SikhBulletin May-June 2007

The Sikh Bulletin jyT-hwV 539 May-June 2007
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The Sikh Bulletin

A Voice
jyT-hwV 539 of Concerned Sikhs World Wide
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May-June 2007 [email protected] Volume 9, Number 5&6
Published by: Khalsa Tricentennial Foundation of N.A. Inc; 3524 Rocky Ridge Way, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762, USA Fax (916) 933-8020
Khalsa Tricentennial Foundation of N.A. Inc. is a religious tax-exempt California Corporation.
In This Issue/qqkrw DERA “SACHA SAUDA” CHIEF A RELIGIOUS “QUACK”.

Editorial: Dera “Sacha Sauda” Chief a Religious “Quack”.1
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan in wider perspective of the A resolution passed by the PAC of SAD on May 18, 2007 described the dera chief,
Sikh movement, Gurtej Singh, Chandigarh……………….2 Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, as a religious “quack”. Resolution says, “The PAC
Guru Nanak’s estate flourishes in Pakistan, condemns the heinous act of the religious quack of Sirsa dera in trying to replicate
Naveen S. Garewal………………………………………..7 the holy appearance of the great tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh by appearing in a
Sikh electronic media, Manmohan Singh Chawla………..9 hypocritical dress like the robes graced by the great Guru”.
ANZAC Day Celebration in Sydney,
Bawa Jagdev, Australia………………………………….10 Same day the All Party meeting also adopted the following resolution: “This all-
The Editor, Sikh Bulletin, Swaran Singh Panesar……….10 party meeting shares with deep concern the pain felt by the Sikh community and all
Mahinder Singh Josh Passed Away……………………...11 right thinking persons living in Punjab, the country and the rest of the world by the
Godman under a cloud, T. K. Rajalakshmi……………...11 provocative act of trying to replicate the holy practices associated with the tenth
Murder case against Sirsa dera chief…………………….13 Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj. The meeting strongly condemns this act
Murder, abuse cloud on Dera cult……………………….14
of incitement. It is matter of great satisfaction that Punjabis have stood as one to
A SADHVI's letter to Prime Minister of India………….14
Press-Statement, Prof. Gurtej Singh et al………………..15 safeguard the hard earned atmosphere of peace and communal harmony in the
Antics of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh…………………..16 State…”
Community of differences, J.S.Grewal………………….16 Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has made statements that he would
Air India Inquiry Questioned, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon.17
Value of an Elephant, Name Withheld…………………..20
never visit Dera Sacha Sauda again. Admitting that like many other leaders of
Carter Bashes Bush world policies: ‘Worst in History’…25 various political parties he had visited the dera before the Assembly elections,
Alberto Gonzales: Anything for the cause……………….26 Badal said that then dera chief was not involved in such an act. “I had never
Counting days until Bush horror is over…………………27 expected that dera chief will do such an action”, said Badal. It should be noted that
gurU arjn dyv jI dI sLhIdI jLF lwsI vflf gurpurb . during the recent Panjab elections Dera Chief had openly endorsed Congress
TIk kI? gurcrn isMG (ijAux vflf)………………………..28 candidates. That explains why Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, the leader of the Congress
pUjw, pujwrI (pRoihq)Aqy pUjx vwly, Avqwr isMG imSnrI..29 Legislature Party, has taken a stand friendly towards the Dera Chief. She said the
Book Page………………………………………………..32 dera chief had clarified that he had not hurt anybody’s sentiments and that he had
no intentions of imitating Guru Gobind Singh. In wake of this, she said the Sikh
Editor in Chief high priests must consider this before arriving at a final decision.
Hardev Singh Shergill
True to his form Vedanti pussyfooted at the Talwandi Sabo May 17, 2007 Panthic
Editorial Board
meeting. Thousands of participants raised slogans against him and Chief Minister
Avtar Singh Dhami, USA
Parkash Singh Badal to express their dissatisfaction over the edict issued by the
Gurpal Singh Khaira, USA
Sikh clergy. They stormed into Gurudwara Takht Damdama Sahib and did not
Gurcharan Singh Brar, Canada
allow Vedanti to continue with his speech.
Dr. Sarjeet Singh Sidhu, Malaysia
Production Associates The Indian Penal Code, 1860-295-A allows for punishment for deliberate and
Amrinder Singh malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its
Sachleen Singh religion or religious beliefs. But then the minorities have no protection of any kind
in this world’s largest democracy called India.
This issue of the Sikh Bulletin is only in electronic format Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is a scoundrel and so is every other derawala. The
being sent to those whose email addresses we have. If you
or someone you know would like to receive it please
SGPC itself is a dera and its head pujari Joginder Singh Vedanti is the biggest
provide the email address. You may also pass it along to scoundrel. On June 10, 2007 while visiting Dera Nangali Sahib in Jammu, against
those on your email list. the advice of the Sikh community of the area, Vedanti was quoted in the Tribune
saying, “There are deras where Guru Granth Sahib is duly regarded and recited as
per the tenets of Sikhism and these should not be mixed up with those where self-
The views expressed by the authors are their styled godmen indulge in blasphemous activities,”. Obviously he is oblivious to the
own. Please send the feedback and inputs to: activities of likes of Amar Singh Barundi and Daljit Singh Chicagowala two of his
[email protected]
biggest financial benefactors even though this writer personally handed to him
Our Website: www.sikhbulletin.com dossier on these two. Hardev Singh shergill
K. T. F. of N. A. Inc. 3524 Rocky Ridge Way, El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762 1

MARTYRDOM OF GURU ARJAN IN WIDER before him. Perhaps it was to indicate that he had come for
PERSPECTIVE OF THE SIKH MOVEMENT the entire world and for no one particular race or culture.
Gurtej Singh, Chandigarh ‘On close scrutiny, the Baba perceived the entire world to be in
a deeply troubled state’3. Equipped with insights into the
[This interpretation of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan was read as Inaugural functioning of the contemporary state and society, Guru Nanak
Address at the seminar on the subject organised by the Department of Punjab contemplated on the unfolding scenario. In particular, he found
Historical Studies, Punjabi University Patiala on January 25, 2007. It was
attended by most of the scholars from the Universities in the Punjab. It gives
the country he named ‘Hindostan,’ in a deplorable state of
a somewhat different interpretation of the Babarvani verses, it affords an abject slavery that paralysed and degraded the whole range of
insight into the kinds of people who were flocking to the Guru. Perhaps they existence. No sphere of human activity was exempt from its
were not Hindus (it is said for the first time), who were by and large, evil effects. In his compositions (bani to be more precise), he
inimical to the Sikhs, Sikhi and the Sikh Gurus. It makes a fresh addition to touches upon the social, economic, political and spiritual
our knowledge of the past by revealing that a protocol for a meeting between
aspects of slavery. He was much distressed with what he saw4.
Guru Gobind Singh and Emperor Bahadur Shah was meticulously worked
out. It also gives a new interpretation of Guru Arjan’s love for horses and the
reason for his encouraging his followers to take up horse trade. It His challenge was to forge a comprehensive response that
emphasises, for the first time, the urgency haunting Guru Arjan for the bold would be in the nature of a cure for the ills of the entire
steps he took as Guru. In the end it imparts a new significant dimension to humanity. The most urgent need was to totally transform and
the most moving event of his martyrdom. –Harshinder Singh] rejuvenate the society as he found it. A dynamic society shorn
of the cumbersome burden of the past was required. Guru
While there are many studies relating to the martyrdom of Guru Nanak unveiled a clear vision of an eternally valid social order
Arjan and all the aspects concerning the event have been much based upon his concept of a model human being, relevant to all
discussed, the larger perspective in which the Guru offered ages, cultures and countries. To make the dream realisable, he
himself as a martyr remains, by and large, unexplored. Maybe rooted it in the expectations of the enlightened people and to
because it is a politically inconvenient undertaking and therefore the essence of the religious principles discovered by him5. His
an anathema to scholars who would understandably maintain task was not easy and was certainly not achievable in one
political neutrality. Ironically, it is this stance that has hindered lifetime. The Guru’s real genius lay in making long term
the objective assessment of the Sikh revolutionary movement, arrangements for translating the vision into a concrete reality.
has led to the inadequate appreciation of many historical events The measures he devised were of universal applicability and
and has ultimately resulted in the distortion of Indian history. included scriptural dimensions. He sought to progressively
Among the very few immediately mentionable, inadequately unfold his thesis in Hind.
interpreted events, are: the impact of the political concerns of
Guru Nanak, the political status of the Tenth Guru, the New concepts had to be evolved. The grand edifice of his
contribution of Banda Singh Bahadur and of course the inspired society had high-minded individuals as its foundation.
martyrdom of Gurus Arjan and Tegh Bahadur. The essence of He proposed to create a new man, not seen in history since the
political neutrality perhaps lies in trying to discover the truth reign of the great Buddha. It would be a deliberately chiselled
regardless of the consequences. In this age of the spread of human personality with the necessary ingredients grafted on to
information, it is hoped that our historians will not disappoint its nature to meet the stupendous task of total reconstruction.
