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Rein In Ashutosh.
Now!
Ludhiana violence has projected a gory theatre of BJP and Congress
Dr Amrik Singh, Sacramento
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Punjab has seen the blood-soaked politics of Congress in the past
decades. The militancy can’t be studied by separating it from the
culture that created it. Ludhiana violence has shown that BJP is
apathetic to interests of Punjab. |
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 Ludhiana violence on the eve of 17th anniversary of Babri
Masjid’s demolition and 53rd Death anniversary of Dr.
B.R.Ambedkar portends dangerous signals for Punjab. Nothing happens
in Punjab that has not a history to it. The state has been a theatre
of manipulative politics, intricate designs and provocative
rationalities since ancient times. In the last hundred years, it
remained a target of a colonial milieu, vivisection, and
diversionary techniques. The name of one such policy was “The Great
Game” of 1885 that the British had designed to provoke sectarian
identities to dissipate anti-colonial venom from the hearts of
Punjabis. The British in 1947 left a colonial heritage which new
rulers of India followed in letter and spirit. New masters revised
“the Great Game” and named it “Secularism.” As per its unofficial
agenda , non-Hindu religious beliefs have to be discouraged,
destroyed and dismantled to an extent that people accept the
supremacy of Secularism, which experts believe is just a strategic
name for Hinduism.
Hardly anyone knew Dayanand Sarswati when he tried his luck in
Maharashtra and in his home state , Gujrat. But when he came to
Punjab under a special mission to alienate the poor from Sikh
religion, he drew everybody’s attention, especially the British.
Earlier, nobody listened to his discourses of returning to Vedic
glory, but the moment he made controversial comments on Gurbani, he
achieved stardom. He created in Hindu intelligentsia a desire to
not only control Punjab, but the whole Indian sub-continent with
their racial superiority and intricate designing, scheming and
maligning. The dream didn’t appear far-fetched when the English were
ready to fulfill their aspirations.
 M.K. Gandhi was non-entity when he came back from South Africa. The
moment he entered Punjab after the Jallianwallah massacre in 1919,
he found an easy route to nationalize his leadership role. The
peaceful protests of Sikhs for freeing Gurdwaras from Hindu-oriented
Mahants, inspired him to fashion his non-violence mainly for
suppressing Punjabis’ rising patriotism and anti-colonial venom.
British highlighted Gandhi’s role for their colonial ends because
Punjab seemed to pose a growing threat to them. Gandhi kept delaying
freedom until the way for Hindu Nationalism was charted by
alienating Muslims, forcing Dr. Ambedkar to enter Poona Pact and
defrauding Sikh leadership with a state where they would relish the
glow of freedom. The epicenter of three grand frauds was Punjab.
Undivided Punjab would hinder Hindu nationalistic goals, therefore,
suppress the emerging alliance of Dalits, Muslims and Sikhs. All
efforts were directed for provoking violence that led to the
partition of India.
Divya Jyoti Sanghthan’s founder Ashutosh appended Maharaj with his
name when he came to Punjab in 1984. His arrival in the state was
under a special mission that related to 1984 attack on Harmandir
Sahib. Ashutosh believed Operation Blue star was necessary to stop
Pakistan from helping militants. He declared he would not let
terrorism again raise its head in Punjab. Although, an elected
government at the center and a trained military were in place for
meeting any foreign threat, yet Ashutosh assumed the
extra-constitutional role of the state to free Punjab of
terrorists. He questioned Sikh traditions that inspired Amritdhari
Sikhs to recite Gurbani daily, which according to him, is just
parroting to no effect. He considered Sikhism an offshoot of
Hinduism. One of his followers projected Guru Gobind Singh seeking
blessings of Hindu Gods and the Khalsa created by him as a
misconception. The real Khalsa, according to one of his deputies,
was a body of Ashutosh’s devotees.
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Ashutosh questioned Sikh traditions that inspired Amritdhari Sikhs
to recite Gurbani daily which he denigrated saying it was just
parroting. He termed Sikhism an offshoot of Hinduism and followers
projected Guru Gobind Singh as seeking blessings of Hindu Gods. Many
of Ashutosh's controversial remarks and activities were brought to
the notice of the Akal Takht but it seems his influence runs deep
within Badal’s family. |
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The controversial remarks were brought to the notice of the Akal
Takhat. Ashutosh was refrained from creating unnecessary
controversies, but his influence reportedly runs in Badal’s family.
