-Prof. Kawaldeep Singh
President Obama is a young man, just a first time senator, who riding on Euphoria for change in the mind of common men of USA who were actually being broken down by negatives of WAR ON TERROR and of DOWNTURN followed by ending of American dream, raised to the topmost level by showing new hopes to general public.
His similar visions (only!) at global level bagged him international award of the level of Nobel for Peace too (though it is the first time in the history that one got it without implementation of any kind at all).
However as far policy implementations of his hopes are concerned he proved not much better than his predecessors. He did took some welcome steps but all his efforts have been road blocked by the powerful political, industrial, military (can read as defence contractors) and various other influential lobbies working inside the power corridors of Washington, which actually have the complete control of functioning system of USA. He being the less experienced of handling and carry along with such huge power, many times just act as a face for already established system and the existing unchangeable setup there, whose equations are more complicated than they appear.
As far as cancelation of his proposed visit to Amritsar is concerned, if it would be analysed deeply, we would find that Sikh groups themselves are more responsible for it than Obama or anyone in his administration. Various factions of Sikhs have given several uncalled and unauthorized statements about his proposed stopover, security related issues and modalities & guidelines to be followed during visiting the shrine, just after the rough plans of the anticipated visit made public, without even waiting for some final yes from Obama Administration.
Along with various illogical statements from mainstream Sikh Representatives, Sikh Separatist Groups too started raising their political agenda and expressing the plans to reach him one or another way to make their visible representation against Indian state. This was the biggest mistake! Any state would never allow such huge embarrassment for itself during an official visit of a foreign state head on its land. So role of various Indian state agencies, behind the curtains, in cancellation of the proposed visit on a lame excuse (that wearing headgear would made him look Muslim and thus spoil his image in the mind of his voters) can't be denied at all.
Even Obama Administration couldn’t risk of being seen as aligned with separatist element while being on Indian Soil. It’s simply like supporting Tibet while being in China. Power equations on world stage couldn’t allow such breaking of diplomatic protocols. So it also seems that president’s advisors would have suggested him to stay away in order to remain out of any controversy as Indo-American relations are much more important for them than any appeasement.
No doubt there are elements still there in the Indian power structure which have allergic (can read hateful) mindset for minorities generally and Sikhs specifically. However those were we who invited them to act in this manner. Actually Sikh Leadership is suffering from a disease of high level of short-sightedness and of proceeding & acting without strategy of any kind. If in any case, separatists wished to make their representation they could have chosen some other suitable occasion might be out of India, separately. In that manner their voice could be heard without any diplomatic troubles for Obama.
This rare chance (now lost!) would otherwise have been used only to convey the timeless, universal and valuable message of GURU GRANTH SAHIB with stress on Sikh humanitarian values of universal brotherhood, freedom of thought and speech, equality for all irrespective of status, colour, cast, religion, creed & gender, rejection of all ritualistic practices & religious exploitations, and above all the huge list battles & sacrifices that Sikh community did for the cause of such principles, on the world stage in the presence of international media which would have accompanied the president. Sikh Identity would have come out more strengthened if our leadership has taken it seriously to this level.
As this opportunity is lost now so there is no point in cribbing about it, however, Hope this incidence would serve as a lesson for present Sikh leadership to change their modus operandi as well as psyche.....
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