550th anniversary of Guru Nanak becoming victim of petty politics of political elite

Jagtar Singh

His Sikhs long rejected in practice his humanistic philosophy and teachings that essentially constitute life discipline. Now even the ritualistic celebrations relating to 550^th anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh Faith, are getting mired in unnecessary and uncalled for controversies unleashed by political leaders in Punjab. Their short term objective, as usual, is to exploit the event for vote bank politics.

They should learn from not too distant history that was tercentenary of the Khalsa in 1999 when chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had emerged as the unquestioned leader in the Sikh religio-political matrix.

As usual again, these ritualistic celebrations are confined to ostentation that includes processions and the so-called international and seminars. There is nothing new as such exercises are witnessed repeatedly associated with such events. What has always been missing from such festivities is the content. This is because of the fact that the Sikhs have rejected Guru Nanak. Sikhs have landed themselves in the same mess from where Guru Nanak rescued them. His concept of egalitarianism and global brotherhood has become a casualty in the process. Such celebrations end up creating lot of noise and that is all.

One has to go back to 300 anniversary of the birth of the Khalsa, the event that was organised for the first time in history of the Sikhs. The mobilisation of the Sikhs for the week-long event organised at Anandpur Sahib, the birth place of the Khalsa, was massive. According to a rough estimate, more than 20 lakh Sikhs visited Anandpur Sahib during that period.

However, the celebrations had landed into controversy despite effort of Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh issuing edict for joint festivities. This was in the context of Badal and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Gurcharan Singh Tohra entering into running battle. Tohra was sacked before the tercentenary and Badal dominated the show.

The first main function on April 8 attended by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was organised without installing Guru Granth Sahib on the stage inviting ridicule. Takht jathedars confined themselves to Takht Keshgarh Sahib. Tohra and his associates held parallel functions where participation was massive.

And despite such massive mobilisation of the Sikhs, the Akali Dal was wiped out in the Lok Sabha elections a few months later in October. Among the Akali Dal leaders who lost was Sukhbir Singh Badal. Leaders refuse to learn from history. The tercentenary ended up as a government show in practice.

Anandpur Sahib was painted white in 1999. The Akali Dal is now carrying out the same exercise at Sultanpur Lodhi, the main venue of the festivities. It is another photo op for Akali leaders who pose for the click to mark their presence. The party can’t be white-washed in this way as the blot is too dark.

The problem with the Akali Dal is the blot of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and the events related to it in 2015 when Badal was the chief minister with his son Sukhbir Singh Badal as his deputy.

It is only by going back to the teachings of Guru Nanak that the party can seek resurrection but then its leadership would have to shed arrogance.

The issue, however, is broader and that is of restoring Sikhism based upon teachings of Guru Nanak to Sikhs. The task is enormous.