The Condition of Punjab, India

Reaction to the censoring of the 2017 film “Toofan Singh”

Sahiba Beniwal
Aug 22, 2017 · 4 min read

I cannot express how disgusted I am that India has censored the film Toofan Singh, a true story of a young, courageous teenage boy who sacrificed his life to protect innocent Sikhs during the 1984 Sikh genocide. This is a film that exposes the atrocities the government placed on innocent Sikh women, children, elders, and men in an attempt to suppress and destroy the Sikh people once and for all. The reality was that every time someone stood up with an honest and just voice, they were tortured to death and then later accused for being “terrorists” and “criminals” by the government. No mercy was shown. Today, that same behavior exists towards honest and just people and that’s sickening. I cannot fathom how India calls itself a democracy when it destroys its own people- the people who have given their blood and sweat to protect and serve from the time of Babur, to the Mughals, to the British rule.

And now- nearly 40 years after the Sikh genocide when genius Sikh actors and producers finally put together this masterpiece film, when we finally have a chance to hear Punjab’s cries for help, when we have a golden opportunity to learn about our past and how strong and honorable our heritage really is- it is banned in India. The fact that India is still trying its level best to strip Sikh youth from their self identity is plain sick. India needs to own up to its mistakes; but instead, it continues to let its ego, corruption, greed, discrimination, bribery, and inhumane behavior overpower justice. The reality was that if any Sikh protected another from the cruelties of government, he and his family were tortured to death and then false propaganda was spread about these “violent Sikh rebels and terrorists”. The methods of torture were beyond barbaric. Pregnant Sikh women were crushed to death; eyeballs were ripped out, nails were ripped off, and throats were slit if Sikhs were caught praying in jail; young girls were assaulted and their genitals removed; Sikh boys were burned in jail with clothing irons; acid was spilled on faces and bodies; babies were burned alive on stovetops in front of their mothers; young children were tied by rope to the back of trucks and dragged at high speed; hot rods were inserted into bodied and twisted out organs. These are just a few of the them. This film left me shocked and speechless.

I am incredibly proud and honored to be born into a Sikh family in America. Just thinking about how much my brave ancestors endured to keep the faith and culture alive shakes me. Both of my parents are survivors of the 1984 Sikh genocide. My mother was just 5 meters away from being slaughtered in Amritsar, Punjab and saw with her own eyes the dead bodies and blood stains at the Golden temple. She says one memory that breaks her down is the little blood stained handprints of children on the walls of the Golden Temple that she saw when the temple was first opened for public after the horrifying crime. My maternal grandfather was head of the electricity board in Amritsar and was held at gunpoint when he was ordered by Indira Gandhi’s men to shut off all lights at the temple during the mass murder of innocent Sikhs praying at the Golden Temple. My father was just a minute or two away from being killed at the Delhi train station during the Delhi riots had his cousin not arrived in time to pick him up. I, and the majority of Sikh youth outside of India, exist because our parents/grandparents/relatives were able to survive this genocide and make it to these nations where freedom and liberty exist.

After all of this, Sikhs are the criminals, the terrorists? It shatters me how my people are framed. Sikhs are NOT criminals. Sikhs are NOT terrorists. Sikhs are NOT laughingstocks. The term Sikh means ‘one who gains knowledge; a student of God’. Sikhs believe in equality, justice, liberty, freedom, one immortal being. Sikhism is a progressive, scientific philosophy that was brought by Guru Nanak in the 15th century. The Sikhs are the only group in India who engage in intense service to others. The temples serve free food to the poor 24 hours a day, serving millions of people whether in India or anywhere else in the world. These are people who always stood up to protect all people, whether Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, Jain, or Christian. The Sikhs are soldiers for all, but they are one of the most disrespected and oppressed group of people in India. This makes absolutely no sense.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the problem in Punjab cannot be fixed by Punjab residents alone. This will have to be a joint movement by all Sikhs globally. We need to remain unified, achieve the highest possible education, and do something for these people when the time comes. Punjab is dying. It is being killed by this corrupt government. Till date, there is no international airport in Punjab. Sikh children are intentionally deprived of education. No proper universities or high schools are built. Farmers are committing suicide on this once most fertile place on earth because the government is snatching away water from the 5 surrounding rivers. Sikh boys and girls were intentionally placed on drugs to destroy and then label them as good for nothings. This is a major problem. We as American, Canadian, British Sikhs can do something about this. We have the ability to make a difference. We just need the motivation, education, and undying faith that the Sikh people can be revived. The Sikhs in India are not allowed to view this film, but we are. That’s ok, because it just woke up more lions. And we are not going to let this fly.

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