the eagerly waiting students of history. Placing the Guru’s His ultimate model was God. He outlined the attributes of God
martyrdom in its proper historical perspective promises to afford as he conceived them. In His image he desired to mould all
new insights into Indian historical processes, and the origin and humans6. His most significant attributes were, His love for His
progress of the Sikh movement. It is a challenge worth creation, His altruism, fearlessness and the absence of enmity
responding to. Guru Arjan was the Fifth Nanak. He was greatly (nirbhau, nirvair). Divine sanction was necessary to the
inspired by the personality and work of Guru Nanak whom he grounding of his thesis and such a sanction was Nanak’s
remembered in terms of profound gratitude and unsurpassed starting point7. The Guru evolved a universally applicable
adoration1. Proper beginning for an undertaking of the type is to concept of freedom. He forged a totally fresh ethical system
dwell on the relevant perceptions of Guru Nanak in some detail. that would liberate humans and make them responsible in all
the major concerns of mundane as well as spiritual existence. It
Guru Nanak felt concerned about human destiny in general. This was so different from the prevailing one that it was likened to
led him to survey the contemporary world with great diligence making the river flow upstream and to turning the existing
and the precision of a deeply committed social scientist. His values up side down8. The beginning was made by binding
study-cum-missionary tours took him to all the centres of humans to the soil, to render them capable of realising the
learning in India and the relevant foreign lands. He found it freedom he preached. He shunned renunciation and accepted
worthwhile to visit the major pilgrimage places sacred to the world as the true place to practise spirituality. Thus he
Buddhists, Jains, Hindus, Jogis, Sufis, orthodox Muslims and made the assumption of social responsibility an integral part of
others holding varied beliefs2. No religion was irrelevant to him spiritual development and the instrument of social
and no sect was too insignificant to draw his attention. The exact reconstruction.
extent of his journeys is not known but what is known is
sufficient to convince an objective analyst that his concerns were His very first significant step was the casting aside of the
world wide. He perhaps travelled more than all the prophets ‘sacred thread.’ That was to signal grant of freedom from all
caste prejudices, superstition, ritualism and cant. It was a prelude individuals and setting up a permanent military organisation of
to eliminating the influence of the rapacious clergy ubiquitous in ordinary citizens to resist tyranny of any kind. It is in the latter
every religious order and the bane of every religion. His context that the Guru talks of the privilege of ‘dying for a cause
denunciation of the priestly class is the strongest. He held them acceptable to God18. In the same context must be read his
responsible for total disruption of normal human existence and significant pronouncement that, ‘those intensely desirous of
had no place for them in his system9. Freedom from hunger was playing the game of love must accept to die before venturing
contemplated in order to give individuals the basic dignity further God-wards19. In peace these volunteers must continue
required for complete personal transformation. For this he soldiering to promote brotherhood of man and to create
popularised new work ethics of productive labour and sharing conditions that would banish aggression. This was Nanak’s
the fruits thereof with others as the right conduct for a religious complete programme for a permanent revolution in human
person10. It was institutionalised in the form of ‘langar’ even affairs.
before he started on his odysseys or preaching tours.
Brotherhood of all humans flowed naturally from his position of He sanctioned a chain of successors to implement it. They were
an uncompromising monotheist11. It was the effect of this ideal all to be regarded as Nanak’s own self so as to emphasise the
that knit the society of his followers closely together, making continuity of the message. Significantly, he renamed his
them an effective instrument of social change. For Guru Nanak’s immediate successor, Lehna, as Angad and instructed him to
most significant political pronouncements, his four Babarvani use the name Nanak for himself. It is in this background of the
verses12 may be approached. He appears to suggest that there are long term unfolding of Nanak’s mission and the laying down of
no short cuts to the preservation of one’s culture and society. He the parameters for its progress that we must look for
pointed out the futility of depending upon depraved rulers and a establishing the context of the Fifth Nanak’s martyrdom.
miracle performing superstitious clergy for the purpose. The
‘thousands of holy men’ who had claimed that they would II
render the invader’s army blind by performing miracles, did not Guru Arjan accepts Guru Nanak’s concept of God being the
suffice to turn ‘even a single Mughal blind’13. Military measures only sovereign and the only entity deserving the exclusive
were necessary to meet aggression. He denounced the ‘beastly allegiance of a God-oriented person20. He, likewise, recognised
apathy’ of the Lodhis who neglected the physical defence of the only One God as the ‘sole king, the king of kings, whose order
‘priceless heritage’ (rattan) which they ‘despoiled and cast away must prevail in every sphere’21. God is the father and mother of
to dogs’ (vigaar vagoe kuttin). With deep rooted dissatisfaction all and cares for them as a loving mother cares for a child22. He
he observes that ‘none will care for the Lodhis after death’ as Guru felt entitled to relay the announcement of this loving
(moyian saar na kaiee). Guru Nanak stood for non-aggression in ‘king of kings’ that ‘everybody should live happily and lead
international affairs. He strongly condemned the invader Babur. tension free lives, since the rule of the humble had begun.’ The
His army is for him the ‘marriage party of sin’, engaged in the Merciful One had ordered that ‘none should oppress another’23.
despicable business of plunder and rape14. He betrays his This was the central message of his ministry. As a follower of
strongest emotions in these verses. He uses the words to convey Guru Nanak, he sought to translate it into reality.
it too. He says, ‘I sing this song of bloody mayhem (khoon ke As a person who relayed His Hukam, the Guru himself was a
sohle gavieh Nanak) and pour out a handful of my own blood’ part of the compassionate sovereign. His position of a ‘true
with every note (ratt ka kungoo paai ve Lalo).’ He surpasses his king’ as he came to be called in consequence, emanated also
own compassionate self while describing the plight of the Hindu from his denunciation of the politics of untruth and the
and Muslim women at the hands of the invading barbarians. initiation of the politics of the whole truth based on the
Here you have the rare sight of Nanak, the pir of Hind, drenched sovereignty of God. He disapproved of the entire structure of
to the very depth of his soul in the noblest emotions ever the medieval state because, according to him, it was based on
expressed. He devotes a whole verse to that description15. the pretension of power which was essentially illegitimate24. He
had no respect for those who exercised religious or political
His most potent suggestion is that the people must rise to defend power in a manner that conflicted with God’s benign Will25.
themselves. There is no honourable substitute to physical Appealing directly to the heart of every reasonable person, he
defence. It must never be a situation in which ‘a lion falls upon a denigrated all man made inequalities and degradations based
herd of cows.’ If that happens, the religious instructions that the upon positions in an administrative hierarchy, ill-gotten
people have received must be questioned16. Meeting an wealth26 or grounded in caste reckoning. To him all inequalities
aggression effectively to preserve one’s culture and dignity was being false, artificial and illegitimate were unsustainable27. The
the religious duty of each and every individual. Thus Guru effect of all this on the medieval mind brought up in the feudal
Nanak laid the guiding principles for his followers and successor system that brooked no deviation, was profoundly liberating.
Gurus to implement. The most crucial of them is, ‘life without
honour is not worth living17. He prescribed remaining ever in The Guru provided a unique scripture to the new movement.
readiness to avert a disaster. ‘Punishment does not visit those He himself wrote more than half of it. It contained a
who perceive early and make preparation to avert a disaster.’ comprehensive statement delineating his new politics. It
(agge de je cheteeai tan kayat mile sajai). Advance preparation emphasised human effort, discounted belief in miracles,
for him is to acquire an attitude that culture and honour are prescribed freedom from political and spiritual slavery and
worth defending at any cost. It involves sufficiently motivating superstition as preconditions to spiritual development. It sought
to liberate man, rather than to provide for his oppression by During the time of Guru Hargobind, ‘Mohsin Fani’ confirmed
binding him head to foot in scriptural irrationality and the world that his followers were to be found in most of the important
of make believe. The Guru’s theology did not conflict with cities of the subcontinent36. Nanak had fired the imagination of
human rights; it gave solace to the oppressed and did not provide the East. His message had kindled a hope in every heart. Both
justification to the oppressor. It made the human comfortable in Jehangir and Shaikh Ahmed Sarhindi believed that many
the warmth of God and did not provide for his soul burning Muslims had started joining the Sikh movement. From the
eternally in His wrath28. It denied the existence of heaven and point of view of the state, the situation was becoming more and
hell, belief in the evil existing independently of God and had no more alarming.
concept of original sin. His is a scripture which does not claim to
exclusively know the ultimate truth and hence is not a source of At no time during the Guru period, was there a paucity of
intolerance and strife – of Jehads or of Crusades. It is in perfect Muslim adherents to the Guru’s ideology. The key to
harmony with the laws controlling the universe29. Much later, understanding the phenomena perhaps is that the underlying
elsewhere, “the scriptures were constantly being quoted by those universal current in the movement attracted the discerning
who wanted to exact obedience. From the scriptures were people of India without consideration of religious affiliation.
derived all dogmas, all superstitious beliefs and practices -- The process appears to have begun early. Guru Arjan opened
miracles that had never been. Inasmuch as Nature followed avenues for cooperation with other faiths and sects like the
uninterruptedly an immutable order, any violation of that order sultanis describable as Muslims, who formed a significant part
would prove, not that God was mighty but that he did not of the population of the times. These people were not accepted
exist”30. as Hindus and presumably lived on the periphery of Hindu
villages. They were not formally converted Muslims but
Guru Arjan finalised the profile of a people who would belonged to the Sultani half-way-house. There is sufficient
implement God’s Will. It was a profile that he himself had evidence that great many followers of Sakhi Sarvar
helped to shape. His ideal is a completely free person, characterized as ‘half-Muslims’ (‘adh muslalamme’) had
stubbornly refusing to belong to any sectarian set up. S/he is free formally converted and had joined the Guru’s panth at various
also from artificial bonds that enslave one to the priestly order or stages of the Sikh movement. During the Guru period they
the administration presided over by kings insisting on false provided religious leaders like Hindal37 (Bhangu 252.6), Bhai
claims to rule over others. Two centuries prior to the French Baihlo (Bhangu 567) and Lakhmir (Bhangu 107). One of the
Revolution, the Guru’s ideal person is a completely liberated most powerful political leaders Shyam Singh of the
one. All that he prescribes for him is a broad, basic commitment Karorsinghia misl came from amongst them (Bhangu 538). The
to spirituality and does not expect him to sell his soul to any Grewals around Ludhiana, perhaps like other Jats in the Punjab,
usurping human power construct or to a religious order. The were also followers of Sakhi Sarwar at the beginning of the
Guru himself was also the new liberated, fearless man, charged eighteenth century. The Sultanis continued to join the Sikhs in
with a task by Nanak, as he affirmed in his bani31. He firmly ever increasing numbers. Bhangu reports that they joined out of
rejects rituals and contemptuously dismisses the priestly classes genuine conviction38. Even Banda Bahadur had a Muslim
in words, echoes of which can be heard in the writings of the contingent of about five thousand in his army. In a manner of
later rationalist European philosophers32. Guru’s Arjan’s panth speaking, Jehangir was right. The Guru had encroached upon
was the collection of altruistic individuals who were firmly the fertile recruiting grounds of Islam39.
