Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

Bhindranwa­le never demanded Khalistan: Subramania­n Swamy

BJP Rajya Sabha member terms antisikh riots ‘genocide’, says all Indians, irrespecti­ve of their faith, are Hindus geneticall­y

- Surjit Singh surjit.singh@hindustant­imes.com ■ ■

AMRITSAR: Stating that militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwa­le was his friend, BJP’S Rajya Sabha member Subramania­n Swamy on Sunday claimed that the former never demanded ‘Khalistan’.

Swamy, while addressing a seminar organised by Vishwa Samvad Samiti, an organisati­on affiliated to RSS, here said, “I closely watched what happened in Punjab in the nineties. This was a conspiracy of external forces to disintegra­te the nation.”

He said Bhindranwa­le, who led the Sikh militants holed up in the Golden Temple during Operation Bluestar, never raised the separatist demand. “Show me a recording of any speech in which he raised such a demand,” he said when he was told by a scribe that a video is available on Youtube, in which Bhindranwa­le is seen saying “Army attack on Golden Temple would lay the foundation of Khalisan”. He said, “As per my conversati­on with him, he did not demand Khalistan, but said he won’t reject it (Khalistan) if anybody gifts it to them.”

Terming Operation Bluestar as a blunder, Swamy said the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was the force behind it. Condemning the anti-sikh

Bhindranwa­le never raised the demand for Khalistan. Show me a recording of any speech in which he raised such a demand.

SUBRAMANIA­N SWAMY, Rajya Sabha member

riots, he termed these as “genocide”. “However, the Sikh hardliners in western countries like Canada use this term to support their separatist demand,” he pointed out.

Stating that DNA of all the people who take birth in India is the same, Swamy said all Indians are Hindus geneticall­y, irrespecti­ve of their faith.

‘MAKE RAPISTS IMPOTENT THROUGH SURGERY’

Replying to a query on the Kathua rape case, he sought stern action against the accused. “Capital punishment is not enough. The rapist should be made impotent through surgery so that he cannot rape any womon again.”

Swamy said disinforma­tion is being spread through social media against Hindus with the help of external forces.

Notably, the seminar was also addressed by Prafull Ketkar, editor of RSS mouthpiece Organiser. The event was organised on the occasion of ‘Narad Jayanti.’

 ?? SAMEER SEHGA/HT ?? Rajya Sabha member Subramania­n Swamy and Vishwa Samvad Samiti state president Ram Gopal in Amritsar.
SAMEER SEHGA/HT Rajya Sabha member Subramania­n Swamy and Vishwa Samvad Samiti state president Ram Gopal in Amritsar.

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