From: gillu@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (mandeev.sandhu)
Subject: Re: RE SOC.CULTURE.PUNJAB
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 22:23:10 GMT

In article <1gk0gcINNn9m@male.EBay.Sun.COM> satnam@eb4ts1.EBay.Sun.COM (Parmjit Gill) writes:
>
>    I recieved Email from different peopel about Soc.Culture.Punjab.
>Dear Parmjit,
>
>I think there is no need to have a group like soc.cultute.punjab.
>There is already one group existed called Khalsa Net. I dnot know
>if you are aware of that. If you want to exchange ideas/information
>on social, political and religious matters of punjab you can do it
>on Khalsa Net. Making a one more group would be a further divison
>in our community.   
>
>G  Gill 
>

	Mr G.Gill, please do not equate punjab with sikhs. This is what
seems to be happening. I used to subscribe to khalsa net. It is
primarily concerned with issues relating to the Sikh religion.
Whereas soc.culture.punjab would be more regional in character.
On khalsa net punjab would be considered or treated as a subset
of the general topic of sikh religion, but on soc.culture.punjab
it would be vice-versa i.e. sikhism will be considered a subset
of the general topic of punjab.


>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>        Hey, Doc!
>
>	My emotional reaction to your post is "the heck with it...all the other
>	'Indians' want a gawddamn net of their own, why shouldn't we Pu(a)njabis?";
>	but my rational mind says "why follow where morons tread without fear?".
>
>	Bottom line is: I'm not sure whether I support your idea or not.  I actually
>	wouldn't mind supporting your idea PROVIDED I had some sort of assurance that
>	this net would NOT become a "soc.culture.khalistan" - please don't
>	misunderstand, but that IS the commonly held perception of a proposed
>	"soc.culture.punjab" - at least among the Hindu Punjabis.  I should also like
>	to state at this point that while I consider myself an AGNOSTIC, when it comes
>	to the crunch, I would have no hesitation in counting myself in with the Hindus
>	- I am referring to a hypothetical situation where some Sikhs might want to
>	form
>	a "Khalistan" of their own.
>
>	Regards,
>	S.Sethi
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Dear Mr. Sethi, why is it that every time an idea is mooted
for soc.punjab everybody starts crying out "wolf". 
Why equate punjab with khalistan. Our "punjabiat" is the only thing
common between us (hindus, sikhs, muslims). It provides an
alternate basis of identity other than religion. And religion, as
you know has already created so much havoc both physically
and psychologically that we should try to give our regional
identities a chance, and not kill it at its first mention.
You will have as much say on it as any other khalistani and you can
rebut them if you find the concept so repulsive. On second thoughts
we should confront the khalistani argument  with the regional
punjabi identity and not the naive nationalism that is usually
done. I believe this forum will reinforce this punjabi identity.
Just give it a chance.

>Thanks for sharing your thoughts.  
>
>					 
>					 
>					   Parmjit Gill 

Mandeep