Attention – Due To Allegations of Plagiarism, This Article Is Highly SuspectÂ
One can only hope that the violent agitation ripping through Punjab will subside. There are uneasy precedents though. One of the earliest episodes in the Punjab insurgency was the 1978 clash between the Nirankari sect and the Akalis. The Akalis represented mainstream orthodox Sikhism and the Nirankaris represented a liberal (heretical in the eyes of the Akalis) face of the faith. The friction between the two led to the killing of Lala Jagat Narain of the Punjab Kesari group of newspapers and the subsequent polarization between the Hindus and the Sikhs. Besides this, there was politicization of religion with the Hindus siding with the Nirankaris and the Congress propping Sant Bhindaranwale who subsequently turned into a Frankensteinian monster.
This time, the Nirankaris seem to have been replaced with Dera Sacha Sauda, another quasi Sikh sect with liberal teachings and views a la the Nirankaris. Again this set, with its headquarters in Sirsa in Haryana is closer to traditional Hindu practice than orthodox Sikh concepts and ideology. Again there is political interference and it was well circulated in the media that the outgoing Congress government had struck a deal with the Dera Sacha Sauda hierarchy that in exchange for withdrawal of police cases against the Dera, they would issue an edict asking their followers, which is considerable in the Doab area of Punjab to vote for Congress candidates. By all accounts, the Dera delivered and in a significant reverse, the traditional Akali stronghold returned the bulk of the Congress candidates who made it to the State Assembly. But now that it is the Akalis who are in power, it seems to be pay back time for the Dera for having supported the wrong party.
How far the Akalis would be interested in giving a fair deal to the Dera Sacha Sauda is a good question. The Akali movement was born, not so much as a corollary of the Nationalist movement to free the country, but to free the Gurudwaras from the clutches of the hereditary Udasin Mahants who were generally considered corrupt and feudal in their outlook. The capture of power in the gurudwaras has been historically the main objective of the Akalis, and to exercise that power, the Akalis have at different times flirted with the idea of a separate Sikh state. In fact, although it is the Khalistan movement that people remember, it is a known fact that in British India too, there was a proposal for a time to grant a separate Sikh state as much as a Muslim State.
Sikh extremism has always been a genie trapped in a bottle, tamed by its compromises and adjustments with its Hindu neighbours, but only just about. The Sikh identity is a strong yet fragile one. The history of Sikhism is trapped in the historical reality of the Mughal rulers trying to stamp it out completely, the British trying to marginalize them politically, and the Hindus trying to dilute their identity socially and culturally – sometimes blatantly so by floating forums like The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat group, which is a branch of the main Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and also known as RS. This was formed in Punjab in 1986 claiming to promote Sikh-Hindu relations. Its main aim however is to attack and swallow the Sikh religion.
No one knows why the head of the Dera Sacha Sauda, Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh living in the socio cultural mileau that he does, chose to pose wearing an attire that is associated with Guru Gobind Singh and deliberately provoke, unless he has been struck by megalomania. His newspaper Sacch Kahoon lists out an elaborate code of conduct listed out for followers one of which is to treat elders as one would treat one’s own parents. Clearly this is an occasion when the head of the sect forgot to follow his own dictum.
4 users commented in " Punjab: The fury of the fanatics "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackIt is quiet interested that for some as well versed with 19th and 20th century Sikh History, as the writer here, she/he has forgot to mention anything of the 1984 massacre, fake encounters that followed, Sikh media portrayals, hair-cutting incidents all over the nation, the Dera chief attempt at imitating the 10th prophet (of Sikh’s) and the 12,000 strong mob attack by his followers when Sikhs protested peacefully- in short the writer has conveniently left out every aspect of the story that would unveil the roots of the reaction of Sikh Community.
Unfortunately like the Indian Gov, the Indian media, is not well versed in ethics. First the intelligence agencies help construct a network of Deras all over Punjab to establish a counter Sikh cults/culture, then they have them provoke the SIkhs (who are still recovering from the prior injustices -genocides of 80s/90s), when the Sikhs react they are demon-ized as fanatics, fundamentalists, terrorists and thus ANOTHER CYCLE OF OPPRESSION/VIOLENCE/ “PRESIDENT’S RULE” begins: the end result is a weaker Sikh political ambition/opposition. To criminalize the victim, is nothing new for oppressive systems, the christians, muslims, dalits, and other regional minorities, are well aware of this strategy of Indian Gov.
Its sad that the west still prefers the mythical image of India as democracy and hindus/indians as a pacifist people. How many genocides does it take for rich countries to start helping the oppressed.
