Current Events
Bad Behaviour in Any Gurdwara is Unacceptable:
The Sarabhjit Singh Dhunda Incident
IQBAL SINGH
My previous piece (yesterday, November 20, 2012, here on sikhchic.com) recounted how, during the week of November 4 - 11, 2012, Sikh-Britons witnessed shameful events during which Professor Sarabhjit Singh Dhunda, a visiting scholar, was once physically removed from a gurdwara stage and stopped from speaking by a handful of hooligans; and how, on another occasion, he was prevented from speaking by the cynical manipulation of the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, in defiance of the wishes of the local sangat; and how, finally, the same violent group laid siege to the gurdwara at which Sarabhjit Singh was speaking, intent on doing violence to him.
Those sad events raise important questions for Sikhs and Sikh sangats, not just in the UK but all around the world.
There is an increasingly dangerous and pernicious movement of a small minority of extremists in our midst, not only in the UK, but in India and other countries too, who have taken upon themselves the mantle of ‘guardians of Sikhi’.
Woe betide anyone who gets in their way. The group seeking to forcibly stop Sarabhjit Singh called itself the ‘Dharam Yudh’ (Holy War) Group!
As my teenage daughter might say when expressing incredulity at something, “Really?”
Such groups brook no dissension and anyone who disagrees with them or does not conform to their ‘norms’ is not to be reasoned with, but to be bludgeoned into compliance.
The events in Southall earlier this month were but a minor expression of this movement which goes against everything that our Gurus stood for. Many examples of similar groups in the Punjab can be found on ‘YouTube’, of individuals being beaten mercilessly with lathis, without any recourse, by individuals who can only be described as gatra wearing ‘taliban’ in the guise of ‘sodhak jathas’ (“correction squads”) where the individuals on the receiving end of the ‘punishment’ have purportedly committed a transgression in the eyes of such groups.
Had law enforcement in the UK been as lax as it is in the Punjab, make no mistake, Sarabhjit Singh would have been subjected to the same treatment by those gathered to do him harm.
Sangats around the world need to sit up and take note and ask themselves the following questions:
1 Who should be responsible for running our gurdwaras? Should it be the committees appointed by the local sangat or small groups of extremists bent on violence, who can arrange flying hit-squads in a matter of hours? Some of those gathered outside the Guru Singh Sabha, Southall had travelled great distances to stop Sarabhjit Singh, indicating a high degree of organisation and high levels of resources at the disposal of such groups.
2 Why did these individuals call the Akal Takht Jathedar, warning of violence if Sarabhjit Singh spoke when they themselves were the ones who would be perpetrating the violence? The sangat had shown its support for the scholar by turning up in large numbers throughout the week to hear him speak, so it wasn’t going to be the sangat causing any trouble.
3 Why, if they were happy to accept the Akal Takht Jathedar’s decision stopping the lecture on Saturday, did they ignore and totally go against his decision that the scholar be allowed to speak freely on Sunday? Is that the extent of their respect for the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, to accept his decision when it suits them but to ignore it when it doesn’t?
4 Who has appointed this minority of individuals as guardians of Sikhi? This is a question that Sikhs all over the world need to ask as the problem isn’t just confined to the UK, but has been apparent in the USA, Canada and many other Sikh communities in the diaspora. The wishes of the silent majority are trampled upon and because the majority do not belong to any organisation, their voice is never heard.
5 If a parcharak who has full permission to speak from the Akal Takht can be subjected to this sort of treatment, then who is next in line? Will such ‘Dharam Yudh’ groups target gurdwaras next that don’t conform to their interpretation of the maryada, an interpretation that is almost always at odds with the official Sikh Rehat Maryada?
6 Should the President of a gurdwara who takes part in such shameful scenes of violence and bullying, not once but twice in the space of a week as was the case last week, be allowed to continue to hold such an august office? Should not the Akal Takht take action against such an individual and prevent him from ever holding office again?
7 Should not the Akal Takht be taking to task and meting out suitable punishment to those who would inflict violence on fellow Sikhs?
It is all too easy to see such groups riding roughshod over the wishes of the sangat and shrug one’s shoulders and think, ‘What does it have to do with me? Why should I bother?’
I shall let Edmund Burke answer that: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
It is high time that the good men and women in our community, wherever we live in the world, those of us who constitute a silent yet huge majority, make themselves heard and ensure that evil does not triumph, that Guru Nanak’s words instead come to fruition: “Falsehood fails. Only His Truth is left standing …”
November 21, 2012
Conversation about this article
1: Ajwinder Kaur (United Kingdom), November 21, 2012, 12:00 PM.
