Sikhs reject Pakistan Radio allegation of forced conversion

Pakistan Radio has been attempting to spread communal strife in border areas of Punjab, by making allegations that Hindus are forcing minority sections to change their religion.

Amritsar, Dec 8 : Pakistan Radio has been attempting to spread communal strife in border areas of Punjab, by making allegations that Hindus are forcing minority sections to change their religion.

Lahore based Pakistan Radio in one of its recent broadcast of "Punjabi Darbar" has alleged that Hindus are compelling Sikhs to become Hindus.

Refuting the allegations levelled by Pakistan Radio, Joginder Singh, Professor of History in Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) says that Hindus and Sikhs live in harmony and enjoy cordial relation with each other.

Rejecting the propaganda being disseminated by Pakistan Radio, both Hindus and Sikhs say that members of both the communities celebrate each other's festivals.

"They (Pakistan) are going though a bad phase. Rather than poking their nose, Pakistan must look into its own affairs," said an annoyed Sikh.

Another Sikh said that Pakistan sponsored terrorism in Punjab. but they failed in separating Punjab from India. Now they are attempting to derail the development process of the state.

Indian Governments, be it the State or Centre has time and again launched various schemes and programmes to generate employment without being biased towards any religion, he added.

It is absurd that such allegations are made when a Sikh is the Prime Minister of India, he said.

This is not the first time that this programme has received such a harsh response from the Punjabi youth and society. In the past too it had tried to infuse some sort of separatist ideas, but received hard-hitting replies.

Pakistan Radio's 'Punjabi Darbar' exhortations have had little or no impact on Sikhs.

The radio programmes only indicate that Pakistan cannot see a prosperous and developed Punjab.

People in Punjab laugh at the propaganda which claims that Sikhs in India, and especially in Punjab, face a grim future.

ANI