Punjab Assembly triggers controversy with the move to end gender discrimination in Golden Temple to implement teachings of Guru Nanak

 

 American men and women performing kirtan in Golden Temple.

Jagtar Singh

Chandigarh: The government has no business to do business in religious domain should be accepted as the basic doctrine. However, this is not observed in practice. The intervention can’t be selective. If the government celebrates 550^th anniversary of Guru Nanak, there is no reason as to why it should not initiate steps to put his teachings into practice. Guru Nanak philosophy is a way of life based upon human equality that includes gender equality and dignity of human being.

Gender equality is among the basic tenets of teachings of Guru Nanak and hence of the Sikh doctrine but the practice has been different. Women are not allowed to perform Kirtan in the Golden Temple that is all male preserve. Nobody has any rational explanation for not following the teachings of the Founder of the Faith in this particular context.

The demand to end this gender discrimination that is in violation of the  Sikh tenets has been raised repeatedly since 1940.

In a historic move, the Punjab Assembly on the second day of its special session dedicated to 550^th anniversary of Guru Nanak on Thursday adopted unanimous resolution appealing to the Akal Takht Jathedar and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to put the teachings of Guru Nanak in practice by allowing women to perform kirtan in this most revered shrine of the community.

The resolution to this effect was moved by panchayats and rural development minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and adopted unanimously after initial reservation expressed by Shiromani Akali Dal that controls the SGPC.

He had raised the issue on the opening day on Wednesday but was disallowed as it was perceived to fall under the Rehat- Maryada (code of conduct) associated with the Sikh way of life. After being certain that it was not part of any prescribed code, he raised it again today and succeeded in getting it through.

Here goes the text of the resolution: Guru Nanak had visualised a society in which there would be no place for discrimination or distinction on the basis of caste or creed, social status or gender, a society that is to be based upon the principle of egalitarianism and committed to welfare of all. It is for this reason that there is no instance of discrimination in Gurbani or Sikh Gurus history at any level between man and woman. It is, however, unfortunate that the Sikh women are not allowed to perform Kirtan in the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, the most venerated shrine of the Sikhs where there is no space for discrimination.”

“This session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha appeals to the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to end this discriminatory practice that violates the essence of Gurbani and allow Sikh women to perform Kirtan in the Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar”.

It may be mentioned that several women activists had taken it up when Bibi jagir Kaur was appointed the first women president of this statutory body managing the Sikh shrines in 2000 and she saw no reason why they should not be allowed. The matter was finally referred to Akal Takht. This highest Sikh seat for prayer and politics opted for maintaining status quo rather than take decision in accordance with Guru Nanak’s doctrine of gender equality.

Such distortions had entered the Sikh practices when the shrines were taken over by mahants (priestly class) when the Sikhs were fighting for their survival and escaped to safer places. That was the period when the rulers had announced bounty on their heads and Sikhs were hunted. Idols of Hindu deities too were placed in the Golden Temple during that period. These distortions triggered the gurdwara liberation struggle in 1920.

The controversy over women performing voluntary religious service at the Golden Temple erupted again in February 2003 when two Sikh women from Britain were prevented from doing religious service there.

The Assembly had yesterday adopted its first resolution on taking the message of Guru Nanak to every corner of the world through TV. The resolution called upon the SGPC to give free signal from live telecast of Gurbani from Golden Temple that qualify for it and fulfil the laid down conditions.

Presently, the Badal family TV channels monopolise the live telecast that amounts to commercialisation of the Golden Temple.

This resolution too was adopted unanimously.

While the celebrations are focussing mainly on Kirtan Darbars, Nagar Kirtans and seminars, these are the only two concrete steps that have emerged so far to take the teachings of the Guru forward whose 550^th anniversary is being observed.

Baba Nanak practiced what he preached but the Sikhs have returned to ritualism thyereby betraying the founder of the Faith.

Questions, of course, can be raised about the ruling Congress entering the religious domain but then the resolutions were adopted unanimously and moreover, Guru Nanak peached a way of life and an ideal society based upon equality. He was a revolutionary, not just a religious reformist. Moreover, these are just appeals to put into practice the teachings of the Guru and propagate his ideas.