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Spokesman continues its blasphemous tirade
Jagmohan Singh
 AMRITSAR/CHANDIGARH:
The Sikh nation takes legitimate pride that the Guru Granth Sahib
contains the original writings of the Sikh Gurus and that in the
annals of religious history, the Tenth master introduced a unique
concept by passing on the Guruship and guiding authority to Guru
Granth Sahib and the Commonwealth of the Khalsa, the Guru Panth.
In a sad but
sinister twist, a section of Sikh scholars under the tutelage of a
two year old publication, the Rozana Spokesman from
Chandigarh, have
started to question the historicity of this. Had this come from the
quarters of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, the Bharatiya Janta Party or
the Arya Samaj, it would be have understandable, but for the
Spokesman to unleash a barrage of anti-Sikh venom is highly
derogatory.
World Sikh News
has refrained from engaging itself with the numerous non-issues
flared by the paper from time to time, but as this is the ultimate
abuse to the tenets of Sikhism, actually blasphemy, it cannot be
left aside.
Taking umbrage
at the writings of Darbara Singh Seona – a former member of the
SGPC, members of the youth body of the breakaway group of Damdami
Taksal and the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee physically
attacked him, his wife Jaswinder Kaur –who is also a former SGPC
member, his two daughters –Pavitter Kaur and Amrit Kaur, in the Baba
Jeevan Singh Serai, near Darbar Sahib.
Before the
50-strong contingent, who entered the room under the pretext of
being policemen, attacked them, they sought apology from him which
was not forthcoming. He said that, "he was prepared to debate". The
writer had said that "the status of Guru was not bestowed on the
Guru Granth Sahib by the tenth master but to the Panth"
While the
Amritsar police
are dilly-dallying with the case, Atinder Pal Singh, the President
of International Akali Dal to whom the writer owed allegiance, has
disowned the writings of his party person. He has said that "Guruship
was bestowed on Guru Granth Sahib and the interpreting and
implementing authority was Guru Panth." Simranjit Singh Mann has
sought the arrest of the writer and also of Joginder Singh, the
editor of Spokesman. He has urged the Badal government to take
stringent actions against the paper. His party, the Shiromani Akali
Dal (Amritsar) has filed numerous complaints against the daily at
various places in Punjab.
World Sikh News
does not condone violence. The Sikh community has been taught not
to allow any abuse of basic Sikh tenets –"Gur ki ninda sune na
kahn". It is considered irresponsible to even hear the
sacrilegious talk about the Gurus.
The editor of
Spokesman as usual has tried to subvert the issue through subterfuge
and semantic duel, apportioning the blame squarely on Sikh priests
and indulging in self-aggrandizement of his new found wisdom.
Whether
Spokesman will see continue its fateful journey and forays, whether
the SGPC and the Punjab government will act more effectively in
handling the case and whether Sikh missionaries and neo-Scholars who
are indirectly supporting the Spokesman will refrain from doing so
and what turn the events will take, only time will tell.
28
May,
2008
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