Dear Amandeep,
Why the 1984 massacre happenned? You must think of the killing of Indira and The killing of 380 people in the PanAM jet massacre with (coonivance from Candaian government), and all those innocents who were killed on the orders of Chauhan, KCF, damdama thaksal and ofcourse Bhindranwale is not for me to mention. Sikhs asked for seperate punjab speaking state when they were ruling Haryana, shimla etc.this myopia which gets inspitration from NRI sikhs continues. Let us assume Dera was a pseudo but then he is making money and fools of people like innymerable godmen in india.He has already apologised for his immitating venerable Guru. so why cannot sikhs move on instead of indulging in vilonce and brandishing swords.This when we are ruled by a Sikh and a sikh as an army chief.
Mr. “CaptainJohann”
First of all the ‘Baba’ has categorically refused to apologize. Secondly, NO Sikhs has done any violence so far – only demonstrations- its the Baba’s hooligans that murdered an innocent Sikh man, while he return from a rally. Demostrations by Sikhs began when 12,000 of Baba’s men beat 100 or so peacefully demonstrating SIkhs in Bathinda, and then proceeded to terrorize the street through out the night- and the police watched. So either you are unaware or dishonest, both cases the responsibility is yours. Please be more sensitive before labeling an entire community as ‘fanatics’ etc. especially the Sikhs, who have done more for this nation than any other groups. Don’t make me quote statistics of independence struggle etc.
Lets get something cleared- 1984 delhi massacres happened BEFORE the Kanishka bombing!!! (which were themselves orchestrated/facilitated by the Indian Intel agencies, RAW- read SOFT TARGET by Brian McAndrews). Do not try to confuse people with false information. Everyone nows the Delhi Massacre was a inexcusable genocide for which India has payed and will continue to pay. Just the fact that you are attempting to justify the murder of over 4000 people (in Delhi alone) shows your insincerity as a person.
The pre-1984 violence in Punjab, was entirely orchestrated by the intell. agencies and media through gov sponsored fake Sikh militants/called black cats- their function was to communalize the SIkh struggle for equal rights. Their demands pre-1984 were simply for federal status for Punjab, as Nehru, Gandhi/congress had promised them to lure them onto the Indian side during Independence.
The PUNJABIS demanded for a linguistic state because that how territories in India were being carved since independence. Andhra, kerela, tamil, maharashtra, were all created according to linguistic boundaries of the region. But the congress refused to give legal status to Punjabi, simply because it was the religious language of the Sikhs (scriptures). The government took an openly communal, anti-SIkh and Anti-punjabi stance. It took 57,000 arrests, 200 deaths (during peaceful demonstrations), for the SIkhs to simply have their language recognized!! In contrast No one from the majority community, Hindus that is, had to spend even an hour in prison, to protest for the recognition of Hindi as a language- everything was given to them without any problem.
This sort of radical discrimination, openly communal and irresponsible stance of every government administration forced Sikhs to demand for all that had been promised to them pre-independence- just so that they are not marginalized again. Thus the demand for federal status. But the Indira Gov. decided make an election issue out of Sikh demands for equality/federal status- her gov ran the most discriminatory anti-propaganda, demonized/crimilaized the secular SIkh demands, and then when they didn’t flinch, she ordered the military invasion of all Sikh places of worship in Punjab, sealed the borders, banned media, and committed genocide of thousands of pilgrims in the temple, who had come to celebrate a religious holiday. She was executed by Sikhs because of her inhumane policies and the murder of thousands in holy temples.
This is the background, the genocide, that preceded 1984 delhi massacre- you cannot veil the truth. Its been nearly 25 years and NO ONE has been convicted in any of the massacres. On top of this government has supported blasphemous sects like this Dera SS. Sikhs cannot be expected to be humiliated time and again-some times by the army, by politicians, by stereotypical roles in the Media/bollywood, and definitely not by some fake saint, hoodlum, claiming to be the Sikh Guru himself. The only people who would disagree with the peaceful protests of Sikhs in this situation, are either incredibly blind or dishonest. I hope you are only the former.
Its amazing how the writer also did not mention that indra gandhi had cheated in the elections. When she was caught, she clamped down hard and put a curfew. During this time, the sikhs spoke out against her openly and were part of the reason she was later sent to jail for election fraud. While she was in jail, her men hijacked an airplane and demanded that indra gandhi be released. She later made those men mla’s once she came into power again.
I think there are more career criminals in power in india than there are out on the streets.
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