Amritsar, Punjab (July 18, 2012): Hard times seem to be far from being over for Journalist Kuldip Nayar. Sikh organizations have took exception to the contents of the apology issued on behalf of Kuldip Nayar stating that the objectionable parts of his controversial autobiography shall be removed in the next edition.
Dal Khalsa and Khalsa Action Committee representatives have expressed dis-satisfaction over content of apology said to have been tendered by Kuldip Nayar.
It is notable that Satnam Manak, a senior journalist associated with Daily Ajit (Jalandhar) distributed a press note few days back, in which Kuldip Nayar was said to have expressed “regret” over the “unintentional” hurt caused to the Sikh sentiments.
“The Dal Khalsa is of the view that the respectable way out is that the author should withhold the stock lying with the publisher and insert additional page to clear all false accusations against Sikh personalities and their group” said Party spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh.
He questioned “who knows when and under what circumstances the next edition will come out. Instead of keeping the Sikhs on a long wait, Mr Nayar should pen down few lines to clear all the disinformation and insert an additional page in the present edition itself”. He said if Nayar had genuinely realized that he had rubbed the Sikhs in the wrong way, then he should show the magnanimity to face the community, whose sentiments he had hurt.
“We will certainly welcome his apology once he issues the statement in a proper and specific manner, without ifs and buts and under his own signature. Till then his apology stands reserved i.e neither rejected nor accepted”, he said.
Bhai Mohkam Singh, convenor of Khalsa Action Committee told Sikh Siyasat that all party Panthic meet scheduled for 20th July, 2012 in Amritsar would discuss and deliberate on the contents of the autobiography along with his apology statement.
He told that the gathering would discuss whether an apology by Nayar was an “admission of mistakes or a tactical move to cool down the tempers of Sikhs for the time being.
It is notable that a Jalandhar based Punjabi newspaper, known for it’s Punjabiyat ideology, is pro-active in lobbying with various Sikh groups to secure some relief for Kuldip Nayar, whose image as a “sympathiser” of Sikhs is in crisis.