Throwing new light on the dark era of terrorism that engulfed Punjab till the mid-90s, a new book, Rivers on Fire – A Khalistan Struggle, points to how the 1985 Kanishka bombing was carried out to strategically target the Indian economy, and how the SYL row between Punjab and Haryana was blown out of proportion after it entered the dynamics of militancy. It also deals with the role of Damdami Taksal in the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi. Author Jagtar Singh said that it is the "first evidence-based study of Punjab militancy that awaits closure". The book dissects the inter-state river waters dispute based on documented evidence, and Singh said that the row between Punjab and Haryana had been blown out of proportion as more than the quantum of water over which both states are at loggerheads, flows to Pakistan from Punjab. "The apportionment of river waters entered the dynamics of militancy after a stage when it was decided to take up the issues concerning the exploitation of the peasantry in Punjab. It is for the first time that certain myths about the water sharing have been shattered based on the basis of official records and writings of those who were directly involved. The river waters dispute is the saga of traitors and political traders. The dispute should be revisited in the context of ground reality and technological advances in the field of water harvesting. It should be taken out from the realm of vote-bank politics. It is high time to douse the flames of the river waters," said Singh. This is second book by Singh, who is a journalist and columnist with career spanning more than four decades. He had worked with Chandigarh centre of The Indian Express for about two and a half decades covering religio-political dynamics and economy of Punjab. In 2011, Singh authored "Khalistan Struggle - A Non-Movement". Singh's latest work, which took him six years to research and write, is based upon field work combined with the actual events of the time. Several of the main players were interviewed during writing, Singh said, adding that he also filed number of applications under Right to Information (RTI) Act for his new book. The book also hints at the involvement of people from Damdami Taksal in former PM Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Singh said that the militancy that rocked Punjab claimed the lives of both the main players – Indira Gandhi and Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, adding: "The aspect of Sant Bhindrnawale of being a political creation has been discussed logically. Both Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi were fighting for their own political survival when Sant Bhindranwale took over as the chief of Damdami Taksal." The book says that the Kanishka bombing was an operation by the Sikh radicals that went horribly wrong. "The design was to hit the Indian economy," says the new book, giving detailed account of bombing mastermind Talwinder Singh Parmar's "more than one year stay in the caves in the mountainous Frontier area of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan as the Canadian Sikh national of Indian origin came under scanner and pressure of the global security agencies". Singh says that the details are based upon the disclosures made by Talwinder Singh Babbar during his stay in Pakistan. "One of the most tragic incidents associated with the Sikh struggle that caught global attention was bombing of Air India Kanishka Flight 182 that exploded mid-air over Atlantic Ocean near Irish coast on the fateful June 23 of 1985 killing all 329 people aboard the Boeing 747-237 B that was on Toronto-Montreal-London-New Delhi route," says the book, pointing out that "India’s economy was to be strategically targeted under this design to avenge Operation Bluestar". It adds: "While facilitating his (Parmar's) entry, Pakistan refused to provide him sanctuary as that would have resulted in tension with Canada. Pakistan clearly told his associates to arrange safe house for him in India or elsewhere. He stayed in Lahore area for less than a month before he was shifted to a safe place..Pakistan told Babbars to push him into India." As per the 390-page book: "While in the caves, he planned some major action independently that had the potential to escalate tension between India and Pakistan to a new level and create war like situation. Parmar, who was later killed by Punjab Police, as per the book paid Rs 40 lakh to a smuggler named Haji for the purchase of stinger missile that was to be delivered to him in Delhi after he crossed over. His planned operation got leaked to the people in the ISI who were not in favour of such action that could trigger direct confrontation between India and Pakistan. The missile was never delivered." About the origins of militancy in Punjab, the book notes: "The militancy in Punjab originated with two bodies that were already active in the Sikh religio-political domain in the state. However, the very first action was carried out by a person who was not associated with any of these two groups which otherwise provided him logistical support. These organisations were the Damdami Taksal and the Nagoke group in Amritsar district. Babbar Khalsa was subsequently launched by the people associated with Nagoke group having linkage with the Akhand Kirtani Jatha.” The 1983 Dhilwan killings have also been taken up in the book. "The Dhilwan incident has been detailed on the basis of first person account. One of the three militants who carried out the killings is alive and leading a lo profile life in a border village. This is also a study as to how ordinary people got transformed into macabre killing machines," said Singh. He added: "Two other subjects that have been dealt in details are the signing of the Rajiv-Longowal Accord and the boycott of 1992 Assembly elections by the mainstream Akali Dal. One of the dimensions is that the boycott was designed by the agencies to seek what has been described in the book as the ‘democratic mandate to kill’,” said Singh. The militant struggle has also been reviewed in the context of the earlier peaceful struggle in the country by the Sikhs. That struggle was for the liberation of gurdwaras.