committed to upholding the Truth revealed by the Guru. Such
was the finished product of the Sikh movement that surrounded It appears that the people had become organised well enough to
him. To such followers the Guru had recommended acquiring collectively assert themselves in favour of the Guru and his
culture and enriching the self with righteous conduct33. ideology as is borne out by events happening at the beginning
Depiction of the futility of the pursuit of wealth, power and of the next Guru’s spiritual reign. The Guru had no difficulty in
pleasure, forms a considerable part of his bani. ‘The new light raising a force of 2200 mounted soldiers as ordered by his
has revealed that Truth and the ability to do one’s duty to man father immediately before his martyrdom. They offered
and God alone are liberating’34. The Guru’s promise of impressive non-violent resistance to ensure the release of Guru
converting animals and ghosts into gods and of setting stones Hargobind from Gwalior and still later, they determinedly
afloat, stood fulfilled35. confronted the armed might of the Mughal Empire. They
fought three major pitched battles with the Mughals. In all
III these battles the Mughals could not achieve their objective.
The external situation prevailing just before the time of Guru Obviously during Guru Arjan’s time the Sikh movement had
Arjan’s martyrdom needs also to be recalled. The Sikh become a potential threat, like no other, to the Mughal state.
movement had come to acquire great potential. Adherents to the The political temper of his people slowly became compatible
Guru’s ideology had become numerous. Even in Guru Nanak’s with the nature of the Truth that the Guru preached and the
time, the following was large. At the time of Guru Amardas, his universal concerns he held so dear. He had successfully
area of influence had to be divided into 22 sub-units coinciding converted his followers into potent instrument of
with the 22 administrative provinces under Akbar. Guru Arjan transformation of society. In response to the Guru’s new
was obliged to appoint deputies called Masands to carry out politics, the humblest follower of the Guru had completely
certain financial and religious functions in behalf of the Guru. transformed himself. A grass cutter wanting to see the True
King strayed into Jahangir’s tent. He offered his mite and bowed consciousness by following the prescribed religious discipline.
reverently touching the ground with his forehead. The moment He had been able to efface his ego and had substituted it with
he realised his mistake he promptly picked up the small coin and God’s Will- the source of altruism. By offering himself as a
turned rudely away40. Nothing like this had happened in a martyr, he tried to violently shake the larger society out of the
millennium. The new man was a reality. He was completely psychological mould into which individuals composing it, had
fearless, totally God-oriented and fully receptive of His hukam41. been beaten by oppressors of a thousand years. In the last act he
Surely the import of this most fascinating engineering feat in emphasised the value system that he and his predecessors had
Indian history was not lost on the administration of the times. inculcated for renewal and resurgence. He wanted to encourage
Since response to the Guru’s ideology was widespread, it everyone to take another birth in the Guru’s house, that is, into
potentially left the king progressively with lesser and lesser a totally new value system. He wanted to provide a tool to
number of partisans to preserve his stranglehold over others. ordinary individuals, powerless, disarmed, demoralised and
enslaved to tackle the tyrannical system and individual tyrants.
The major contributions of the Guru’s ministry must be briefly The Sikh movement after him bears out that the Guru was
recalled at this stage. He encouraged his followers to seriously eminently successful in his mission and had also provided a
take up horse trade. This involved their acquiring riding skills model that could be worked by anyone anywhere. In his
and getting familiar with the care and use of horses. His martyrdom he paved the royal road to human liberation and
followers in his immediate circle, people like the scholar Bhai therefore to mundane social change and spiritual progress.
Gurdas were also involved in the exercise. His last instructions Those who took to the path shown by him were never tired of
to his successor were to sit fully armed on the throne and to proclaiming, ‘I am a sacrifice unto Guru Arjan’46.
maintain a regular cavalry42. It is obvious that the ground to
recruit the force had been already prepared. He expanded The Guru’s martyrdom was a grand launching of the next
Amritsar and erected it into an autonomous city conducive to phase, namely, that of ignoring the existing administration and
congregating freely and discussing without hindrance. He built of erasing it from the people’s minds to begin with and of
the harmandar at Amritsar as the spiritual headquarters of eventually pushing it out of existence. The Guru’s final
Nanak’s permanent revolution. He compiled the scripture to pronouncement on the subject was openly spelt out. His
preside in the sanctum sanctorum as the future Guru Granth, the specific shabad defining the duties of a God-oriented person
eternal guide. It gave the formidable scriptural sanction to must have come as nothing less than a declaration of war to
Nanak’s mission and placed it on secure ideological footing. certain ears. It is in part biographical. In this he traces his own
Arrangements for the continued guidance of his followers were spiritual development until he became one with God, who to
thus firmly put into place. The Guru had his own ‘tithe him ‘is sweeter than mother and father.’ He aptly likens the
collectors’ or Masands. Finances were available for a worthy change ‘to the rehabilitation of a deserted place.’ As a Guru, he
cause. This is the situation to which later historians would apply believes, he has provided for the amelioration of the world by
the epithet of a ‘state within a state.’ In consequence, the encouraging the use of ‘Nanak’s boat of Truth.’ About himself
political status of Guru Arjan had grown so much that Akbar he further affirms, ‘I am God’s champion. On forming an
paid him a visit and Khusrau sought his help to rise to kingship. alliance with the Guru, I stand proud and elevated with a crown
The Guru was hailed as the True King, and was deemed, entitled of a raised turban over me. I have discovered the opportunity I
to ceremonials befitting a king43. His responsibility to move on was seeking. The field is laid out. God Himself has come to
to the next stage on the path of liberation left nothing wanting. witness the tournament. I will acquit myself such that I may
He was not only a Guru, but he was also a Sikh - a kind of never dance in this contest again’47. The whole establishment
Prometheus unbound, a Bodhisattva possessing infinite understood the import of that declaration. The contest was
compassion, the basic structure of whose mind the Sikh between a moral colossus with a mandate to change the world
movement had carefully, lovingly crafted. He had what he unrecognisably and an usurper king, backed by the armed
needed to formally unfold the next stage of the revolution that might of the state seeking to preserve the status quo. The
would ruffle many a feather. From his bani it appears that the empire was too small for two kings, one claiming allegiance
Guru had done enough waiting. More waiting was not over the minds of men and the other over their bodies. Each
favoured44. The Guru appears to be seized of a sense of urgency knew who would be victorious in the end. The true emperor’s
and makes repeated assertions like ‘there is no turning back – passionate striving was bearing fruit. The ‘false one’ was
deal with it this time, there will not be another birth’45. It appears impatient and commanded an army. He placed his adversary in
that the Guru was preparing to ignore the existing administration the hands of Chandu, the most vengeful, most cruel and the
altogether. He was just a step away to setting up his own most arrogant of all executioners. This is how the ‘crown of
informal judicial system and to recruiting people’s defence martyrs’ began his new reign as a martyr. The Guru’s
force. martyrdom was the watershed of the final phase. The Gurus
and their Sikhs had few moments of respite after this. All of
IV them were persecuted by the state. Rival Gurus were created.
The Mughal state prevented that disaster from happening. So his All the Gurus coming after Guru Arjan died young and several
most significant contribution became the formal launching of the died unnatural deaths, one was martyred likewise. All of them
next phase of the contemplated revolution with his own lived up to their resolve of ‘never being seen by the king and of
martyrdom. As a Sikh, the Guru had obtained heightened never seeing the king’ again, except on terms of equality.
Elaborate protocol laying down minute details seems to have tikka ter dhoti kakhai. Hath chhuri jagat kasai- Aasa M1GG471-72; also
been agreed upon when the Tenth Guru met Bahadur Shah48. Aasa M5GG372.
10 ghal khai kichh hathon de, Nanak rah pachhanai se-Sarang
This interlude did not last long and then the battle to the finish M1GG1245.
ensued which ended in the gradual phasing out of the Mughal 11 sabh mahai jot jot hai soe. Tisde chanan sabh mahai chanan hoe-
empire and its replacement with ‘sarkar khalsa jio’ or the Dhanasri M1GG13; sarab jot teri pasar rahi jeh jeh dekhan
people’s government led by the Khalsa (to use Sirdar Kapur teh teh narhari-RamkaliMI-876.