I read this with greatinterest, as I did yesterday's piece. This follow-up piece is welcome as the issue isn't about Prof. Sarbhjit Singh. It is about the behaviour of the miscreants being an example of the cancer which is eating into us. We say things in the name of the Guru but do not respect the Guru. The Sikh talibanic elements in the UK, led by the Southampton / Slough / Tividale groups is a real threat to Sikh values. I was there in Slough and saw the disrespect they displayed to the Guru Granth Sahib, the sangat and the committee. It is indeed time the overwhelming silent majority of Sikhs reclaimed the middle ground from these thugs. May Prof Sarabhjit Singh and others like him continue to inspire us.
2: Gurmukh Singh (London, United Kingdom), November 21, 2012, 4:15 PM.
Iqbal Singh has given a balanced account and asked the right questions. However, we also need to keep in mind that semi-literate gurdwara parbandhaks (usually with business backgrounds) themselves are responsible for the present state of Sikh affairs. They have millions to spend on more gurdwaras but show little interest in funding progressive educational, welfare and recreational projects in the Sikh diaspora countries, where they are needed the most. For example, we have over 12 gurdwaras in and around Southall, UK - three of them within two hundred yards of each other! They practice all sorts of anti-gurmat, "bipran" rituals and practices. Sikh youth do become disillusioned and are easily led astray by gurbani-articulate derawadis. We need to bear in mind that take-over of gurdwaras by Sikh youth after 1984 was not that unpopular in the UK in late the 1980s. Then we have those who go to extreme lengths to oppose any initiative to bring gurdwaras and jathebandis together on such issues. Nevertheless, we are seeing slow but steady progress in the UK on such matters.
3: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), November 21, 2012, 5:54 PM.
Again, many years ago, a gurdwara election was in progress. The two warring factions, despite copious application of lathis, could not resolve the candidate issue as who should be the jathedar. As a compromise, a non-entity's name was suggested amidst jaikaras and, lo and behold, he won the election with the thinnest of margins. As enjoined, the newly elected jathedar must make a victory speech. In seemingly abject humility, he got up and made the shortest of speeches: "Sadh sangat ji: I was not laayak (fit) for this office ..." and was immediately interrupted. "Sit down, sit down, don't worry, we only require a na-laayak (unfit) person for this post! Welcome to the club."
4: Kulwant Singh (Oakville, Ontario, Canada), November 22, 2012, 10:19 AM.
There has been a thought on my mind, ever since I can remember, but have never had the courage to put it to a learned group such as the readers of sikhchic.com. I have always discussed it within my family and friends circle, but it was thoroughly rejected each time as "that's just silly". For what it's worth, here it is - what if the "sangat" stop going and giving money to the gurdawars? How long will it take for these so called sevadars to abandon the "seva". I mean, didn't Guru Nanak say that you don't have to leave your abode to connect with Ik Oankar? To me, gurdwaras have turned into social forums, and are not not religious anymore. Let's stop feeding the monster! I may be totally off base here but I don't see any other way to stop the disgusting violence and disrespect to the principles of Sikhism at these "religious" places. Sadly, I also know that this is an uphill task.
5: Pinder (Oxford, United Kingdom), November 22, 2012, 3:04 PM.
I would say it was a very sad day for us such incidents to happen, specially in our gurdwaras here in UK. I was there at Slough when this happened and also witnessed the same at the gurughar in Southall. This gang of hooligans behave as if they are above the law and the strictures of the Akal Takht as well. And they show no respect for the young or old, or the Guru. On November 11, they crossed all the limits at the gurughar in Southall, where they were swearing at the public, at Sarbhjit Singh ji, all around the gurdwara premises. I felt so bad and embarrassed to see all this happening at Southall by a handful of our own. It went from bad to worse when they were shouting as if there was no tomorrow. A few had come all the way from Midlands and Illford and were supported by a few locals as well. I recall seeing Navraj Cheema (Akhand Kirtaniya), Harjit Sarpanch (an ex-member from a previous committee), and Randheer Singh from Sangat Television (member, core committee). Also, the Dhadhi Jatha, Jaggo Waley, and the founder of the 'Dharamyudh Jatha', Charan Singh. Shame on them all.
6: Sher Singh (Birmingham, United Kingdom), November 22, 2012, 3:18 PM.
I agree with S. Gurmukh Singh ji. First we need educated parbandhaks who have knowledge of Sikhi, only than can they book good parcharaks. Personally I think there should be a system of a basic test on Sikhi that the parbandhaks should have to pass before they can be appointed to the post of President, Secretary, MC, etc. Another thing, there should be a Q &A session after the parcharak has finished his katha so that the sangat can question them on what they have said, if they have any doubts. At the moment they just say whatever they want and confuse people with their own manmat and far-fetched stories, e.g. 20 ft tall shaheeds walking around in Anandpur Sahib ... this from a a well-known taksali parcharak. This is the sort or parchaar these thugs like and they claim to be able to comment on Orof Sarabhjit Singh ji?. In most gurdwaras it becomes a family business -- it is the same families who are appointed as committee members. Every two years, the same family, but different members run the gurdwara. If other people from the town want to come forward they are shunned away. Until this system is not changed, there is not much hope of good parchaar. Sikh quom faces a long hard task ahead. But we did it in the past with the Singh Sabha Lehar. I'm sure we can do it again if could all unite on this again and put our minds to it. Thank you, Iqbal Singh ji, for raising these issues and bringing them to everybody's attention.
