Governor’s speech in Amritsar

SIR Edward Maclagan, who was given a farewell by the District Board, Amritsar, last week, referred to the Sikh problem and the appointment of the Birdwood Committee. In the course of this speech, His Excellency said: “The Government has had at times to enforce the law when this was broken and to secure peace when this was threatened, but it has realised, like the poet, the discomforts of ‘being wroth with those we love,’ and it has entered with reluctance on repressive measures, however much these may have been necessary in the interests of other communities and the public at large.” The reference he made to the “discomforts of being wroth with those we love” is believed to show that the Government is by no means pleased with the infliction of so much suffering on the Sikh community whom it still ‘loves’. If this is so, it should naturally follow that the position of this community should be restored to what it was before repression began. His Excellency further said: “Nothing would give me greater pleasure at the end of my term of office than to see things put in place for a complete restoration of the old feelings of confidence between the Government of the Province and the Sikh community.” If this is the real object of the Government, the proposed Committee should be asked not only to suggest a satisfactory solution to the Gurdwara problem but also to remedy the subsequent grievances of the community and action should be taken as early as possible to prepare the ground for the “restoration of the old feelings of confidence”. We hope that His Excellency will endeavour to give effect to the happy ideal which he has so sincerely expressed in his Amritsar speech.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Sikhs