The book ‘Rivers of Fire: Khalistan Struggle’ absolves New Delhi of all excesses in Punjab.

Sardar Jagtar Singh’s book “Rivers of Fire: Khalistan Struggle” runs on anticipated lines. It is nothing less than another malicious attempt to absolve New Delhi of all the excesses and atrocities perpetrated upon Sikhs in the period under discussion.

The book is another in series of reiteration and repetitions In a crude tautological manner. It is an attempt of reification of earlier state narrative of shifting the blame of oppression on to victims themselves, only variance being that author honey coats the poisonous pills prior to thrusting it down the cerebral faculties and is finding easy prey amongst the very people he has set out to malign .

Drawing farfetched conclusions like Damdami Taksal’s role in PM’ assassination, repeating Indian intelligence theories in Kanishka air bomb blast and so-called interview of a small time smuggler allegedly involved in Dhillwan Hindu bus passengers massacre, And claiming that killers were taking orders from Golden Temple is a blatant and vicious attempt to portray Sikhs, their institutions and sacred places in bad light .

His bias against Shromani Akali Dal, a premiere Sikh body, comes out in fore when though the book itself states that Dhillwan killings coincided with two-day conclave of the Opposition parties in which senior Akali leaders participated too.

But either out of incompetence, or insincerity or due to ulterior motive he doesn’t even explore a possible connect between killings and this Opposition conclave. Interestingly it was this event which reduced the Sikh clout in national politics and led to isolation of Akalis from national political mainstream where they had always been able to punch above their weight earlier .

It is no wonder that the author found a willing partner Shri Parmod Kumar, a man who had been mentored by infamous CRRID officials and now holds a prominent advisory position in RSS backed Khattar government in Haryana, in this assault.

So Beware!!! lest “Rivers of Fire: Khalistan Struggle” entraps you with its logos, for the architects of this endeavor neither subscribe to your ethos, nor they have pathos for you …