Singh’s translation of the phrase). 12 Asa M1GG 360, 417 and Tilang M1GG722
13 koie mughal na andhaa hoa kinhe na parcha laeoo
Now that an analysis of the Gurus’ contribution to
14 paap ki janj lai Kabloh dhaiaa jori mangai daan ve Lalo kajian
reconstruction of the human material and society has been bahmana ki gal thakki agad parhai shaitan ve Lalo
briefly attempted, a few questions that confront the inquisitive 15 Asaa M1 GG417
mind may be posed. Perhaps there is no better forum than this to 16 eti maar payee kurlanai tain ki dard na aiyia Asa M1GG360. Biblical
raise them. Whenever these questions are probed they will be prescription on not resisting evil has been often
probed by distinguished historians like you: ‘everyone else has examined. “Non-resistance in a world of men formed by natural selection
and the struggle for existence, is an invitation to
succumbed to the bewitching charm of the godless seductress, aggression and enslavement; a people that loved its enemies would be
now the prophet alone remains to side with God. ‘Nanak’s wiped off the face of the earth.” Will Durant, The Pleasures
position is known. The questions are: of Philosophy, Simon & Schuater, New York, 1963, p. 363
1. Who else felt so deeply concerned about the moral 17 je jeevai pat lathi jai sabh haram jeta kuch khai- M1GG142 je jeevai
degradation resulting in political slavery that seemed never pat lathi jai sabh haram jeta kuch khai- M1GG142
18 maran munsa sooria-Wadhans M1GG580, maran na manda loka akhiye
ending? Wadhans M1GG579
2. Who else made elaborate plans, spanning centuries, for 19 Slok M1GG1412
ridding Hind of these demeaning disabilities? 20 Gauri M5GG258; sabh shahan sir saacha sahu. Ramkali M5GG893
3. Heads of which other order stood with the deprived people to 21 eko aap toohe vad raja. Hukam sache ke poore kaaja. Maru Sohle
the extent of sacrificing themselves and their families in a bid to M5GG1074; saacha takhat sachi paatshahi. Sach khazina
saachaa sahee. Maru Sohle M5GG1073.
seek their amelioration?
22 Dakhne M5GG1101; Suhi M5GG783.
4. Who else of those who intervened, was not exploiting the 23 hun hukam hoa mehervaan da . pai koee na kissai rajannda. Sabh
situation for gains, but was in the ‘game of love’ solely for the sukhalee vutthian eh hoa halemi raaj jio Srirag M5GG74
sake of liberty and the spiritual well being of the masses? 24 rajrang mayia visthaar – asi hasti rath asvaari. Jhootha damph jhootha
5. Which other order fought myriad battles for making the pasaari GG p.288.
individual sovereign (hanne hanne mir- a king in every pommel) 25 patshahi chhattar sir sou, dooja avar na kou Gauri Bawan Akhri M5
26 papan baajhon hovai naahin moian sang na jaaiee-AsaM1GG417; lakh
and the society an autonomous self-governing entity? To adambar bahut visthara naam bina jhoothai pasaragauri
understand this question better, it may be asked whether in M5GG240.
comparison to all this, was the event of 1857 the ’first battle for 27 haiver gaiver raaj rang. Tyag chalio hai moorh nang. GG 210.
India’s freedom?’ Was it a battle? Was it for freedom? Was it 28 ‘Bloody Mary’ the 16th century English queen, stated: ‘As the souls of
the first? the heretics are hereafter to be eternally burning in hell,
there can be nothing more proper for me than to imitate the Divine
6. For four centuries it was Nanak and his progeny who were the vengeance by burning them on earth.’ Critiques of God, quoted
symbols and guiding lamps of human self respect, collective by Paul N. Siegel in his, The Meek and the Militant, Oxford University
honour and social glorification. Yet what position does Nanak Press, Bombay, 1986, p. 8
have today in the life of the nation that benefited from his work? 29 ‘This fool’ said Luther of Copernicus,’ wishes to reverse the entire
Does it appear that he has lost out to known hypocrites and science of astronomy; but sacred Scriptures tell us that
Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and not the earth.’ Paul N. Siegel,
collaborators of foreign colonisers?
Ibid., p. 7.
Ajab tamasha ditham sajjan hik dehon tain darbare. Ibn-ul- 30 Paul Hazard, The European Mind 1680-1715, Pelican Books,
waqat muazziz theendai jaan nissar khuarai. Middlesex, England, 1964, p.168. Even in the age of Declaration
of Rights of Man and the Bill of Human Rights included in the American
[Read at the Seminar with the theme ‘Perspectives on Guru Arjan Dev: Constitution, pious people, widely awake human right
Contribution and Martyrdom,’ held by the Department of Punjab Historical activists, convinced idealists like the high-minded George Washington
Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala on January 25, 2007 as Inaugural continued to have slaves. European countries which held
Address. Code: Hist Conf, Shahid Guru]. their scriptures in high regard continued to indulge in lucrative slave trade.
High Church dignitaries continued to own slaves and
Notes: even Napoleon, the ‘child of the French Revolution,’ brought up in the
liberal rationalist tradition which allowed him to mock at
1 1. M5 GG1387; Asa M5GG454
the Pope, had his slave Abdullah as his most trusted bodyguard.
2 2. Babe dekhi pirthavi nau khand jithe tak ahi. BG Var 1 Pauri 28.
31 footo aanda bharam ka manhe bhayia pargas, kaati beri pagah te gur
3 Baba dekhe dhian dahr jalti sabh prithvi dis aiyee- BG Var 1 Pauri 24.
keeni band khalas-Maru M5GG1002.
4 haun bhaal vikunni hoie andhere rah na koiee—koor amavas sach
32 Asa M5GG372; hirdai sach eh karni saar hor sabh pakhand pooj
chandrama disai nahee kaih charia. Majh M1GG145.
khawaar-Parbhati M1GG1343.
5 Parbhati M1GG1328-29.
33 Nirdhan kau dhan tera nau, nithavain kau nau tera thau- M5GG266; Jis
6 anhat sunn ratte so kaisai. Jiste upjai tis hi jaisai- Ramkali M1GG943
simrat dukh sabh jai, naam rattan vassai man aai- Suhi
7 Tilang M1GG 722; Wadhans M1GG566.
M5GG192; gurupdes jawahar manak sevai sikh so khoj lahai- Parbhati M1
8 Sorath M3GG 602
GG1328-29
9 kadi koor bol mal khaai, bahman navai jean ghai, jogi surat najaanai andh
34 M5GG1386-87.
teeno ujare ka bandh Dhanasri M.1, GG662; mathai
35 pasu prêt pathar mugadh kau tarai, pahan paar utarai). Bilawal
M5GG802; Gauri M5GG274; satgur paiaa poora nhaavan pasu and M5GG12.
preto dev karai- Parbhati M1GG1329. 46 Varan Bhai Gurdas, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee,
36 Sikh History from Persian Sources, J. S. Grewal & Irfan Habib, Tulika, Amritsar, 1952, Var 24 Pauri 23.
2001, 66. 47 Srirag M5GG73-74.
38 Rattan Singh Bhangu, Panth Parkash, SGPC, Amritsar, 1984, p. 84 48 An elaborate protocol to receive the Guru was noticed by Bhangu.
couplet 50; Census of India, [vol. XIX (Part 1), Office of the Bhangu, Op. Cit.,238-39. He came fully armed to the court,
Superintendant of Government Printing, Calcutta, India, 1892, p.137] report was received midway to the throne by the emperor himself muttering
for 1891, has a very telling paragraph in this regard. soothing greetings of welcome. Was respectfully seated and
It is being quoted here extensively. The followers of Sarwar, “eat animals patiently heard. He was given costly presents on departure. William Irwine,
whose throat has been cut in orthodox Musalman Later Mughals, Oriental Book Reprint Corporation,
manner. This accounts for the fact that comparatively few Sikhs are New Delhi, 1971, 90. One of the presents was the sword of Ali the son-in-
followers of Sarwar and there is in fact a sort of opposition in law of the prophet Muhammad. It had been confiscated
the central districts between Sikhs and Sultanis – worship of Sarwar in the Battle of Badar. It was spoken of as ‘the costliest jewel in the
probably spread eastwards among the Jats in the fifteenth and treasury of the imperial Mughals’ by the presenter. See, Kapur
sixteenth century, and was the prevalent cult at the time of the great Singh, “An Islamic Sacred heirloom at Kesgarh Takhat,” The Sikh Review.
development of Sikhism in the days of Guru Gobind Singh;
and that most of the converts to the Khalsa faith were from the worshippers
of Sultan. This appears a very probable account of the *****
origin of such opposition as does exist between the two forms of faith. As GURU NANAK’S ESTATE FLOURISHES IN
between the Hindus generally and Sultanis there is no PAKISTAN
sort of opposition. – Sarwar himself was a Musalman and never pretended to Naveen S. Garewal
be anything else. – His priests, Bharais, are The Bhattis of Nankana Sahib in Pakistan are keeping alive their 500-year-
Musalmans almost to a man.’ The noticeable paradox is that the Hindus long family tradition of strengthening Sikh-Muslim ties. Naveen S.
remained staunch supporters of the Mughal regime. From Garewal visits the Muslim family, whose ancestor Rai Bular Bhatti was the
those who presented the mazhar against Guru Arjan (mahzar jhootha keeton second disciple of Guru Nanak
aap-Gauri M5GG199) to Chandushah, the Hill Rajas
who fought against Guru Gobind Singh to Khattris of the Punjab who
financed the campaign against Banda Bahadur to Rajputs
and Jats who took the field against him, (see, Muzaffar Alam, The Crisis of
Empire In Mughal North India, Oxford University
Press, Bombay, 1993) the Hindu opposition to the Sikh movement was
consistent and perhaps suicidal in the sense that it much
delayed political change. The thesis that the Sikhs are descendants of Hindu
converts may be politically convenient but
historically it is very difficult to support in the circumstances.
