|
Sikh leaders and derawad
Mewa Singh
 Sikhs
are celebrating the 300 anniversary this year of Gurta Gaddi of Guru
Granth Sahib. It must be ensured that every Sikh should severe the
ties with Derawad which is in total contradiction to the Divine
thought of Sikh religion.
Guru Granth
Sahib is the eternal Sikh Guru, containing the Divine thought of
Sikh religion, as revealed by God , the Almighty, through Sikh
Gurus, for humanity, as proclaimed by them, and so considered as
word of God which has to be understood by the Sikhs. The Sikh panth
has to take its decisions about Sikh affairs under the Divine
guidance of Guru Granth Sahib. There can be no other personal Guru
or guide for Sikhs.
Sikh religion
believes in, Fatherhood of God, Brotherhood of mankind and Truthful
living. Fatherhood of God automatically leads to Brotherhood of
Mankind, as the same is the creator of the entire creation, the same
is His light which shines in all. Sikhism teaches love between man
and man as love between man and God and the selfless service to
humanity. The eminent scholars of world religions and history have
appreciated it.
To dilute the
Sikh identity and code of conduct, to weaken the Sikh political
aspirations and to mislead the Sikhs, the state powers had also
given the patronage and support to the derawad, just after the
annexation of Sikh empire and up till now.
| |
Akali leaders now allege that because of the Sirsa dera support
to the Congress, they lost several seats in the Malwa belt. If
that is correct, then are not the Akalis responsible for it? The
SGPC is under the control of Akali Dal. Why preaching of Sikh
religion was not done to bring the Sikhs into Sikh code of
conduct? |
|
|
The Sikh
political leaders had themselves been trying to get the blessings of
the heads of the deras just for electorate gains, to get votes
through them, thereby giving them the recognition, though being
detrimental to the Sikh cause, instead of denouncing them and their
self made cheap slogans and educating the Sikhs to alienate them
from the deras, and any other system and to live in Sikh way of
life.
These deras
attract the innocent Sikhs who have no study of Sikh religion, by
making references to the dictums of Sikh religion itself as if they
are preaching Sikhism but Sikh preachers and leaders do not expose
them with honesty of purpose and so such persons remain misguided.
It is only by the preaching of Sikh religion with earnestness to all
the Sikhs that these deras can be made ineffective, so far as Sikhs
are concerned.
Still Sikhs are
sincere to their religion and ready to make any sacrifice for it,
even though, some may not be living in Sikh way of life and its code
of conduct. This spirit can easily lead them to the total rejection
of derawad and to live in strict Sikh way of life and code of
conduct, with the honest and proper preaching of Sikh religion. The
Sikh political leaders should adopt this approach rather than the
blessings of the dera chiefs for getting votes.
Some important
deras-sects, just as, Namdharis, Nirankaries and Radhasawamis
originated in the 19th century and flourished in 20th
century, whose heads were called as Gurus/Sat Gurus, in total
contradiction to the Divine thought of Sikh religion, where in Guru
Granth Sahib is the only Sikh Guru, and there can be no personal
Guru, though they mostly made references to Sikh Divine Hymns to
attract the Sikhs. They did get the state patronage to misguide the
Sikhs. Nirankaris also came in to direct conflict with the Sikhs and
edict from Akal Takht had to be issued that Sikhs should totally
boycott them as to have no contacts with them. Nirankaris were made
ineffective in
Punjab,
though they were under the direct protection and patronage of Indian
govt, but
Punjab had to
witness violence on Nirankari issue for over a decade, ignited under
state strategies.
However no
mainstream Sikhs gave any recognition to these deras and sects.
A new dera
named, Sacha Sauda came in to existence in the 20th
century, with head quarters at Sirsa, which is now in Haryana. Its
present chief, Gurmit Singh changed his name to Gurmit Ram Rahim
Singh as if to represent all the three main religions – Sikhism,
Hinduism and Islam but admitting that his dera is not religious
institution and it is reformatory only.
All know about
his enacting a drama, imitating the tenth Sikh Guru, preparing the
so called Jamme-insan just like Amrit prepared by the tenth Sikh
Guru and announcing seven sitaras, just as Panj Piaras selected by
the tenth Guru.
What for all
this drama was done, if that dera is only concerned to social
reforms alone? Why the head of the dera is propagated as Guru if he
is a social reformer only? What was the need to change his name to
include the name sakes of the three religions? No explanation for
all these deceptions.
Sikhs raised
protests against such blasphemy, and an edict was issued from Akal
Takht to boycott him and his followers and the deras and Sikhs to
have no contacts with them and to get closed all of his deras in
Punjab.
He had shown his regrets that he could never imagine imitating the
Tenth Sikh Guru and made an apology. Sikhs rejected the regret and
apology as fake and dishonest. A case has been registered against
him for blasphemy and the CBI is already investigating the two
murder cases and rape allegations against this self styled guru and
social reformer, under the directions of Punjab and Haryana High
Court.
The selfish
political urge to get the blessings of even such a person by
political leaders for votes has gone to such a low extent that in
the Assembly elections held in Punjab in Feb, 2007, the leaders of
the main political parties approached him, including the Sikh leader
Parkash Singh Badal, president Akali Dal, with folded hands, bowing
before him, while the dera head was sitting on his raised platform
seat in his congregation hall, thus providing the legitimacy to
him.
What message
does it give the ordinary Sikhs? The baba however supported the
Congress party. Naturally, Congress leaders are soft on him despite
his anti-Sikh activities. Former Congress CM, Amarinder Singh has
not come forward to denounce his anti-Sikh activities though he
tried to steel the Sikh agenda from Akalis to attract the Sikh votes
while in power.
Akali leaders
now allege that because of the Sirsa dera support to the Congress,
they lost several seats in the Malwa belt. If that is correct, then
are not the Akalis responsible for it? The SGPC is under the control
of Akali Dal. Why preaching of Sikh religion was not done to bring
the Sikhs into Sikh code of conduct and Sikh way of life, which
would have alienated the Sikhs from such a dera?
The younger Sikh
generation is drifting away from Sikh code of conduct. Sikhs are the
vote bank of Akali Dal and this is going to shrink. Sikh leaders
should now no longer compromise on issues relating to Sikh religion
to get Sikh votes. They will have to be now clear on derawad to
denounce it as being anti-Sikh in order to alienate the Sikhs from
it.
Though the
present Sikh anger is against Sacha Sauda dera, but this rage has to
be widened as there is need to wean back Sikhs from all kinds of
deras. There can be no justification to encourage Namdharis by Sikh
leaders if they supported Akali candidates in elections as they
believe in the concept of a personal Guru.
Akali Dal
president Parkash Singh Badal, after becoming CM, went to them and
offered the blank cheque and the setting up of the chair in a
university in the name of ‘Sat Guru’ Ram Singh of that sect. What
message it gives to the ordinary Sikhs and even other Sikh leaders?
And what about the commitment to end derawad? The Namdharis should
be rather persuaded to stop the practice of personal Gurus. It is a
historical fact that Baba Ram Singh was a very devout Sikh and never
posed as a Guru in his life time. He was termed as Guru to discredit
him among Sikhs and at the same time to create confusion among Sikhs
on this matter.
Sikh politicians
who claim to represent the Sikhs must honestly become active as to
these very relevant aspects and against derawad, which has engulfed
considerable number of Sikhs. They should snap their ties with each
and every dera, if any, irrespective of the consideration about
which dera helps them in elections. If any one violates these
dictums, then he has no right to represent the Sikhs in religious
and political affairs.
The author is
an acclaimed US-based scholar.
3 September 2008
|
Read Also