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Vedanti’s Exit Shocks Diaspora Sikhs
Baljeet Sahi
 LOS
ANGELES: The resignation of Akal Takhat Jathedar Joginder Singh
Vedanti came as a surprise to the Sikh community of California. His
resignation perhaps leaves a void which according to the members of
the Coalition of Gurdwaras of California and the watchdog group
Sikhs for Preservation of Sikhism and Sikh Heritage can not be
easily filled.
Speaking on the issue, the members of Coalition
and the watchdog group were of the opinion that during his term as
Jathedar he strictly implemented ‘One Granth, One Panth, and One
Maryada’ – the Sikh ideology from the temporal seat.
He worked diligently to approve Nanakshahi
calendar, propagated independent Sikh thought, and steadfastly
disapproved Dasam Granth as equal to Guru Granth Sahib.
His staunch and resilient stance against
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the strategizing wing of
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), irked the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)
party. The resignation comes in the wake of controversy initiated by
the head honchos of Badal’s Shiromani Akali Dal. Punjab Chief
minister Parkash Singh Badal and his cronies were unhappy with
Jathedar Vedanti because of his statement in support of Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh of Congress party during the recent vote of
confidence, and backing the movement for separate Sikh state on his
visit in April to Washington DC.
Jathedar’s dismissal under duress comes at a
critical period of Punjab which has slipped economically from first
to seventh place. The members of the two organizations were
perturbed that the ruling Akali government continues to play petty
politics to satisfy affiliations with BJP alliance which is critical
to keep itself in power in Punjab.
Speaking in anonymity fearing repercussions,
members of the Coalition and the watchdog group, said that removal
of Jathedar Vedanti is just another step of Akalis towards Hindutva
movement being masterminded by RSS. Nefarious activities of RSS
through Navjot Singh Sidhu – a turbaned Hindu cricketer turned
comedian politician, were earlier reported in several press releases
by the Coalition and the watchdog group.
Their conclusions regarding Navjot Sidhu’s underhanded political
maneuvering under the BJP banner have been highlighted by Jathedar
Vedanti when he recently admitted that he was pressurized to rescind
his edict against RSS during a secret meeting which on “July 23,
2006, was held on the premises of local Guru Ram Dass Medical
College and attended by BJP’s MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, SGPC chief, and
senior official of the RSS”.
One member was of the opinion that appointment of interim Jathedar
Giani Gurbachan Singh makes way for proponents of Dasam Grant,
anti-Sikh influence, and RSS to establish at Akal Takht. They were
referring to Giani Gurbachan Singh’s unrelenting support of RSS
backed Dasam Granth and his controversial presentation of a siropa
to Sardar Buta Singh who during his tenure as a home minister had
been excommunicated from Sikh Panth. The members compared Giani
Gurbachan Singh with Arur Singh, Sardar Bahadur Sir (1865-1926) who
in 1919 along with priests of Darbar Sahib publicly honored General
Dyer who was responsible for the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh in
Amritsar.
13 August, 2008
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