39 See, Sikh History from Persian Sources, Op. Cit., 57.
40 See, Santokh Singh, Shri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, Khalsa Samachar,
Amritsar, 1963, p. 2466.
41 Asa M5GG391.
42 Guru Nanak conducted the earliest battle review of India’s battles against
Babur. Like the modern historians he also came to the
conclusion, that Babur had the advantage of the gun powder and of cavalry.
His opponents lost because they used elephants. The Rai Bular Bhatti’s haveli in Nankana Sahib was frequented by Guru Nanak
same is true of India’s battle against Alexander in 326 BCE. Alexander during his childhood
threw Porus’ men “into confusion with storm of arrows
and charges of their horse.” ( John W. McCrindle, The Invasion of India by
Alexander The Great, (Westminster: A Constable,
BLESSED by Baba Nanak, the Bhatti family of Talwandi
1896, p 104) At the Battle of Tallikota in January 1565 CE where the Hindu (now Nankana Sahib) has been a shining example of
confederacy lost a crucial battle to the Mughal power, Muslim-Sikh brotherhood for over half a millennium. Rai
the Commander in Chief of Vijayanagar force, Rama Raya, like Porus, Bular Bhatti, a contemporary of Guru Nanak Dev and a
commanded the army from atop an unusually large
elephant. Being so conspicuous, he was attacked vigorously and was killed
devout Muslim, became Guru Nanak’s second disciple.
because the wounded animal panicked. Significantly, After Bibi Nanki, Guru Nank’s sister, he was the second
this happened during the life time of Guru Arjan. J. N. Sarkar understands person to recognise that Guru Nanak was no ordinary mortal
that the defeat resulted from,” their leaders riding on and that he was a divine soul.
elephants instead of swift horses.” (Military History of India, Calcutta 1960,
p.15) A cure for this malady of the Indian resistance
movement was crucial to its success. It was the cavalry that eventually Sakhis, pertaining to the life of Guru Nanak, feature Rai
ensured the success of the Khalsa. Bular repeatedly. In the sakhi where villagers are furious
43 Chhattar singhasan pirthami gur Arjan kau de aiieo- GG1409. about Nanak's cattle eating their crop, it is Rai Bular who
44 Incidentally, after the Battle of Tallikota, that had been lost during his
lifetime (January 1565), India was a fully conquered land.
got the crop surveyed and found it to be undamaged. In yet
It was now without the possibility of organised resistance for a long, long another sakhi, Rai Bular is said to have spotted a hooded
time. It lay prostrate before a chain of unsympathetic cobra providing shade to the sleeping Guru Nanak. This
autocratic and oppressive rulers supporting an inimical culture. Her strengthened his belief that Guru Nanak was no ordinary
humiliation was complete. The situation mocked God, Justice,
Truth and the Guru’s panth in the face.
mortal. The blessings the Bhatti family received have seen
45 Agah ku trangh pichhaha fern a mohdara,sijh evaha vaar bahur na them prosper through 19 generations in five centuries.
hoviee janamara-Dakhne M5GG1396; Srirag M5 GG50.22
Today when the world is getting divided on religious basis, are bestowed the honour of leading the religious processions
the children of Rai Bular Bhatti continue to carry on the held at Nankana Sahib each year to celebrate the birth
tradition of the Bhatti clan. An important functionary of the anniversary of Guru Nanak.
now defunct Nankana Sahib Foundation, the late Rai Bashir
worked hard to build an institution on the 10 acres donated According to historians, originally, the Rais were Bhatti
by his nephews Rai Sarwar Khan and Rai Ahmed Khan. He Rajputs and Rai Bular, a contemporary of Guru Nanak, was
laid the foundation stone of the complex in June 1994. the ruler of Rai Bhoe di Talwandi where Nankana Sahib is
now located. Mehta Kalyan Das (Kalu), a well-read person
Even though Rai Bular's family is today scattered all across of Bedi caste, was an employee of Rai Bular. Nanak was
the world, his descendants are actively involved with the born to Mehta Kalu and his wife Mata Tripta in 1469, at a
promotion of Muslim-Sikh brotherhood. The family has kept place now known as Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib town,
alive their ancestral links with Gurus. Despite being devout which is now also a district.
Muslims, the family has emotional and spiritual attachment
with Sikhism for the past several generations. According to the ancient revenue records in possession of
the family, Rai Bular gave 247 murabas of land to
Gurdwara Janam Asthan along with an annual jagir of Rs
9996. He also gave another 220 murabas to Gurdwara Bal
Lila and extended an annual jagir of Rs 31 and another 290
muraba and annual grant of Rs 50 to Gurdwara Mal Sahib.
This entire land of Nanakana Sahib given to Guru Nanak by
Rai Bular amounts to 757 murabas (approx. 18,750 acres)
and is now controlled by the Evacuee Trust Property Board
of Pakistan and leased out to the people of Nankana Sahib.
Rai Bular chose to give his most fertile agricultural lands to
Guru Nanak after he discovered Guruji's divine powers. It is
on this land, and on the exact spot where Guru Nanak was
born, that Gurdwara Janam Asthan was built by Maharaja
Ranjit Singh.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, incidentally, also had the same

Rai Saleem Bhatti with his father Rai Akram Bhatti at their home in
Nankana Sahib. Both have strong faith in Sikhism and regulary participate in lineage as the Bhattis, who were direct descendants of Raja
Sikh functions. Rai Bhuni Khan — whose one son Rai Sanspal was the
ancestor of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, while the other son Raja
Manpal was the ancestor of the Bhatti clan. This fact finds
mention in Tarik-e-Bhattian, a book on the history of the
Bhatti family.
Today the Nankana Sahib Estate consists of about 16,962

acres, mainly leased to farmers and residents of Nankana
Sahib. Almost all houses in Nankana Sahib are built on the
property donated by the Bhatti family. "Babaji" (as Guru
Nanak is affectionately called by the Bhatti family), says
Rai Mohammad Saleem Akram Bhatti, the 19th generation
descendant of Rai Bular, "is revered by all of us as our
father."
The family had directly managed and looked after this

One of the objectives of the now defunct Nankana Sahib Foundation was to
spread Guru Nanak’s teachings
property on behalf of Guru Nanak many years after him by
the successive heads of the Bhatti family. Father-son duo
The Adi Granth translated into English from Gurmukhi by Rai Rehmat Khan and Rai Anayat collected revenue after
Dr. Ernest Trumpp finds repeated references to Rai Bular. the Partition and deposited it with the Gurdwara
Members of the Bhatti family make special efforts to Management, which was in turn used for the welfare and
participate in all Sikh celebrations. They especially came development of local Sikhs and the seven gurdwaras in
from Pakistan to take part in the tercentenary celebrations of Nankana Sahib.
the birth of Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib some time ago. They
The Rai Bular family has maintained the highest traditions of (Gurdwara Janam Asthan) and it cannot be sold to anyone.
Muslim-Rajput culture. It is said that during the Partition, Rai Today, about one lakh people reside on this property.
Hussain, father of Rai Bashir, personally escorted to safety Though all members of the family have always been close
over 1,000 Sikhs during the Partition. Heartbroken by the to the Sikh community, Rai Hadayat Khan Bhatti, the 17th
Partition and the massacre of thousands of lives, he passed descendant of Rai Bular, deserves a special mention as he
away in 1948. devoted a lot of time to strengthening Sikh-Muslim
relations. He led the Sikh procession on the occasion of the
The earliest historical reference to the city of Talwandi (now 500th anniversary of Guru Nanak. He inculcated the spirit
Nankana Sahib) is found in ballads. There’s mention of the of service in his two sons, Rai Aslam Bhatti and Rai Akram
first siege of Jaisalmer that occurred during the reign of Alla- Bhatt, who conducted Sikh pilgrims to the gurdwara and
ud-din Khilji (1295-1315). Khilji's Army had attacked invited them for food at their house.
Jaisalmer, a state in Rajputana, to avenge raids by Rajputs. It
is said that after a bloody battle, one of the Bhatti Rajput Rai Akram Bhatti, a practising lawyer at Nankana Sahib
prince who survived was taken hostage. He was sent to exile welcomes Sikh pilgrims with open arms to his house. His
somewhere north of Punjab, near Kotli (about 40 miles from faith in Sikhism is so strong that he says that he owes the
the present-day Lahore). birth of his elder son Rai Mohammad Saleem Akram Bhatti
Folklore has it that Alla- to the blessings of Baba Nanak. Saleem, a young criminal
ud-din Khilji was so lawyer at the Lahore High Court, says: "It is because of
touched by this boy's Baba Nanak that I am in this world. For us Babaji has a
bravery that he paid a special place in our lives and our family is blessed because
tribute to the young prince of the grace bestowed upon us by Baba Nanak."
by giving him about
1,50,000 acres of Punjab's Talking about the Muslim-Sikh ties the family has upheld
most fertile land as over the centuries, Rai Akram Bhatti says that Rai Hussain
compensation for his loss Bhatti was awarded the highest honour for his generosity,
and also as an enticement leadership, public service and vision by Queen Victoria at
to keep him from rallying the golden jubilee celebrations of her coronation in 1887.
troops and building a new
Rajput Bhatti Army. This Maharaja Ranjit Singh, too, had acknowledged the role of
exiled prince is said to this extraordinary family and its immense contribution to
have named the place Sikhsm. Ranjit Singh bestowed upon Rai Issa Khan (15th
Raipur and later Rai Bhoe generation) the title of Rai Bhadur and he was made the in
di Talwandi (after his charge of a sub-jail in Thatta Issa village. He was also He
son). Nankana literally was also appointed honorary magistrate and given the duty
means Nanak da ana or to collect the revenue.
the coming of Nanak.
