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Sikh Foundation’s
Claims Refuted
Baljeet Sahi
LOS ANGELES:
The Sikh
Foundation of Palo Alto has opened a new chapter in, what some are
calling, the quest for destroying Sikhism. The Sikh Foundation,
having successfully orchestrated a division between Sikhs through
academia by establishing Sikh Chairs in western universities, is
now effectively claiming and supporting placement of Sikh books in
libraries here in
America.
Exemplifying
their programs and intents, placement of Sikh books in American
libraries initially may seem an excellent idea. But, only time will
tell whether the effort is genuine or a calculated move on behalf of
The Sikh Foundation to pave the way for induction of anti- Sikh
literature being published by writers supported by the Foundation.
Known anti-Sikh scholars like Mr. Gurinder Singh Mann and Mr.
Pashaura Singh, flag bearers of Mr. Hew McLeod – a Christian
missionary turned Sikh scholar who is now an atheist – are
constantly recognized by The Sikh Foundation. According to
spokespersons of Coalition of Gurdwaras of California and the
watchdog group, Sikhs for Preservation of Sikhism and Sikh Heritage,
naïve donors for a good Sikh cause are made a fool of by The Sikh
Foundation's modusoperandi.
Its members
pragmatically and publicly sympathize with innocent philanthropists
to secure large donations and monetary compensations for later
pressing their own agenda of annihilating Guru Nanak's Khalsa in
Diaspora, they added. Endowment for the Sikh and Punjabi Studies
Chair at University of California, Riverside resonate similar
concerns where a major donor expressed discontent on possibility of
nomination of Mr. Pashaura Singh, a declared renegade Sikh scholar
by Akal Takhat. His projection as a suitable candidate for heading
Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies by
The Sikh Foundation confounded the Sikhs in Riverside. The resolute
contention of local Sikh leaders that Mr. Pashaura Singh is an
unsuitable scholar for the chair was conditionally endorsed by
University authorities in a letter with an assurance that he will
not hold the chair.
It is
commendable that founders of The Sikh Foundation and their elite
friends have devised perhaps the most impregnable method of playing
with the sentiments of Sikhs and their families. Speaking in
anonymity, a Sikh community member said that The Sikh Foundation's
founder, popularly known as 'father of fiber-optics' is worthy of
Noble recognition for his relentless pursuit in trying to shape the
religion of Sikhs through his narcissistic ideology. Thanks to him
and his esteemed accomplices, the Sikhs are now in Smithsonian - a
museum which houses art, articles and artifacts of either lost
heritages or things about to become instinct on the planet.
He should be
given a medal of valour for his work in exposing the Sikh art, of
course for his notoriety, and promoting research on Guru Granth
Sahib - just a book for the westerners, contortion of which is
resulting in defining Sikhs and carving their already bleak future.
Sikh community leaders are of the opinion that acknowledgments are
due to him and his close associates, the Sikhs of tomorrow will be
recognized only as a sect of Hindus. Taking into account The Sikh
Foundation's active pursuit in research on Sikh religion through the
established Sikh Chairs thus far, it is not farfetched that Sikhism
taught from the podium will be described as a religion founded by
Saint Nanak. Contrary to true Sikh belief it is a religion
essentially formed in organizational sense from Muslim and Hindu
religions without substance of revelation since Mul Mantar of Saint
Nanak was changed by fifth Saint Arjun Dev.
The followers of
the religion, called Sikhs, are a fractured society of groups such
as Udasias, Nirmalas, Sanatanis, and Nihangs categorized into
classes: (A) People of East Indian origins who believe in Guru
Granth Sahib, their sacred scriptures which were edited by the fifth
Guru and had several manuscripts prior to their final compilation.
(B) Hindu off-shoots who in general believe in ten Gurus where as
few others disprove their claim. (C) Some in a class are liberals
while others are moderates who may or may not believe in the five
religious articles and choose to have shorn hair or support a
turban. (D) Sikh populous also includes few sect members who believe
in idol worship. (E) Large group of Sikhs are modern elite Sikhs who
believe that they need to evolve with time in order to adapt to the
world.
The propaganda
of The Sikh Foundation, that it has pioneered projects in the
important fields of academics including Sikh Studies in four
universities, can be assessed by the forthcoming conference it is
conducting in collaboration with Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed
Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies, Professor Pashaura Singh, and Dr.
Jasbir Singh Trust. The international conference on Sikh Studies is
being held on December 4 through 6th 2008 at University of
California in Riverside to commemorate 300th anniversary
of the instillation of the Guru Granth Sahib in 1708. Sikhs of Baba
Nanak are aware that Guru Gobind Singh Ji after sanctifying Sri Guru
Granth Sahib directed Guru Panth to adhere to the strict principles
of the Khalsa. Sikhs should seek their way to
University
of
California,
Riverside in December to experience whether The Sikh Foundation has
any substance on its claim "pioneered projects in the important
fields of academics including Sikh Studies……", and partake to
evaluate its worthiness in retrospect to the Sikhs and the directive
of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
4
June,
2008
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