The state BJP stood behind him even at the cost of the coalition
politics. The minority commission had censured Ashutosh
for poisoning Punjab’s atmosphere, but could not deter it to abandon
provocative speeches in the name of Braham Gyan and to the
disparagement of Gurbani.
BJP is of the opinion that every one has right to practice whatever
religion one believes in. Therefore, the action of Sikh bodies’ to
march towards the venue of the function undermined the freedom of
religion. Sikh bodies argue that the BJP didn’t comment on
Ashutosh’s interference in the practice of other religions. The
freedom as a right only exists so long as it doesn’t undermine
freedom of the other. Damdami Taksal Chief Harnam Singh Dhumma
blamed the government for misleading Punjabi Hindus and creating an
anti-Punjab atmosphere.
Mohan Rao Bhagwat, chief of radical Hindu organization RSS, selected
historical Babri Masjid’s demolition day for his visit to Punjab. On
December 6, 2009, he held an RSS camp and a press conference in
Chandigarh . He declared that he had no regrets for what happened in
Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. He also made it clear that all
minorities (Muslims and Christians) are descendants of former Hindu
forefathers. The aim of Hindu raj should be to take them back in
its fold. On December 6, posters of the controversial sect leader
displayed all over Ludhiana were said to ridicule Sikhs and create
ruckus that might deflect attention from 17th anniversary
of Babri mosque demolition. The shooting of Darshan Singh is a sad
commentary of Akali-BJP alliance in Punjab.
It is an open secret that Ashutosh’s function was organized by
Ludhiana Ashok Malhotra Group of Industries at the behest of BJP
party. The top leadership’s incarceration in the Librahan Report
motivated them to seek the theatrical protection of the
controversial religious leader. Raising the bogey of Sikh terrorism
and linking it with Pakistan could wash blood from hands of both
Congress and BJP.
The dangerous trends point to apprehensions that the Punjab will
burn again. The hatred comes here packaged in the name of peace and
non-violence. Mantras of annihilation are chanted to decimate the
voices which don't conform to Brahamanical codes. RSS chief has
already pronounced that all minorities have their origin in
Hinduism. Bhagwat is looking forward to times when minorities will
submerge in the ocean of Hinduism. He is fantasizing Mahan Bharat
that will include Afghanistan, Kashmir and Tibet as well. If viewed
in the background of colonial history nothing has changed even after
one hundred years. Science has broken many frontiers of knowledge,
but more the development in India, the greater the slide into
primitive fantasies.
When Arya Samaj came to Punjab as part of the “Great Game,” it
focused on Amritdhari Sikhs and Guru Granth Sahib. In the beginning
years, Arya Samaj's programs included reading from Guru Granth
Sahib . But it was only to denigrate Gurbani in comparison to the
purity of eternal Vedas. The founder of Khalsa Akhbar, Bhai Dit
Singh objected to Dayanand’s derogatory commentary on Gurbani and
challenged him to debate with him about Vedas and Gurbani. It was
Bhai Dit Singh’s genius that exposed Swami Dayanand’s imperfect
knowledge about planetary revolution. Swami Dayanand kept insisting
that the Sun revolves round the earth. The dynamic personality of
Bhai Dit Singh had experienced at Dera Gulab Dass Chatthianwala a
negative mindset that degraded Gurabani simply because it had hymns
of Saints who owe their origin to Shudra families. Later, he joined
Arya Samaj for there appeared a promise that caste would not be
followed. Shuddhi of dalits attracted many followers. When Bhai
Sahib saw the proponents of Arya Samaj raging with their superiority
and replete with blasphemous words for Gurus and Saints, he vowed to
give up that faith forever. He met Bhai Gurmukh Singh and embarked
on a mission to inculcate true Sikh spirit through his discourses
and writings. Bhai Sahib left the world in 1901, but his influence
on Sikh history is tremendous and invaluable.
Punjab has seen the blood-soaked politics of Congress in the past
decades. The militancy can’t be studied by separating it from the
culture that created it. Ludhiana violence has shown that BJP is
apathetic to interests of Punjab. Sikhs are either with Congress or
with BJP. They barter Sikh ideals for the hateful campaign of their
political masters. Right-minded Hindus should rise to discourage
nexus of politicians and criminals. Guilty politicians’ attempts to
hide behind religious sentiments of people should never be allowed
to succeed in Punjab. If Punjabis keep their house in order, no
foreign threat can vanquish them. The unity of Dalits, Sikhs,
Christians, Muslims and Hindus in a new alliance can force BJP,
Congress and their allies to shift the Gory Theatre to some other
place.
9
December 2009
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