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Kurr Phire Pardhan
ve lalo
Jagmohan Singh
The writer of open letters is painfully touched with the present
media war between the two Jathedars of the Sikh community. In this
open letter, he exhorts fellow Sikhs to stand up. He warns of
impending disintegration of the Sikh nation and degeneration into a
theocratic set-up. Readers are welcome to start a debate on the
subject.
Dear Panthjeet Singh Ji
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
 A
time comes in the history of nations when every member of the
nation, particularly of a fledgling nation must speak up. I believe
that the Jathedars of the Sikh nation have brought about a situation
when every Sikh worth his salt must speak up. It is with this duty
and moral obligation in mind that I write this open letter to you.
The Senior Head-Granthi of Takht Harmandir Sahib,
Patna,
Giani Iqbal Singh, under the influence of his own idiosyncrasy, with
additional prompting of some sinister political big-wigs amongst the
Sikh community and some anti-Sikh forces, has challenged decisions
relating to the Sikh Code of conduct (Rehat Maryada) and the Sikh
national calendar (Nanakshahi Jantri). Without attempting a
dialogue with his colleague, Giani Joginder Singh, the Jathedar of
Akal Takht Sahib has fired a salvo annulling the challenge. The
unrelenting Giani Iqbal Singh has threatened to wash all dirty linen
in public, including his own.
I
am privy to the knowledge that a massive behind-the-scenes turf war
is on, in which non-Sikh forces are also lending a helping hand to
this internecine fratricidal battle between the two Jathedars, which
is degenerating into a supremacy war between the two Takhts. I am
also aware of the circumstances created in the recent past by these
two religious leaders compromising ideals and resorting to
subterfuge and subversion.
In
the last 10 years, a number of actions, orders, letters and speeches
of our religious leaders, occupying exalted positions of provosts of
the community have severely impacted the individual and social life
of the Sikh people. In most cases, as much as you and I would not
want, the impact has been negative rather than positive.
I
do not write to begin another blame game. I do no want to be
pro-this and anti-that. I also do not want to be judgmental about
issues. I desire to share with you the agony and pain of an
ordinary Sikh on the streets. Whatever Jathedars say and whatever
they do with whatever intentions, there is no denying the fact that
we are today a laughing stock.
Every concerned Sikh is in pain. Some of this pain reaches the
leaders in question but most of it remains hidden. We are not a very
responsive people, we are gradually becoming an irresponsible
community and we are aimlessly and unthinkingly aping an
unaccountable religious and political leadership.
 The Hukamnama of the Akal Takht, till recent times, was perceived as
an order of the throne of the Almighty. It was highly sacred and
sacrosanct. It was a result of a series of discussions and
consultations. It carried the nomenclature, Gurmata –a consensus
statement arrived at in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib. Many of
Guru’s messages, subsequently, called Hukamnamas, too were in the
form of Blessings for individuals and regional Sangats. It was a
consensual statement derived through a series of drafting sessions
on substantive topics which affected the whole community. In the
highest Sikh traditions, whenever doubts arose, Sikhs gathered at
Akal Takht Sahib or in local Sangats, deliberated the contentious
issues and arrived at an agreement.
Contemporaneously, the meaning of Hukamnama and the procedure
adopted to execute them has undergone a sea-change. Political
expediency, haste, one-upmanship, obstinacy, undemocratic attitude
and at times a fundamentalist kind of religious fervour have been
the hallmarks of recent Hukamnamas.
Obviously all this is religiously and historically wrong and
unwarranted. In a somewhat skewed manner, the primacy of the
religious leadership, growing up as a priestly class or the clergy
of the Sikh people has come to the fore. This is definitely against
the basic tenets of the Sikh religion.
I
have often worried and this worry has been compounded by a question
which western scholars, politicians and bureaucrats with whom I have
interacted have invariably posed: Is Sikhism theocratic? Will the
proposed Sikh state, which a section of Sikhs are seeking, and if it
comes into being, be a theocratic state? History of the Sikhs and
their socio-religious cultural milieu does not suggest acceptance of
any kind of theocracy.
The working of the Jathedars, the SGPC, the ruling Akali Dal has
landed the Sikhs to a situation where the ordinary Sikh has adopted
a “couldn’t care less attitude”. The concerned Sikhs are “afraid”
to speak up. The difference between respectful awe (Bau) and fear (BYA)
has become blurred. The respectful awe of God has been replaced by
the fear of the religious leadership. I honestly and vigorously
urge my Sikh brethren not to touch this rock-bottom position; this
is theocracy and Sikhism is far from it.
