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Akal Takht confronts RSS design in Punjab, next target after Kashmir under homogenisation agenda




Jagtar Singh

The Akal Takht, the supreme religio-political institution of the Sikhs for prayer and politics, has  confronted the design of the Rashtrya Swayamsewak Sangh in Punjab, the next target after Jammu and Kashmir under its homogenisation agenda.
Its acting  Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh attacking this parent organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at this juncture is multi-dimensional. He yesterday reiterated that this Hindutva organisation is divisive.
He is the only leader of a powerful minority institution who has directly confronted this organisation.
But then this attack is in consonance with the edict issued from this institution against the RSS and its Sikh front Rashtriya Sikh Sangat in 2004. The Akali Dal was then also in alliance with the BJP whose parent body is RSS.
Technicalities might be different but the Akali Dal’s alliance with the BJP violates the very spirit of the 2004 edict. Jathedar Harpreet Singh, the researcher in religious studies who is now acting head of this supreme Sikh institution for prayer and politics, has attacked the Hinduvta mother organisation in the framework of that Hukamnama that calls upon the Sikhs to boycott this ‘anti-Panthic’ organisation.
The efforts over the years by the RSS to get this edict withdrawn have failed.
The Jathedar demanding a ban on the RSS while terming it as divisive has not only triggered tremors in the religio-political circles but has come at the time when this Hindutva organisation is virtually in unchallenging role with the BJP government implementing its long cherished agenda of homogenisation of India by turning it into Hindu Rashtra.
As per the reports, Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal refused to react to Akal Takht’s observation.
The 2004 Hukamnama was issued when the RSS had made elaborate plans to celebrate 400th anniversary of installation of Guru Granth Sahib (Parkash Purab)  at Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple).
The edict calling for boycott of RSS stated: “The anti-Panth  RSS/Rashtriya Sikh Sangat  has been resorting to anti-Panthic activities for some time. This body is misleading the Sikhs by claiming the support of Sikh organisations and Akal Takht to implement its nefarious design. The Akal Takht has neither extended support to this anti-Sikh organisation nor would be given in future…The Sikh masses, Sikh organisations, Singh Sabhas, religious ortanisations and societies and gurdwara managements are hereby cautioned to be alert and not extend any support to it”.
This edict issued on July 23, 2004  was signed by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Darbar Sahib Granthi Giani Gurbachan Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedat Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh and Takht Keshgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Tarlochan Singh.
At the political level, the timing of the renewed attack is strategic.
The revocation of Article 370 is the most important decision to implement the agenda of the RSS and has created euphoria in a major section of the majority community in the country. Punjab is stated to be the next target. Both Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab were the only two minority dominated states in the country and one has been obliterated from the map by bifurcating it and reducing it to two union territories.
The stand taken by Akal Takht describing RSS as divisive is highly significant under the given situation when other religio-political leaders have adopted the policy of wait and watch.
He has posed a challenge to the BJP that is determined to make the next move in Punjab to emerge as a force in this border state.
His stand also assumes importance with the Sikh religio-political matrix.
The Sikh institutions are perceived to be under total control of the House of Badals ( Family of  5-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal). The previous Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh went out in ignominy for being spineless, especially on the issues relating to sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in which both Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal have been probed. The Akali Dal is still in the process of  being revived after the shocking defeat in 2017 Assembly elections.
Both the RSS and the BJP would have to move cautiously.
The 2004 edict never impacted the Akali Dal-BJP alliance and nor the present attack on RSS may make any difference.
However, it is an indication that the RSS can’t take the situation for granted. Punjab is different.

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