7: J Singh (West London, United Kingdom), November 22, 2012, 6:18 PM.
What strikes me the most about these hooligans who go around raiding gurdwaras and beating up fellow-Sikhs is how weak their faith must be, how insecure they must feel about their beliefs, that they feel they have to resort to violence to protect them. That they feel threatened by a single individual like Prof. Sarabhjit Singh says more about them than it does about him. They obviously don't read Guru Arjan's Sukhmani, else they would know that 'As a palace is supported by its pillars, so does the Guru's Word support the mind'. Maybe they should devote more time to Shabad than to venting their krodh (anger). May WaheGuru give them sumat.
8: Baljeet Kaur (Luton, England), November 22, 2012, 6:30 PM.
Thank you, Pinder veer ji for pointing out that Randheer Singh of Sangat TV was amongst those protesting against Prof. Sarabhjit Singh. He might have been there on the pretext that he was reporting on the protest, but if the program that his channel put out on Wednesday night on Sangat TV called 'Masle' was anything to go by, I wouldn't be surprised if he too was after the scholar's head. It was a one-sided, biased and totally unfair programme. It was solely devoted to slandering and libeling the scholar, with no way for him to put forward his views. I would encourage members of the UK Sikh community who saw the program and were troubled by its unfairness to complain to the TV watchdog, OfCom. We should let the people who run these channels know that the wider sangat will no longer put up with them kow-towing to these extremist groups like the Federation and the so-called 'Dharam Yudh Jatha'. Please use the following link https://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/specific-programme-epg
9: Harpreet Singh (Ireland), November 23, 2012, 5:42 AM.
Guru Nanak Sahib had given the Sikhs a very clear direction on the practice of Sikhism: "ghar ghar andar dharamsaal hovey kirtan Sada visoa". The current structure of the gurdwaras and management everywhere has become corrupt with politics and business interests taking over the running of these places. Sikhs need to return to the basics. Stop putting money in the golak and instead organise sangat kirtan, vichaar at home. The home of every Sikh should become a gurdwara, the house of Guru Nanak. This will also allow like-minded Sikhs to worship and reflect together. Those who don't want to listen to someone who is not of their taste needn't come and interfere in your home, and vice versa. Today, the problem is at both ends. The ones who preach are only focusing on bringing out the negatives and the ones who oppose them are doing the same.
10: Mohan Singh (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), November 23, 2012, 7:35 PM.
In His 4th Pauri of Japji, Guru Nanak speaks of love in praising Guru and God. Time and time again, gurbani speaks of love. Money is not the issue as we practice and believe. One cannot please Waheguru with money but, "jin prem keeyo tin hee prabh paayo"!
11: Verpal Singh (Auckland, New Zealand), November 24, 2012, 3:37 AM.
Pinder's and Baljeet Kaur's comments point towards the solution - first, name and shame the individuals involved in violence and threats; two, use the local laws to make these hooligans accountable for their actions. "Silence" has never been a choice for Sikhs - Our Gurus have taught us to stand up and speak even for those who may not be able to speak for themselves. So why do we talk of a "silent majority" amongst ourselves? I think the affected gurdwaras should hold special congregations and pass resolutions against individuals involved in orchestrating violence. At the same time, lay formal complaints against these individuals as per the local laws. But mind you, that is only half the solution. The other half of the solution lies in educating each and every member of the sangat about gurbani principles, as S. Gurmukh Singh points out. We have just had a brief visit by Harinder Singh of the Sikh Research Institute. His lectures were so well received by one and all that I think our community's salvation lies in each gurdwara having a "resident parcharak" of Harinder Singh's erudition and capabilities. If today, Guru Nanak is faced with Babur's rampaging hordes again, we should start preparing ourselves for other fights to come - only then will we be able to fight Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb and the armies of the petty Rajput chieftains.
12: Sarjit Kaur (Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.), November 25, 2012, 11:02 AM.
How is Sikhi to flourish, and to inspire non-Sikhs, when our intelligent Sikhs go to ordinary mortals instead of directly to the Guru, to learn from the Guru Granth? The Dasam Granth too has a lot of wealth. Go to the shabad: "jagat jote hapai nis baasur ..."