In early 1994, a move was "Militancy in Punjab in the 1980s had a direct impact on the
initiated to set up the pilgrim flow to Nankana Sahib. We are happy that with the
Nankana Sahib return of peace, the number of pilgrims has risen, giving the
Foundation. The purpose Bhattis an opportunity to serve them," says Rai Akram
of the trust, which was to Bhatti.
come up at Kot Hussain *****
Khan, about 5 km from SIKH ELECTRONIC MEDIA
Nankana Sahib, was to
generate revenue for the We both have talked in the past about our effort to start and
maintenance Nankana maintain some kind of Sikh electronic media in the most
Sahib. The Bhatti family powerful city in the world. This thought came to mind only
donated 10 acres for the same, but the Pakistan Government after 1984 incidents in the Sikh history when we, living in
of Benazir Bhutto did not give permission for the trust and the westren world outside India, realized that Sikh
today the place has only a gate at the site. leadership could not defend or respond in a logical way
(beacuse of the absence of Sikh's own electronic media
Since almost all houses of Nankana Sahib are built on the inside and/or outside India) the misinformed and cruel
property given to Guru Nanak by the Bhattis, the Nankana propaganda leased against Sikhs throughout the world. I
Sahib Estate is the property of the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara wrote down an article on this subject of "Need for Sikh's
own media", (http://www.passionfortruthtv.com:/NEED-
OF-Sikh-own-Media.htm) which was published in various the surviving soldiers or their descendents of the two World
Sikh publications like "Institute of Sikh Studies" Chandigarh Wars participate.
and "Sikh Review". Since its publication in the "Institute of
Sikh Studies" 4-5 years ago, a number of people contacted us Although more than 110 thousand Sikhs were killed and an
and showed interest in such a project. But as you know, most equivalent number wounded while fighting along with the
of the people talk a lot and show interest in any visible Allied forces in the two World Wars yet their contribution
project to put their own name forward. But when comes a was never recognised by the organisers of the ANZAC day
time to put up some resources (money) in the project where celebration. This year the Sikh Council Of Australia took
their own name or ego is not satisfied, such people just try to up the matter with the organisers and made them realise that
get the information and try to set up their own similar the Sikh Regiments also played a major role in defending
projects where they could promote their own agenda. the British Empire and should be a part of the ANZAC day
celebration.
But this has not discouraged us. We have been proceeding,
since 1988, in our own slow pace, with our meager resources, It was the first time in the history of the ANZAC day
and continue to keep up with the new technologies of TV celebration that the Sikhs were allowed to lay wreath at the
media. So now we have launched a new web-cast TV channel Cenotaph and march along with others, in the celebration to
"TVPunjabi" after tirelessly working on weekly Radio honour and pay their tributes to all those who journeyed
Programs for 14 years and two weekly TV programs in from the four corners of the Commonwealth, at the call of
Washington, DC area (The most powerful city in the world) the duty in the two World Wars, and gave their lives in a
for the last 18-19 years. We very successfully launched live supreme sacrifice for their country and the ruler of their land
web-cast of Vaisakhi celebrations during the last weekend so that we and our children could live freely.
starting with Saturday April 14 at Washington National
Gurdwara (covering the participants of Amrit Sanchar, On Tuesday 24th April at 7.30 pm wreath laying ceremony,
sponsored jointly by all the Gurdwaras of the Washington at the Cenotaph in Martin Place Sydney, was performed by
metropolitan area), then Khalsa Day Parade at the Mall of the secretary of the Sikh Council. On 25th April at 10.30 am
Washington, DC and ending with celebrations on Sunday at over sixty Ex- Defence forces Sikh men and women, their
Guru Nanak Foundation of America, Maryland.. descendents and other Sikhs gathered at the corner of
Hunter Street and Pit street Sydney and stood there for
There was a lot of excitement expressed by the people who over an hour often in pouring rain waiting for their turn to
were able to view the cable cast on their computers and cell march along with others to honour the memory of all those,
phones, where ever they were at that time. We have to and Sikhs in particular, who did every thing and sacrificed their
are moving with the latest technology and are able to produce lives to bring freedom to us. To be a part of the march was a
and send the Sikh message to each and every body unique and wonderful experience and since we looked
throughout the world. To access and view this 24/7 web-cast different from others (with turbans) we often received
of new “TVPunjabi-USA”, go to the web site encouraging remarks and cheers from the onlookers
www.passionfortruthtv.com and click on the link to start the throughout the march. We all felt elated to be part of this
stream. We plan to bring you the live web-cast of any historic event and wonderful celebration as it gave us the
important newsworthy event in the Washington, DC area and satisfaction that we were honouring our martyrs and had
some live Kirtan, on Sundays, from one of the Washington also accomplished our mission of showing to the
area Gurdwaras. For any question and/or more information, Australians that the Sikhs fought along side with the
please contact Manmohan Singh Chawla at (703) 734-0689 Australians in the two World Wars and were a part of the
or e-mail to [email protected]. ANZAC.
M. S. Chawla, Producer, Winner of Telly Award and The Accolade
Competition "PASSION FOR TRUTH" TV "PUNJABI COMMUNITY
Sikhs have now been recognised as a part of the ANZAC
HOUR" TV Program On the Web Web Pages: To view archived TV day celebration and we will have a bigger and better
Programs www.passionfortruthtv.com organised march every year.
***** *****
ANZAC Day Celebration in Sydney The Editor, Sikh Bulletin
Bawa Jagdev, Australia Re: Sikh Temple Makindu, Kenya – SB March-April 2007 page 7
Dear Editor, Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Every year on 25th April the Australia's RSL ( Returned
Soldier's League) celebrate ANZAC day (Australian Thank you very much for your latest e-copy of March/April
Newzilan Army Corp) by organising a march in which all Issue of the Sikh Bulletin in which you have so kindly
published the above article. I simply forwarded the article to
the Sikh Bulletin and several colleagues of mine on the GODMAN UNDER A CLOUD
Internet as I had received from Nairobi, Kenya [my place of T.K. RAJALAKSHMI. in Sirsa
birth] some months ago. I am very optimistic that the story of
Courtesy ‘Frontline’ Volume 19 - Issue 26, December 21, 2002 - January
Late Gwalo [a native of Kenya] would certainly attract 03, 2003, India's National Magazine’ from the publishers of THE HINDU
the attention of the readership of the Sikh Bulletin especially The Dera Sacha Sauda in Haryana and its head are under investigation in
some Gursikhs who, as expected of them would/should offer connection with the murder of a journalist and charges of sexual
their suitable comments regarding Gwalo’s story in the write exploitation of women followers of the sect.
up. The text of Gwalo’s story as mentioned in the article is
THE death, on November 21, 2002
copied below:
of Ram Chandra Chatrapati, the 53-
'Then one day Gwalo saw a miracle. He went and told a Sikh
year-old editor of Poora Sach
farmer in the area, known as Dhanna Singh that he had seen
(Complete Truth), an evening daily
some Sikhs on horseback riding from the sky down towards
from Sirsa, Haryana, at the Apollo
the Temple. Gwalo saw a painting of Sri Guru Gobind Singh
Hospital in New Delhi went largely
Ji at Dahnna Singh’s place and said he saw a person like
unnoticed by the mainstream
that come down from the sky on a horse back. Dhanna Singh
media. On the night of October 24,
came to Nairobi and related Gwalo’s story to other Sikhs.
2002 two men riding a motorcycle,
The community was shaken by Gwalo’s story and felt the
claiming to be followers of a
urge to do something to revive the Temple'.
religious sect called Dera Sacha
Sauda, had shot at him four times
Please allow me to submit my own comments regarding the
from point-blank range. The sect,
article:
Ram Chandrs Chatrapati headquartered in Sirsa, claims a
following of more than one crore people and has branches
1. I submitted the article but I am not the author of the
in many States. The Master of the Dera is Gurmit Ram
article. It was e-mailed to me by a prominent member of the
Rahim Singh Ji, popularly known as Maharaj.
Gurdwara management committee.
2. As a Sikh I do not believe in such ‘hearsay’ stories that
The activities of the Dera attracted attention in May after an
are so commonly attached to many other places of worship
anonymous letter alleging sexual exploitation by Maharaj
simply to give the places unnecessarily excessive importance.
came to light. The issue was reported by several
3. Such ‘hearsay’ stories or miracles directly contradict
newspapers, and Chatrapati had consistently written about
Gurmat and unequivocally undermine the fundamental
the Dera's activities since then. The letter, written by a
principles of the Sikh religion.
female disciple of Maharaj, or a sadhvi, was addressed to
4. Sikhs do not believe in miracles and the Sikh religion has
the Prime Minister and its copies had been marked to the
no place for any miracles whatsoever.
Union Home Minister, the Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI), the Haryana Chief Minister, the Sirsa Superintendent
I am sure you would kindly consider publishing my
of Police, the National Human Rights Commission,
comments concerning the article in your forthcoming issue of
newspapers and women's and social organisations. It was
The Sikh Bulletin. Thanks. Yours sincerely,
Swaran Singh Panesar alleged in the letter that several girls had been subject to
Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. E-Mail: [email protected] exploitation.
