AMRITSAR Akal Takht Sahib jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh while remembering 10 lakh innocent people killed in the violence during 1947 partition of India and Pakistan said on Friday that the Sikhs had separate nation once and they attained slavery by deciding to join India 77 years ago. 

While addressing the sangat (devotees) gathered at the highest Sikh temporal seat during a function organized to remember the partition victims, he said, “Sikhs were biggest sufferers during 1947 partition of India and Pakistan and they lost the territory once ruled by them”.

He said, “The border line was drawn on Desh Punjab during the partition. I have used the word ‘Desh Punjab’ here because the majority of the Sikhs do know that before independence of Hindustan, I had separate country or territory, where Sikhs ruled once. When the British came to India, Desh Punjab was also annexed to India”.

 “When two countries were formed in 1947, the Sikhs turned out to be a biggest sufferer in that development. The Sikhs lost their territory over which they ruled once. Our Desh Punjab was divided. Its one portion went to Pakistan and other to India. The Sikhs lost their pernicious assets in Punjab and they came to India as refugees. Among 10 Lakh people killed in violence during partition, most were Sikhs. Our daughters were raped. Our assets were looted”, the jathedar added.  

Giani Raghbir Singh further said, “Lastly, the Sikhs became slaves by coming with India. Promises made to their leaders by the Indian leaders were not delivered. We were not given separate autonomous territory. We were not given political rights in the constitution. Instead, a circular was issued by Sardar Patel that Sikhs were criminal. That is why Sikh representatives refused to sign constitution”, said Giani Raghbir Singh.

Giani Raghbir Singh said that injustice to Sikhs continues even today. Many Sikhs have been lodged in jails for three decades even after completing their sentences and the government is not releasing them, he said. 

He questioned the Union Home Minister that he should tell under which law and authority the Sikh prisoners are kept in jail even after completion of their sentences. He also asked why there is a separate law for Sikhs in the country. He urged the Sikh community to renounce factionalism and mutual division and unite in the struggle against injustice. He said to tackle and prevent conspiracy to divide the Sikhs on social media, the attacks on Sikh Maryada and traditions, the Sikhs should be matured in Gurmat (teachings of Sikh Gurus) by getting initiated into the Sikh way of living and connecting to Gurbani.