Memories of functioning of any Gurdwara a century ago would be
enough to rebut the argument about the existence of a paid, separate
priestly class of the Sikhs. None existed. A visit to any Gurdwara
in
Myanmar,
even today will bring forth to us a near-ideal functioning of the
Commonwealth of Khalsa. According to information gathered by me, in
the Gurdwaras of Myanmar, the small Sikh community there does not
have a Granthi or a sewadar. All daily and weekly Gurdwara duties
are shared amongst the people. All training required and
maintenance of the Gurdwara is done by the Sikh Sangat.
Gur-bhai Ji, the need to write such a note is to recognize the lava
build up beneath the surface. Each one of us needs to call upon in
person every Jathedar and urge him to rethink about the issues that
confront the Sikh people and set in motion a democratic process
involving various sections spread far and wide. No one, not even
the Jathedars, can be allowed to take the Sikh Sangat and the Khalsa
Panth for granted.
My
letter is an honest outburst. If the stalemate is allowed to
continue and everyone resorts to brushing everything controversial
under the carpet and stonewall all healthy criticism, God forbid, I
foresee the buildup of schismatic movements which may mar the very
backbone of Sikhism.
You will agree with me that there are many issues which require
urgent attention. I plead that it is not possible to solve all of
them easily and quickly. I think however that it is possible to
pinpoint the issues and prepare a timeframe over which to solve
them.
 The temptation to be in the news should always remain a political
one. For matters beyond the temporal require more thorough
consideration. Considerable damage has been done by the Jathedars,
the unsanctioned pseudo-saints and the political leadership vying
with each other for supremacy and muddling of the real issues. Even
now the situation can be salvaged if all well meaning social,
religious and political groups and their leaders resolve to
regularly assemble at the Akal Takht to amicably resolve community
issues rather than talking to each other through the media. This is
the meaning of Guru Panth and this we have unfortunately abandoned.
It
may sound farfetched to some but I still believe that it would be
more appropriate to send an emissary or emissaries to the Akal Takht
Sahib and Takht Patna Sahib to resolve the present imbroglio.
Delegation after delegation and may be Jatha after Jatha of Sikhs
from all over the globe should go to the two Jathedars and call for
reasonable working style and strict adherence to Sikh practices and
procedures.
Most of you may not know, that over the years, the management of the
Takht Harminder Sahib ji
Patna has always been a cause of concern. So has been the case of
Takht Hazur Sahib. It bothers me, like the lay Sikh that no attempts
have been made by Punjab and Delhi based religio-political
organizations and leaders to engage in a long term dialogue
regarding Sikh practices at these Takhts and maintenance of a live
link and relationship with the Sikhs in these areas.
There is an urgent need to understand and review the working of
Takht Patna Sahib and Takht Hazur Sahib. The provisions contained in
the bye-laws to manage these Takhts are so incomplete and so
irreligious that they warrant immediate intervention. There is no
doubt that like in many other areas, even in this respect, the SGPC
has failed in its duties. Seventy years have gone by but the
implementation of the Rehat Maryada has not been able to enter the
portals of Takht Patna Sahib and Takht Hazur Sahib. Not only the
leaders, but every Sikh should view this with a sense of remorse.
 I
seriously believe that the drift should not be allowed to continue.
In a little over six months from now, Sikhs from all over the world
would be celebrating the tercentenary of the Guruship of Guru Granth
Sahib. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I pray very hard that this
occasion may become a rallying point for unity and not an excuse for
sowing the seeds of disintegration.
As
I said that there is no priestly class among the Sikhs. Jathedars of
the Sikh nation need to be alert and aware of the propaganda machine
unleashed against them by a divisive section of our own people.
However all Jathedars including Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh and
Giani Iqbal Singh, will have to switch off the extraneous factors,
consciously ignore the people, leaders and circumstances that
influence their working. Political influence needs to be
completely diffused if the supremacy of the Akal Takht has to be
maintained.
My
humble prayer is that the time has come to stand up to all those who
matter and call a spade a spade. The dignity, decorum and aura of
the Akal Takht and established Sikh institutions have been
effectively marginalized. Still all is not lost.
It
is time to go back to the roots. It is time to begin the way Guru
Nanak did. Rising out of the phoenix, in a concerted move, let us
all work to reestablish the glory of the Khalsa, Jathedars
notwithstanding. Guru Rakha.
Fraternally,
Jagmohan Singh
Jagmohan Singh is a commentator based in Ludhiana,
Punjab.
He may be contacted at jsbigideas@gmail.com
30
January 2008
P.S: Every Sikh is Panthjeet Singh. I am an incorrigible optimist
who has faith that every Sikh heart bleeds for Panth ki Jeet.
30 January 2008
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