Met, between devotion and resentment, 25 years after the assassination of Indira Gandhi

New Delhi, October 31, 2009. - The devotion and resentment mixed in the memory of Indira Gandhi at 25 years after his assassination, commemorated today with respect for hundreds of millions of Indians but not for the Sikh minority, which complains yet the attack on their sacred temple.
In recent days there have been many references, television specials and the affection they devote their heirs - his daughter and grandchildren Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka - who retain control of the ruling Congress Party.
"In this somber occasion, we remember and reflect ourselves in his simple and austere way of life and conduct. Let guided by it ", asked the Italian Sonia, current leader of the party in the last issue of internal training.
On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi, then prime minister, was shot by two of her Sikh bodyguards as he left home way of an interview with British actor Peter Ustinov.
Indira paid and have ordered the assault on blood and fire in June preceding the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where they had barricaded armed radicals, in an operation that caused hundreds of deaths.
The assassination sparked grave unrest and street killings of Sikhs in Delhi that killed 3,000 people, facts that most radical Sikh organizations remember the 3 November with a strike.
"By attacking the Golden Temple, Indira wrote black history of the Sikhs. His murder was not an emotional reaction, but now we have moved on Sikhs, "said Efe Darmegh Singh, secretary of the organization that controls the temples of this faith, the SGPC.
Unlike the Sikhs, millions of Indians still appreciate the political legacy of Indira Gandhi and cited as his greatest achievements have split the two with Pakistan in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971-the Indian Army helped the Bangladeshis in that war-and first Indian nuclear tests, developed three years later.
But his detractors criticize his authoritarianism and, above all, have been behind the black episode since independence India: the declaration of a state of emergency in 1975, which led to thousands of opponents in jail and imposed censorship on the means.
Indira justified the measure by the political and social tension suffered by the country, but most historians agree that only sought to thwart a prosecution for electoral irregularities that would have removed from power.
The prime minister lifted the state of emergency a year and a half later, and although the citizens were punished with a defeat at the polls, returned to power in elections in 1980, months before the accidental death of his youngest son and political dolphin Sanjay.
"She was my idol at that time a few months ago he said his granddaughter Priyanka, daughter of the assassinated Rajiv Gandhi. I guess people remember her as a tough guy, but for his grandchildren was the best and sweetest grandmother. "
Indira dove into the policies of his father, Jawaharlal Nehru: sided with the Soviet Union, U.S. President Richard Nixon referred to as a "witch" - and tried to develop industry and end the endemic poverty in India .
But away from the style of his father, Indira inaugurated the era of political populism: nationalized the banks, was surrounded by faithful, not necessarily able-coup and ruled slogans like "End Poverty" or the famous "India is Indira" who chanted his supporters.
Still gives off that way to understand politics, if taken as reference for the memorial in the capital established popularity at home, where visitors can see family photos or brown sari she was wearing when he died.
Each morning, Indira housing adjacent to his office, filled with thousands of modest gujaratíes, Bangladeshis and Indians padded towards dark-skinned southerners who come to Delhi after days of bus and stop first at the plate in the point where he was shot.
The text of the plate is yours: "If I die violently, as some fear and a few plan to, I know that violence will in thought and action of the murderer, not my death, because there is no hatred so deep that love eclipse for my people and my country. "

The 25th anniversary of the assault on Golden Temple, the "worst day" of the Sikhs

New Delhi, June 4, 2009. - The "Sikh" in India remember these days with ceremonies and demonstrations 25 years of the darkest episode in recent history, the entry blood and fire of the Indian Army in the sacred Golden Temple in Amritsar, which left over 500 dead.
"The devotees from all over the world Golden Temple to pray at our holiest site. Therefore we can not forget the worst day. The Sikhs of India want to live in peace, but also with honor, "said Efe by phone Darmegh Singh, secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak (GSTP acronym in English).
The GSTP is a mini-parliament which controls the gurdwaras elective Punjab (northwest), the main religious stronghold of Sikhism, a minority of about 20 million followers in India and a diaspora of another 5 million people.
"Our ceremony will be this Saturday at the Golden Temple complex. It will be a moment of remembrance for this horrible Army's entry, "continued Singh.
It was June 1984 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the army to take the main center of Sikh worship, where they had barricaded hundreds of armed separatists under the command of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale radical.
In the "Operation Blue Star", the troops surrounded the temple a June 3-day-pilgrimage, and attacked him for four days, with so many civilians were killed in the fighting, which also claimed the lives of more than 400 independence.
Now months later, the very Indira Gandhi was murdered in revenge by two Sikh bodyguards, sparking rioting and a new street killing of Sikhs in India's capital, during which 3,000 people died.
Punjab, and calmer today, was the scene of a violent uprising which caused 25,000 deaths between 1981 and 1995, following the demand of Sikh radicals to create an independent state, the Khalistan ("Land of the Pure") .
Although the regional elections of 1992 marked the end of direct administration by the central government and the return to normal in the region, in the Punjab is still considered a hero groups Bhindranwale and give cheers to the Khalistan.
"The wounds left by the attack on the temple are still alive and not forgotten. Our heroes will live in memory for generations, "said Efe from Amritsar HS Dhami, president of the radical group flagship, the Dal Khalsa.
Your organization accuses the majority and moderate SGPC for not doing enough to install a memorial to remember those killed in the assault "in close proximity" to the Golden Temple, now renovated and safe from the bustle prevails in the spiritual capital of Sikhism.
Dressed in black shirts, dozens of activists of the Dal Khalsa Wednesday toured the streets of Amritsar in a "march of remembrance of the genocide" with a request to approve a law to prevent the army entering religious sites.
Although for the first time in its history, India is ruled by a Sikh Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for "move on" - the Dal Khalsa says no expectation on to him because, Dhami said, "is just a product of the system."
"The Sikhs who vote for the Congress party (which belongs Singh) do to prevent the victory of Hindu radicals. We have no expectations and do not respect him Indira Gandhi. Our hero is Bhindranwale, "he concluded Dhami.
It has been 25 years, but the radical Bhindranwale grass not only marketing articles, such as stickers, posters, t-shirts or shirts for sale on pilgrimages, but even has a painting in the museum of the Golden Temple, the agency said India IANS .
More than two decades after the "worst day" for the Sikhs, still roam the corridors of Indian courts dozens of relatives of victims of the riots that followed the assassination of Indira Gandhi, in search of justice.

The Sikh advantage Sarkozy's visit to vindicate their right to turban

New Delhi, Jan 26, 2008. - The visit to India of President Nicolas Sarkozy has been used by Indian Sikhs to assert their right to wear turban in France, where the garment is banned in schools because of its religious character.
Sarkozy arrived Friday to India on a visit that has served to strengthen military relations, economic and cooperation relations between both countries, but during which there was ample space to discuss the situation of the turban in France.
Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (Sikh religion), as the opposition leader, Mulayam Singh Yadav, called on Sarkozy to lift turban restrictions, to which the French president said that there is no "ban" of the garment at home.
"What Sarkozy said is technically correct, but not in practice. Because we take away the Sikh turban and official photographs for us, especially because children can not wear the Sikh turban to school, "he told Efe the president of the organization" Sikh States, "Mejinderpal Kaur.
The ban on wearing turban in schools was imposed by the French authorities in 2004, holding that a religious symbol is incompatible with the principles of secular education.
The law, which also affects the "hijab" or headscarves, Christian crosses or large Jewish star of David, has contorted the Sikh, unwilling to give up an element considered as part of their identity.
Following the ban, the organization "Sikh States" began six judicial proceedings in France, but the judges rejected, and has now decided to go to the European Court of Human Rights and the Human Rights Committee of the UN.
"We have the right to wear turban. We have nothing against France, but our Prime Minister has to do something to change things, "said Kaur.
For Sikhs, this headdress is an indispensable element of identity, related to the prohibition of a haircut ("kesh") governing all his life and is one of the famous five "kas" of their religion.
The approximately ten million Sikhs in the world men must also carry a wooden comb ("kash"), special underpants ("kaccha"), an iron bracelet ("kara") and a sword at his side ("kirpan" .)
"For a Sikh, the turban is removed as running naked in front of strangers, kept Kaur. It's not just a religious sign, as the French say, but a mandatory requirement. Manmohan Singh never takes it off. "
Manmohan, a veteran and respected politician of 75 years, attends international meetings and public events wearing bearded and wearing no exception in its characteristic blue turban.
But according to Kaur, the Sikh religion Manmohan Singh is less decisive than the fact that he is Prime Minister, "is the leader of this country, where there are 19 million Sikhs, and should protect us," he said.
Although France and India are considered "strategic partners" and these days have had time to strengthen their cooperation in various fields, both countries differ in their way of thinking about secularism.
According to the intellectual and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, Indian secularism predominates in the religious neutrality, while the French secularism, more militant, suggests the absence of religion in state activity.
With an eye on Sarkozy's visit, Indian Sikhs, who represent over 90 percent of worldwide followers of that religion, staged several protests against the ban, which in the words of religious practice Kaur becomes a " part-time. "
"The funny thing is that Sarkozy spoke a few months ago at the UN in defense of religious diversity, concluded Kaur. Tell a child to choose between wearing a turban or not is like saying you can choose between being good and not. Them to know: Sikhs do not take off his turban. "