Why the surprise? Between extremely poor leadership since 1947, sikh on sikh violence throughout the 80s, and desecration of golden temple both by government and, to a very real extent, Bhindranwale, and add to all that the unbelieveable corruption of India....why is anybody surprised at the numbers?
What is truly tragic is the sacrifice of so many sikhs through the centuries, for their religion, for Punjab, for Hindustan, for Hinduism and Sikhism, not to mention the truly heroic services of Sikh soldiers throughout the british colonial empire for almost one hundred years.....that so many should have fought, died, to have their descendents treated so, bicker so, and (with prosperity and 'education') become so uncaring of their own past. That is the real tragedy. What did all those people sacrifice and die for?
I hope, and believe, in the end, it will have been for some sense of community, some sense of pride, and that by learning about and acknowledging the sacrifices of the past, that we may force ourselves to carry on the name of sikhism, and of punjabi culture, into the future.
