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Don't Ask, My Daughter

Remembering 1984

Tuesday
,
11
June
2019

Don't Ask, My Daughter

Remembering 1984

Tuesday
,
11
June
2019
June 1984
Remember 1984
Amritsar
⟵ Back to articles

Don't Ask, My Daughter

Remembering 1984

Tuesday
,
11
June
2019

Tell me, Mother! What is the truth? What is a lie?

Tell me, Mother! What is the truth? What is a lie?

Don't Ask, My Daughter

Don’t ask, my daughter what happened in 1984.

These wounds are still raw don’t touch them.

Mother, the Government says they were compelled to enter Darbar Sahib to arrest the terrorists.

Tell me, Mother!

What is the truth? What is a lie?

The Government is a liar.

Their statements are lies.

This attack on Darbar Sahib was planned from many years.

They went to the British seeking advice.

And today, they are saying they were compelled?

Daughter, the legitimate rights of the Sikhs the Government kicked away.

They charged the Sikhs with false accusations and threw them in jails.

The jails overflowed.

But the Government’s hunger did not end.

Sikhs were murdered and thrown in the rivers.

The rivers rose crying.

But the Government’s hunger did not end.

Sikhs were burnt and tossed in the dirt.

This was the condition of Panjab.

What more can I tell you, my daughter?

Fear was widespread in the land of the Gurus.

On the martyrdom day of the Fifth Sovereign pilgrims from villages and towns had come to pay their respects.

On that martyrdom day - the Government attacked.

And with their tanks blew up Akal Takht Sahib.

Sacks were filled with the Gurus Hukamnams and carted away.

And then - they lit fires and burnt down the library.

They tied the hands of the pilgrims with their own turbans.

And then - this brutal Government shot them.

What can I tell you about the way the women and the children were treated by this brutal Government?

The pathways were filled with Sikh corpses.

The pool turned red with Sikh blood.

They filled the trucks with corpses and carted them away.

The sky of Panjab turned red.

Mother, the Government says, that Bhindranwale was a terrorist.

You tell me the truth, who was Bhindranwale?

What can I tell you, who was Jarnail Singh?

Writers from far and wide will write thousands of books on him.

General of the Generals was Jarnail Singh.

Diamond of the Nation was Baba Jarnail Singh.

Amongst a million was Jarnail Singh.

Waking up the Sikhs was Baba Jarnail Singh.

Your mother is indebted to his sacrifice.

Your mother bows to his martyrdom.

Baba Jarnail Singh is the star of my eyes.

General of the Generals is Jarnail Singh.


Revised:

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Written By

Creative Director

Inni Kaur is Creative Director at the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI). She has served SikhRI in several capacities since 2010, including Chair of the Board, and most recently as CEO. 

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