From: kalia@next10epsl.wam.umd.edu (Atul Kalia)
Subject: Re: Who are these anti-India Sikhs? ( was: Re: Solarz lost. Now what?)
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 15:53:01 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.031713.4486@menudo.uh.edu> eleeafj@menudo.uh.edu (P.  
Narendra) writes:
> In article <1992Oct9.171116.16884@infonode.ingr.com>  
barakam@infonode.ingr.com (Sreedhar Barakam) writes:
> >In article <1b1mq2INNljo@charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu>  
vivek@ecst.csuchico.edu (Vivek R. Prabhu) writes:
> >>Well I do not know about Dan Burton, but Wally Herger is the  
Congressman 
> >>from our area here in Chico in Northern California, and he has a  
sizable
> >>anti-India Sikh populace in Yuba City, which is bound to get him  
elected
> >>even now. I wonder how could India Today mention something like the  
fact
> >>that he is facing a tough battle for election here. In fact in the  
check
> >>bouncing scandal his name had not even figured and besides he has a  
good
> >>amount of support from the hardline anti-Indian community here.
> >>
> >>Vivek.
> >
> >I know there are supporters for Khalistan movement all over the world.  
I am
> >curious to know what makes them support this movement.
> >Most of these supporters in India, are unemployed minority of sikhs who  
try
> >to impose their movement on the majority- or so goes my impression so  
far.
> >But why do those who are in, say California, support this movement?
> >
> >
> >Sreedhar Barakam.
> 
> FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THERE ARE  MORE SUPPORTERS FOR KHALISTAN IN LOS  
ANGELES
> THAN IN LUDHIANA.
> 
>     Well, I have always wondered why there  anti-India sikhs in US.  In  
other
> words, how have they been denied anything that they have bad feelings  
for India.
> Just curious.
> 
> 
> Naren 

I think there are two basic reasons for that.
1.	These people have relatives back home , both in and outside Punjab
	Anti Sikh feelings prevailing in most parts of India has led to a
	feeling of insecurity among  the Sikhs. Naturally, when foreign-
	based Sikhs hear of and are affected by accesses against their 
	blood relatives ,they support any attempt which they believe could
	help their brethern. The accesses I am talking about are committed   
	not only outside Punjab but within Punjab as well. Fake 	 
	encounters, brutal and senseless handling by the Army and Security  
	forces has infact added fuel to the fire. 

2.	All these views are oft repeated but the real reason is a feeling
	of brotherhood. Why did Indians settled abroad support India's 
	independence struggle?  Even here one could say that they weren'
	" denied anything". 
	The thing is, you have to define what getting " affected " is. You
	could be affected directly or indirectly , like ;maybe your 	 
	religious feelings could be hurt. And mind you, Sikhs are much 
	more religious than Hindus or followers of any other religion in   
	India, for that matter. Agreed, you tend to move away from your 
	religion and your relatives once you settle abroad . But here 	 
	again ,I believe the Sikhs abroad are very well connected to their 
	roots.

	Does that sound convincing?

	-KALIA 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian