Degenerating Sikh religio-political institutions one reason for tendency towards conversion among weaker sections

 

Rot in Sikh religio-political leadership one aspect of conversion to Christianity

Ground Zero

Jagtar Singh

 

Giani Harpreet Singh, chief  of Akal Takht, the supreme  seat of the community symbolising Sikh sovereignty, has rightly expressed serious concern over increasing tendency among the Sikhs, mainly from the weaker strata, to convert to Christianity.

This is a problem that is more acute in the border districts. The Sangh Parivar and its affiliates including BJP in Punjab has been raising this issue for some years, albeit not forcefully as the conversion of Hindus to Islam and so-called Love Jihad.

The Jathedar should also go deep into this problem rather than blaming only the Christian missionaries. The rot in the Sikh society at large that has started reflecting in the functioning of the highest Sikh institutions for the last some years can’t be overlooked by him and the people concerned.

It is not just such conversions that should worry him. One of the reasons for conversions has always been to seek dignified space in discriminatory society.

The president of the Shiromani Akali Dal visiting temples should also be cause of concern to the Akal Takht Jathedar.

It may be emphasised here is that the issue is not that of Sukhbir Singh Badal visiting the temples as he has every right to do so. The matter concerns his religious freedom and none should object to that.

The Jathedar of Akal Takht should also have been concerned over the attacks on Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book that has the status of Guru Incarnate over the years.

The Jathedar should also have been concerned over the changes in the architectural design of Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. These changes amount to desecration of the shrine designed by Guru Arjan that symbolises the Sikh ideology.

The Jathedar should know that in history, the Hindus converted to Islam more to seek equality as the caste ridden Hindu society represents oppressive social structure in which in many temples, even entry is discriminated on caste basis.

Baba Nanak rejected this oppressive social structure to evolve a revolutionary society based upon brotherhood and egalitarianism.

Now not only is casteism taking deep roots among the Sikhs again, even gurdwaras have come up in the names of castes.

Sikh society that was created as the one based upon equality and dignity of human being is again sliding down to that regressive system.

What are the Sikh institutions doing to stem this rot? There have been reports of some gurdwaras, especially in rural areas, having separate utensils for people categorised as lower castes in langar. This amount to rejection of the philosophy of Baba Nanak.

It is time to introspect for the imbecile leaders holding highest offices in the Sikh religio-political structure.

The  shameful role of the Sikh institutions associated with Bargari sacrilege and the unabashed exoneration of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim in 2015, now in jail in rape and murder cases, was not in too distant a past.

Has the heads of the Sikh institutions apologised for that betrayal with the Sikhs?  The Institutions must apologise for that.

It is that degeneration that is also responsible for a section of the Sikhs rejecting Sikh value system.

Sukhbir Singh Badal, in his individual capacity, has every right to pay obeisance at any temple, church or mosque.

The president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, however, does not have this privilege.

The Akali Dal was created as a party to struggle for the Sikh causes.

One should go back to 1974 version of the Akali Dal constitution, the last authentic constitution of the party, to understand its role.

Here are the main objectives of the Shiromani Akali Dal: “Main Objectives:

1.         Propagation of Sikh religion and its code of conduct, denunciation of atheism and apostasy. To take steps for the management of gurdwaras and reforms therein.

2.         To reinforce the exclusive Sikh identity and strive for the creation of geo-political environment in which national sentiments and aspirations of the Sikh Panth are fully manifested and flourish.”

 

Moreover, the Akali Dal controls the SGPC that is otherwise a statutory body. The party has monopoly control over this institution that along with the Akal Takht has played the most vital role in the religio-political dynamics of this Sikhs.

It is for these two basic reasons that the Akali Dal chief going to Mandirs to pay obeisance and performing those rituals raises issues that are basic to the Sikh practice. It is pertinent to mention that idols of Hindu deities had been installed in Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) by the priests.

Has the Jathedar pointed this out to the Akali Dal President?

These are the issues that call for introspection and self-criticism.

Merely blaming the Christian missionaries for conversions would not help in checking this problem.

The Hinduisation of Sikhism and steep degeneration of Sikh institutions for which the leaders themselves are responsible must stop.

Giani Harpreet Singh should also be aware of the fact that beginning 1999, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh had planned deep inroads in Sikh society with a purpose. That design was not resisted by then dominant Akali leadership.

The Sikh leadership, learning from historical blunders, should design strategy to counter such negative tendencies in the Sikh  society.