conflict in Punjab.
Political parties should know that these groups and the individuals associated with them do not represent the entire Sikh community. By rubbing shoulders with such elements, politicians are actually taking the support of the moderate Sikhs for granted and making them weaker.
The Atwal episode is just a small incident and another reminder of the political opportunism that contributed to the growth of Sikh fundamentalism in Canada.
Gurpreet Singh is Georgia Straight contributor, and the host of a program on Radio India. He's working on a book tentatively titled Canada's 9/11: Lessons from the Air India Bombings.
Sikhism is a religion, not an ethnic identity. People in Northern India are the descendents of many immigrants and invaders: Bactrians, Scythians, Huns, Mongolians, Persians, Turks, Afghanis, Ethiopian slaves, and of course, indigenous foremothers carried off as war prizes, etc.
The Indian elite who claim to be the “pure” descendents of mythological Aryan tribes—and sneer down at those of us with “mongrel” blood—are really annoying and scary, but Punjabi mouth-breathers who pose for pictures with Stephen Harper should read up on their Tacitus and Machiavelli.
To live in Canada is to adapt to a Canadian way of life. This is not to mean people should forget their religion, language, customs, etc. but to continue to fight a battle which is the business of another country, not on. Like get over it. You live in Canada. As to Canadian politicians who continue to cater to extremists, get over it, develop some "balls" and do what is right.
As for Arshy Mann's comment, all I have to say is, most people who attend the parades have not read a single page of Guru Granth Sahib Ji as well. Should we get Guru sahib out of the parade too? I bet most Punjabis would not agree with many parts of gurbani too. Like the pointless rituals they do like wearing taveets and sacred threads. We all know that most Punjabis do not even do vichaar on gurbaani and just do matha tek and perform blind rituals.
The event is just a gathering spot for many. Just because most Punjabis are ignorant of their history doesn't make the martyrs irrelevant.
How many Punjabis know about the Punjabi suba movement? I have many relatives that live in Punjab that are clueless about basic facts about Punjab. So please, if there are only a handful of people who are aware of their history and current situation, don't mock them. People who are aware are always in a minority.
God Bless.
For example, when Wai Young allegedly went to Khalsa school and Malik was there, there was a huge uproar. Maybe it's because she's a Conservative and we know how much the media loathes them. Hmm... but let's see. Gregor Robertson and a bunch of local politicians also went to that school with Malik present -- and not a squeak from the media!
Now that both provincial and federal Liberals allegedly have "ties" to Atwal, the news has barely been trickling in on this issue. Another sad double standard. That's why no one can take the media seriously anymore.
Bottom line is even the ultra right, ultra white Conservatives pander to the Punjabi community in Canada because like it or not we have votes.
That being said when 10,000 are more people are murdered in a genocide in Dehli and elsewhere, the guilty need to go to court.
People dont forget things like this. As for you are now in Canada true, follow the rules, the Sikh community does.
The Sikh community has served in the RCMP, countless Canadian wars, some stupid others not.
Dont trying tell Indo Canadians are not Canadian because we don't worship Jesus, or eat potatoes.
This community has done as much as any for Canada and the lost British empire.
I really don't like this writer but he has the right to his beliefs. One could argue he is pandering to white people.
That being said Punjabis in Canada continue to demonstrate hard work and incentive.
Silly is a religion that continues to abuse little boys on a massive scale. Silly is any religion that states people are not equal. Silly is hating people because of colour or race.
Code language for you are brown you are not Canadian.
Hmm born in Canada, have a Canadian passport, pay Canadian taxes, been to Canadian schools, respect Canadian law. I guess Indo Canadians are not Canadian because of what? Too much facial hair, too many samose, like hockey in Canada in Punjabi.
Hmm so the definition of Canadian lose your culture?
..."That being said when 10,000 are more people are murdered in a genocide in Dehli and elsewhere, the guilty need to go to court. People dont forget things like this. As for you are now in Canada true, follow the rules, the Sikh community does."...
What we 'don't forget' in Canada is the Air India bombing, and the fact that that horrific, mindless and pointless mass murder of innocents was almost certainly planned and executed by 'Canadian' Sikhs. But I do agree: the guilty need to go to court. I encourage the Sikh community to help get them there.
Finally, if you want to criticize what I write, then address what I write, not what you imagine you read, or what your own biases would like to attribute to me. Better yet, read what I write first before you just start shooting from the lip because you assume I'm a 'usual white guy'. I don't give a damn what colour people are, but I DO give a damn if they use religion as an excuse for committing evil, especially committing evil against other Canadians, regardless of where they came from originally. And to get back to Gurpreet's article, I agree with him: I wish our politicians would start to give a damn, too.
Newsflash! Just like you claim that nobody back in PUnjab even supports these things..well guess what..barely anyone supports your Punjabi Communist buddies either!
2012 Punjab polling results courtesy of Hindustan Times:
"...the Left parties - CPI and CPI (M) - have got the worst hitting as the vote share of both the parties fell drastically this time.
While CPI's vote share fell from 3.31% to 0.82%, the CPI (M) dropped from 2.25% in 2007 to 0.16% in 2012 polls.
The vote percentage of CPI and CPI (M) fell by 2.49 and 2.09% respectively."
Message to all readers, know the facts.
God Bless.
anyways bottom line
-dont forget that we arent completey canadian because theirs no such thing.
-no such thing as moderate/fundmentls. in sikhism
-the actions of one person dont reflect the entire population
and
-most sikhs want justice for things that happened almost 30 years ago and havent been dealt with fairly, so theyre coming to a responsible goverrnment because they cant get anything done in indias system
if u want to complain the only thing u can complain about is the terrorists, indias government and ur own ignorance to canadas cultural/ethnic makeup. this is directed towards everyone, not just these so called 'white' people.