***** The sadhvi stated that she was a graduate and had been in
MAHINDER SINGH JOSH PASSED AWAY the Dera (spread over 700 acres, or 280 hectares) for the last
Tribune News Service. Chandigarh, May 11, 2007 five years. Her family, being very religious, had sent her
there to serve as a sadhvi. She alleged that Gurmit Singh
Mahinder Singh Josh, founder of the Sikh missionary threatened to kill her if she reported the goings-on in the
movement in Punjab, died this morning. He was 70. Dera to anyone. He also boasted, as stated in the letter,
Harjinder Singh Dilgir, a Sikh scholar, said that about the influence he wielded with politicians in Punjab
representatives of all Sikh missionary colleges in the state and Haryana. It is well known that leading politicians from
attended the funeral at Mohali. He was cremated this both the States have visited the Dera to seek the blessings of
afternoon. Dilgir said Josh had authored about two dozen Maharaj. Prominent among them are former Punjab Chief
books on Sikhism. A representative of the Delhi Sikh Minister Prakash Singh Badal and Haryana Chief Minister
Gurdwara Management Committee also attended the funeral. Om Prakash Chautala.
[Mahinder Singh Josh played a crucial and positive role in the success of the
World Sikh Conventiom Mohali-Chandigarh October 26, 2003. We mourn
his loss to the Sikh community. ED.] The letter alleged sexual exploitation of several girls, many
***** of whom had post-graduate and even M.Phil degrees. They
were "leading a life in hell due to the superstitious nature
and dead faith of their family members", it said, and added Secretary, among others. The CBI will investigate this case
that many girls from Mansa, Ferozepur, Patiala and Ludhiana as well.
districts of Punjab had returned to their homes but kept quiet
out of fear. The three-page letter in Hindi also detailed how a The motive for the boy's murder and other activities of the
sadhvi from Bhatinda in Punjab, was beaten up by the rest of Dera are the topics of discussion in Sirsa and surrounding
the sadhvis, when she tried to disclose the deeds of Maharaj. districts. Chatrapati, also being a poet imbued with a
Some 45 girls were living in fear and insecurity but were reformist zeal, perhaps wrote a bit more consistently than
ready to disclose everything in confidence, the letter stated. the rest of his fraternity. By targeting him and also by
attacking the office of Lekha Jokha, an evening newspaper
On September 3, taking suo motu notice of the letter, the published from Fatehabad, the Dera seemed to be sending a
Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the District and message to the journalistic fraternity. A total of 11
Sessions Judge to conduct an inquiry. In his report, the journalists have been given police protection. Political
District and Sessions Judge suggested that the matter be parties and journalist unions of all hues have condemned the
investigated by a Central agency. The High Court, taking actions of the Dera.
cognisance of the recommendation and the serious nature of
allegations, referred the matter to the CBI on September 24 The Dera Sacha Sauda was set up in 1948 by Shah Mastana
and directed it to submit a report within six months. The CBI from Baluchistan. Conceived as a centre of spiritual inquiry
is bound to take a close look at the statements given to the and learning, the Dera stood as a symbol of disagreement
police by the two men who were caught and handed over to with all established religions and orthodoxies. Its beginnings
the police by the public for allegedly shooting Chatrapati. were rooted in a liberal and progressive theology that
During questioning they reportedly said that they were Dera accepted into its fold many people. This naturally attracted
followers from Punjab and had been sent by Kishan Lal, a several people. His successor, Shah Satnam, continued the
senior functionary of the Dera, to silence Chatrapati. Kishan good work and a lot of branches came up in other States as
Lal was also taken into custody. well. But since 1992, when Gurmit Singh took over, the
Dera began to acquire a lot of agricultural land, much of it
allegedly by coercion. One of the philosophies of the Dera is
that it neither receives nor gives donation.
Today the Dera owns some 700 acres, which extend to the
outskirts of Sirsa town, and its spokespersons claim that the
main source of revenue is agriculture. A guide points to the
Dera set up by the founder, and the girls hostel, which was
reportedly built in record time using free labour. What is not
shown is the petrol pump, the sophisticated supermarket and
a revolving restaurant, to name a few of the entrepreneurial
activities of the Dera. It runs a biscuit factory and an ice
factory. All this information was gleaned locally and not
from the Dera. The Dera spokesperson, Dr. Aditya Arora, an
The Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa, Haryana. ophthalmologist, preferred to highlight its boys' school
affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, its
Chatrapati battled for his life for 28 days, first at the Rohtak degree college affiliated to Kurukshetra University and a
Medical College and then at the Apollo Hospital. In fact, 175-bed hospital in Rajasthan's Ganganagar district.
several local journalists had received threats, but no one took Ganganagar is also the birthplace of Gurmit Singh.
serious note of them. However, Chatrapati did write to the
Sirsa Superintendent of Police asking for protection. The Dera has 36 branches in 11 States, including Rajasthan,
Meanwhile, on November 3, 2002 the former sarpanch of Punjab, Gujarat, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar
Khanpur Koliyan in Kurukshetra district told newspersons Pradesh. According to R.K. Soni, a sevadaar or volunteer,
that his son had been murdered by followers of the Dera there are 400 sadhus and 100 sadhvis living in the Dera.
because of the anonymous letter. The murder took place on "They manage on their own," said a sevadaar, rebutting the
July 10, he said, and claimed that when the police failed to allegations of sexual exploitation. The main mass of the
nab the killers, he wrote to the Haryana Chief Minister for a Dera followers comprises peasants who claim to toil on
CBI inquiry and sent copies of the letter to the Prime Dera land for 18 hours a day. Dera followers claimed that
Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of the the liquor mafia as well as followers of organised religion
Punjab and Haryana High Court, and the State Home were working against Maharaj. They regretted the murder of
Chatrapati but claimed that he "wrote all kinds of things".
MURDER CASE AGAINST SIRSA DERA CHIEF

CONG INFLUENCING PROBE: VICTIM’S SON
Tribune News Service, Chandigarh, April 9, 2007
Accusing the Congress

high command of
influencing the
ongoing probe in the
murder of Ram
Chander Chhatrapati, a
Sirsa-based journalist,
to shield the Dera
Sacha Sauda chief and
others involved in the case, the victim’s son today alleged
Journalists and members of political parties protest in Sirsa against the attack
on Ram Chandra Chatrapati in October 2002. that the move is part of a larger conspiracy. Addressing
mediapersons today, Anshul Chhatrapati, the victim’s son,
Arora claims that the Sessions Judge who conducted the alleged that the transfer of case from investigating officer,
inquiry did not meet any of the relevant persons in the Dera. DSP Dr Armandeep Singh, to another CBI officer, DSP
Chatrapati had been writing unprovoked, false and baseless Satish Dagger, was an indication of tampering with the
reports, he maintained. "There was a difference between a ongoing probe. He added that the investigation into the case
sex scandal and an anonymous letter. The media should have was about to complete at this juncture.
made the distinction clear as it involved the feelings of 1.25
crore people," he said. Deputy Commissioner D. Suresh was The CBI has been probing two cases of murder - one of
requested to restrain Chatrapati, but nothing happened, he Ram Chander Chhatrapati, editor of Poora Sach, and the
said. Suresh told Frontline that Dera representatives had other of Ranjit Singh, a member of the dera - and a case of
indeed made such a request and that he had cautioned them sexual abuse against dera chief Gurmeet Singh on an
not to take the law into their own hands. He added that his anonymous complaint filed by a dera woman worker.
office had received several complaints against the Dera, Anshul, who is now the editor of Poora Sach, alleged that
alleging land-grabbing, drugs-peddling and tax evasion. members of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
(PPCC) had urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to
The Dera had done good work but all that was glossed over influence the CBI probe in favour of dera chief, as he had
by the media, lamented Arora. "We don't accept charity; we supported the Congress in the recent elections. He alleged
are totally anti-liquor and support de-addiction. We must that the PPCC had entered into a deal with the dera chief
have enraged the liquor lobby and organised religion," he before elections, wherein dera chief’s support would have
said. Arora claimed that the Dera was the premier disaster earned him help from the party in cases of murder and
relief organisation in the country, having supported drought sexual abuse filed against him.
relief in Gujarat, flood relief in Sirsa and even in Orissa.
"Please do not defame the Master," requested the doctor, who Anshul flanked by Thakur Shiv Ram Singh, sarpanch of
had been trained at the All India Institute of Medical Bajekan village in Sirsa, and advocate Lekh Raj said: “Due
Sciences. to the interference of the PPCC, the probe, which was
nearing completion, is now going at snail’s pace. As Dr
A popular movement against the Dera is taking shape, with Armandeep was handling the case, the transfer of the case to
all political parties demanding a thorough investigation into another official will only affect the probe adversely. I
its activities. In a memorandum submitted to Haryana demand that all three cases be handled by Dr Armandeep.”
Governor Babu Parmanand, the Haryana Patrakar Sangh, the He asserted that as the case was being influenced by
Haryana Union of Journalists, the Chandigarh Journalists politicians, he would approach general secretaries of both
Association, the Punjab Union of Journalists, the Himachal the CPI and the CPM, besides meeting Sonia Gandhi and
Pradesh Working Journalists Association and the Himachal other high-ups, to get justice. Earlier in the day, confusion
Pradesh Union of Journalists demanded a CBI probe into the prevailed among mediapersons when Anshul and his
functioning of the Dera, including its sources of income and a associates went to the CBI office in Sector 30 and did not
review of the firearm licences issued to Dera inmates, and respond to calls made by them. He showed up after much
provision of security to the journalists who have received delay and cleared the doubts of mediapersons. He said he
threats. had gone to discuss the case with CBI SP.
***** *****
MURDER, ABUSE CLOUD ON DERA CULT unknown persons under Sections 376 (rape), 506 (criminal
17 May, 2007 l 0132 hrs IST l Vishwa Mohan/TIMES NEWS NETWORK intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to
insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.
