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Very many Lessons
Khalsa jiyo, never
forget a panthic humiliation, because it is not possible without
casting the self-respect to the flames. On the other side, the right
approach, sharp intellect and an independent thought free of mental
slavery are all born only out of an abiding form of self-respect. To
forgive the enemies is our religion, but only when they earn that
opportunity. Unwarranted forgiveness only leads to many afflictions
of pride. – Harinder Singh Mehboob
 When
the American author John Reid narrated the earth-shaking
developments leading to the Russian Revolution, he named his book
very appropriately “Ten Days That Shook The World.” The way the
developments happened during the last ten days in Punjab, and the
way they brought out the layered truths of many sides, one can
without a doubt take a cue from John Reid’s title and call them “Ten
Days That Exposed The Reality”.
But
this reality is not just a singular, linear one; it has many layers,
many aspects. This is as much about the internal realities of the
Sikh Panth as it is about the external inimical forces and
situations. The dera with the misnomer of Sacha Sauda could not have
gained so much power and fame had the religious, as also the
political, institutions of the Sikh Panth not been affected by
all-pervasive downslide which is only underlining the portents of
the still bigger crises the community is set to face.
But
then, at the same time, the Sikh panth would not have exhibited such
sharp and zealous reaction to this national insult if deep within
it, the psyche of love and loyalty for the Satguru had not taken
deep roots. The developments over the last ten days have brought out
the complete truth in the words of late Principal Teja Singh,
uttered nearly half a century ago, that it is in the nature of a
Sikh that no matter how much a GurSikh has degenerated as an
individual, he cannot easily suffer the collective loss of the Sikh
Panth. To that end, he will stake all he has to prevent that loss.
In the last ten days, this reality has come to the fore for all to
see.
But
also has come to the fore the reality of the all-pervasive
degeneration of the Sikhs’ religious and political forums and the
individuals connected (or hanging on) to these forums. Their real
faces are now more clearly visible. Like always, for Sardar Parkash
Singh Badal, the issue is political first, and only then religious.
And it is not only regarding this one single issue; for him all
issues are like that only, be they religious, or social, or cultural
or emotional! In each case, it is his political interest that takes
the prime place while the people’s or the panth’s interests come
later.
He
let the issue snowball and then dissipate only to the extent to
which it benefited him. Now that his partner (actually his
benefactor) Bharti Janta Party has started expressing its
 reservations and concern. And even otherwise when it seemed that the
entire game was slipping from his hands he has lost no time in
calling back his ‘earning’ son and has thrown all his resources,
official machinery and the entire gamut of religious and political
forums in his vice-like grip into bringing the situation under
control. As for the SGPC and its president, they are so much like
his domestic domain that it is not even necessary to issue them any
explicit or tacit instruction, they only need the slightest nod. The
only problem may be posed by some cleric. To counter that situation,
the “efficient” son of Sardar Badal has already began his efforts.
In the Sikh lexicon, the concept of the ‘closed-door’ meeting has
taken on a nefarious, nee’ dangerous, connotation. Never has a good
thought come out of these meetings. They have become the sign of bad
omen. That’s why the Panthic minds keenly watching the unfolding
developments are worried lest the Religious Saviours of the panth
bring a pre-mature end to the Panthic struggle. Their doubts are not
baseless. There is a bitter and painful precedent in history on this
score. Anyway, for the moment one can only console the mind by
adopting the “Let’s wait and watch” policy.
If
we watch the external situation then the history of deeper
conspiracies and explicit enmity with the Sikh quom is being
repeated once again. The media has again begun to present a twisted
to the limits image of the Sikhs to reflect a perception which is
designed to evoke hatred, and it is doing the job with the
exuberance of a kill. The high vocation of journalism is being run
as a tool to counter the Sikh religion’s sensitivities. All
journalistic ethics and professional norms are being cast aside to
run a one-sided and communally-laced propaganda, and the efforts are
being led by a Chandigarh-based English newspaper which was started
some 125 years ago by a humane Sikh but had soon fallen in the hands
of anti-Sikh Arya Samaji lobby which has done the worse to the Sikh
community at every turn in history.
Remember! You are apt to find the most communal Hindu mind not in
the RSS or the BJP, not
 even in the VHP or the Shiv Sena. You will
find it right in the Fourth Estate! And that too, not less often, in
secular and liberal garb(age).
Under the garb of “Sarb Dharma Sansad’, the swamis and munis who
till the other day were masquerading as friends of the Sikhs have
now started to reveal their true anti-Sikh colours. This also
applies to the RSS and the Vishav Hindu Parishad. And the ‘Maharaja
Patiala’ Sahib, who just the other day was straddling the state
posing as the new messiah of the Sikhs and the farmers has now
adopted the strategy of viewing the Guru-wallahs and Guru-dokhis
through the same prism, exactly as his ancestor Baba Ala Singh had
exhibited his skills at some real diplomacy 250 years ago when he
adopted the strategy of equi-distance and equal-treatment of the
Khalsa as well as Ahmed Shah Abdali, who was baying for the blood of
the Khalsa.
So
the history is being repeated, at many levels and in many forms. The
phenomena of so many cats tumbling out of one bag has many lessons
in its womb but what is needed is the capacity and inclination to
learn.
30 May, 2007
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