BJP design
could be assimilation of Ek Onkaar into Om
Ground Zero
Jagtar Singh
Chandigarh:
Lots of heat and dust have been raised on the social media platforms at the
presence of BJP-ruled Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan at the function
organised by the Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal to commemorate army attack on
Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) code-named Operation Bluestar on June 6 last.
Sant Jarnail
Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale, who symbolises resistance to this attack and whose
associates fought valiantly and opted for martyrdom, headed this very seminary
whose lineage is traced back in history to the Sikh warrior Baba Deep Singh who
was associated by Guru Gobind Singh with the compilation of Guru Granth Sahib
at Talwandi Sabo now known as Damdama Sahib. He attained martyrdom in the
Darbar Sahib complex while fighting the forces of occupation. Sant Bhindranwale
represents that tradition.
Sant
Bhindranwale survives as an idea rooted in this tradition of martyrdom after his
voluntary sacrifice and an idea can never be killed. He had been longing for attainment
of martyrdom virtually ever since he took over as head of Damdami Taksal on
August 25, 1977 at the young age of 30 after the untimely death of his
predecessor Sant Kartar Singh in a road accident. ‘Maverick in Quest of
Martyrdom’ was the headline of his interview in The Indian Express that
appeared on June 26, 1981.
For him, it
was a religious fight as the ideology of Sikh religion had been under attack
over time under the design of assimilation as it contradicted the dominant religious
ideology of Sanatan that is divisive as against egalitarianism introduced by
Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh faith. This dimension does not involve
the armed struggle but is ideological and hence the present situation has to be
viewed through that prism.
Operation
Bluestar from June 3-6, 1984 was the culmination of the Sikh struggle that had
been launched by the Shiromani Akali Dal as Dharamyudh Morcha on August 4, 1982
following the decision to take up certain issues concerning Punjab and the
Sikhs at a 2-day meeting of the party working
committee in August 1980. Finally, it turned into Indira Gandhi vs Sant
Bhindranwale. The Congress had come into power at the centre and in Punjab in
1980.
The Taksal organised
the function at its headquarters on June 6 itself while the main function was
held at Akal Takht where Sant Bhindranwale had attained martyrdom. It is
pertinent to mention here that in the beginning, the anniversary was organised on
June 4 at Manji Sahib hall in the Darbar Sahib complex and then it shifted to
June 6 at Akal Takht. Although officially organised by the SGPC after a stage,
even its president would be missing, what to talk of the Shiromani Akali Dal
leadership. Although the SGPC has all along been dominated by the Shiromani
Akali Dal, its president does not represent the party at this solemn function. It
is a different matter that the Shiromani Akali Dal has been mobilising the Sikh
voters in the name of Operation Bluestar to oppose the Congress.
The Taksal
should revisit its decision to commemorate martyrdom of its chief on June 6
itself as he died fighting in front of Akal Takht and this event has to be
commemorated at that very spot. The Taksal could organise the function on June
4. The focus should be both on ideological and military fight commanded by Sant
Bhindranwale.
Khalistan
slogans are raised every year at June 6 function at Akal Takht and there is
nothing unusual and should be Khalistan is more a matter of sentiment.
Coming to
the BJP and Operation Bluestar. The BJP had taken out a procession led by Atal
behari Vajpayee and L K Advani in Delhi towards the end of May 1984 demanding
army action in Punjab. Advani later brought it on record in his book later that
his party pressured prime minister Indira Gandhi to deploy army to root out Sant
Bhindranwale and his weaponised associates. This the BJP had a role to play in
Operation Bluestar. Moreover, the BJP used to attack the Congress for the “creation”
of Sant Bhindranwale.
Attack on
Congress by Girish Mahajan from the stage of Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash, Mehta
Chowk, for Operation Bluestar and also on the genocide of the Sikhs in early November
must be noted and has been noted. But the BJP too has been complicit in this
attack.
Mahajan’s
presence raises a very fundamental question. Has the BJP provided legitimacy to
martyrdom of Sant Bhindranwale and recognised him as hero of the Sikhs? His photographs
have been objected to in the BJP ruled states including the neighbouring
states. Optics of participation and ideological concurrence are two different
issues. Both BJP and Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma should clarify. Moreover,
both the BJP and the RSS should clarify whether Sant Bhindranwale was the
creation of the Congress or not. Sant Bhindranwale had emerged on the scene in
1977 when the Congress was fighting for its survival and still the BJP vilified
him as instrument of the Congress.
It is not
for the first time that the BJP and the RSS leaders have visited Damdami Taksal
and it started about a quarter of a century back after the Shiromani Akali Dal
entered into alliance with the BJP. This alliance facilitated the entry of the
RSS in Punjab at several levels. Finally, a ‘message’ was issued from Akal
Takht on July 13, 2004 calling upon the Sikhs to boycott the RSS and its wing
the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat. Of course, it was not a Hukamnama (directive) but it
was equally important and still stands. The BJP and the RSS leaders have been
attending functions organised by the alliance partner in Punjab and outside. The
Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee leaders have for years been associating
with the BJP and the RSS.
The RSS at
one stage had been exploring the issues the resolution of which could assuage
the Sikh sentiment and had been in touch even with some militant leaders, five
of whose visit to India was facilitated by the centre after Narendra Modi took
over as prime minister. It was a positive step.
The issue
involved, however, is much broader and that concerns the policy of
homogenisation that is core of the Hindutva. The BJP has been brazenly
implementing this agenda of the RSS. The main hurdle now is Punjab.
The RSS
perceives Sikh religion to be part of broader Santana and this approach has all
along been resisted by the Sikh mainstream, just like the Sikhs had come into
confrontation with the Arya Samaj at one time. The Sikh leaders from the BJP
have been approaching some sections in recent days to understand what could
assuage Punjab and the Sikhs and smoothen path of the BJP to victory. Winning
election in Punjab would clear the last hurdle in the agenda of
religio-cultural homogenisation of India.
The broader design
is to transform Ek Onkaar into Om in the long run.
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