NEW DELHI: Religious cult Dera Sacha Sauda, which has [Courtesy Times of India]
triggered sectarian strife across Punjab after an advertisement *****
reportedly featured its chief Baba Gurmeet Singh as Guru A SADHVI'S LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER
Gobind Singh, is set to face the CBI's heat on May 22, 2007 OF INDIA
when the agency will argue before an Ambala court that the Reproduced from Spokesman Weekly dated December, 2002.
sect's former office-bearers were involved in the murder of
their fellow member when he tried to expose their misdeeds. Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister New Delhi
The matter relates to the murder of one of the 10 members of
the cult's Sirsa-based management committee, Ranjit Singh, I am a girl hailing from Punjab State. I have been serving as
who had spoken against Gurmeet Singh. a 'Sadhwi' in 'Dera Sacha Sauda', Sirsa (Haryana) for the last
five years. Beside me, there are hundreds of other girls here,
The CBI has filed a chargesheet against five disciples of the who serve for 18 hours daily. But we are sexually exploited
Baba, including Avtar Singh, the grandson of the previous here. The 'Dera Maharaj' Gurmit Singh rapes the girls in the
head of Dera. Besides the Ranjit Singh murder case, the Dera 'dera'. I am a graduate. My family has blind faith in the
is under the CBI's scanner for two more cases, relating to the 'Maharaj' (Gurmit Singh). It was at my family's bidding that
killing of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chatterpati and I became a 'Sadhwi'. Two years after I became a 'Sadhwi', a
another pertaining to alleged sexual exploitation of sadhvis special woman-disciple of Maharaj Gurmit Singh came to
(women followers) by the Baba himself. Chatterpati had me one night at 10' o' clock and said that the Maharaj had
extensively written about the alleged illegal activities of the summoned me to his room. I felt elated that Maharaj himself
Dera which has 36 branches in 11 states, including Punjab, sent for me. I was going to him for the first time. After
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar climbing the stairs, when I went into his room, I saw that he
Pradesh. Dera was also in focus recently for its reach when it was holding a remote in his hand and was watching a blue
reportedly extended support to the Congress in the Punjab film on the TV. Beside his pillow on the bed, lay a revolver.
Assembly polls. Seeing all this, I was frightened and became nervous. I had
All three cases were handed over to CBI under the Punjab never imagined that Maharaj was a man of this type.
and Haryana High Court's orders in 2002. Though the last Maharaj switched off the TV and seated me beside him. He
two cases are still being investigated, the agency found that offered me water and said that he had called me because he
the fear of being ostracised and possible threats from cult considered me very close to him. This was my first
followers had kept the sadhvis and their family members experience. Maharaj took me in his embrace and said that he
from making any kind of disclosure against the Baba. Locals loved me from the core of his heart. He also said that he
in Sirsa felt so threatened that the CBI had to issue a public wanted to make love with me. He told me that at the time of
notice in 2005 seeking information about Dera and its head becoming his disciple, I had dedicated my wealth, body and
with an assurance that their identities would be kept secret. soul to him and he had accepted my offering. When I
"Although we have gathered a lot of information about the objected he said, "There is no doubt that I am God." When I
functioning of the Dera, we are still looking for some asked if God also indulges in such acts, he shot back:
concrete evidence before filing chargesheets in the two
pending cases," said an official. 1. Sri Krishna too was God and he had 360 'gopis'
(milkmaids) with whom he enacted 'Prem lila' (love drama).
The murky functioning of the Dera was revealed in May Even then people regarded him as God. So there is nothing
2002 when an anonymous letter alleging sexual exploitation to be surprised at it.
by the Baba came to light. The letter, written by a woman
disciple of Gurmeet Singh, was addressed to the then PM and 2. I can kill you with this revolver and bury you here. The
its copies were marked to the Union home minister, CBI, members of your family are my devoted followers and they
Haryana police chief and the National Human Rights have blind faith in me. You know it very well that members
Commission. The letter, in Hindi, carried graphic details of of your family cannot go against me.
the alleged exploitation of sadhvis. According to the CBI's
FIR (No. RC-5(S)/2002/SIU-XV/CHG), a copy of which is 3. I have considerable influence with governments also.
with TOI, the Punjab and Haryana HC, after considering the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana and central
inquiry report of the Sirsa sessions judge, had referred the Ministers come to pay obeisance to me. Politicians take help
matter to the investigating agency. The FIR (dated December from us. They cannot take any action against me. We will
12, 2002) has named 'Maharaj' Gurmeet Singh, the cult head, get the members of your family dismissed from govt. jobs
as an accused. The case was registered against him and other and I will get them killed by my 'Sewadars' (servants). We
will leave no evidence of their murder. You know that earlier cannot bear all this tension and harassment. My life is in
also we got the 'dera' Manager Fakir Chand killed by danger. If a probe is conducted by the press or some govt.
goondas. His murder remains untraced till this day. The 'dera' agency, 40 to 50 girls living in the 'dera' will come forward
has a daily income of one crore rupees with which we can to reveal the truth. We can also be medically examined to
buy leaders, police and the judges. find out whether we are still celibate disciples or not. If we
are no longer virgins, the matter should be gone into to find
After this, the Maharaj raped me. The Maharaj has been out who has violated our chastity. The truth will then come
doing this with me for the last three years. My turn comes out that Maharaj Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh of 'Sacha Sauda'
after every 25-30 days. Now I have learnt that before me too, has ruined our lives.
the Maharaj had been raping the girls he had summoned. Submitted by Amandeep Singh [[email protected]] at
Most of these women are now 35 to 40 years old and they are [email protected]
past the age of marriage. They have no other option but to
remain in the 'dera'. Most of the girls are educated --- B.A., *****
M.A., B.Ed, etc. But they are living a life of hell in the 'dera', PRESS-STATEMENT
(Issued at Chandigarh on May 19, 2007 by Gurtej Singh, Er. Jagtar Singh
simply because the members of their families have blind faith Bhogal, Prof. Gurmej Singh, Prof. Kulbir Singh & Dr. Sukhjeet Kaur Gill
in the Maharaj. We wear white clothes, tie a scarf on the and Harshinder Singh Advocate- both human rights’ activists)
head, cannot even look at men and as per Maharaj's Events in the Punjab are taking an ugly turn reminding one
commands, talk with men from a distance of 5-10 feet. To the of 1978-79, which was a watershed year when the violence
people we look like 'devis' (goddesses), but we are living like and bloodshed of the decades that followed, could have
harlots. This time I tried to tell my family that all was not been aborted. Guru Gobind Singh, the noblest of all humans
well at the 'dera'. But they rebuked me saying that there was of all ages, has been caricatured and his distinct contribution
no better place than the 'dera' for here they were in the to human progress, the promulgation of the Khalsa Order
company of God (Maharaj). They said that I had formed a has been ridiculed in much the same manner as was done in
bad notion about the 'dera' and that I should recite the name 1978. The culprit again is a self proclaimed saint perceived
of 'Satguru'. I am helpless here because I have to obey every to be inimical to Sikhi and patronized by the Central
command of the Maharaj. No girl is permitted to talk with Congress government in much the same manner as
another. According to the commands of the Maharaj, girls are Nirankaris. A section of the Media (particularly the visual
not permitted to talk to their families even on the telephone. Media) has already commenced its partisan role by
If any girl talks about the reality of the 'dera', she is punished insinuating that the Sikhs (described wrongly as Akalis) are
according to Maharaj's commands. Sometimes ago, a to blame for the clash between ‘two Sikh sects.’ Politicians
Bhatinda girl revealed the wrong doings of the Maharaj. At are busy blaming those they consider ‘the other.’
this, all the women disciples gave her a sound thrashing.
Because of a fracture in the backbone, she is now bed-ridden. The head of the Dera at Sirsa, who already stands accused
Her father gave up the service in the 'dera' and went home. of murder and rape, has committed a sacrilege that is
For fear of the Maharaj and his own disgrace, he is not unpardonable according to law of the land and offends good
revealing anything. sense and decency. He must be immediately arrested and
brought to book. The mistake of 1978 in letting the
Similarly, a Kurukshetra girl has also left the 'dera' and has Nirankari roam free must not be committed in 2007.
gone home. When she narrated the events in the 'dera' to her
family, her brother who worked in the 'dera' gave up his job. The young people agitating against the sacrilege must
When a Sangrur girl left the 'dera', went home and narrated ensure that they do not surrender the leadership to outsiders,
the wrong-doings in the 'dera' to the people, the dera's armed howsoever respectable, they may now seem. This mistake
Sewadars/ hooligans reached the girl's house and threatened was made by Sant Baba Jarnail Singh and he paid for it with
to kill her and warned her not to leak anything about the his life. It also heaped miseries on his supporters whose
'dera'. ordeal has not ended even up to now. It must be
remembered that the so-called Sikh ‘high priests’ now
Similarly girls from Mansa, Ferozepur, Patiala and Ludhiana trying to come into the leadership position are mere agents
districts are afraid of revealing anything about the 'dera'. of the political bosses and have no independent existence.
Although they have left the 'dera', yet they do not say They will eventually play the game of their masters. This
anything for fear of loosing their lives. Similarly, girls from combination of ‘priests’ and politicians in the aftermath of
Sirsa, Hissar, Fatehabad, Hanuman Garh and Meerut disclose 1978, denigrated and defamed the actual leaders of 1978
as to what happened to them in the 'dera'. and now don’t tire of calling them ‘extremists, agents of the
Congress.’ They also ensured the elimination of actual
If I reveal my name, I and my family will be killed. I want to leaders by, among many other strategies, the boycott of
reveal this truth for the benefit of the common man, because I elections.
The movement against gurudom and dera culture must not be

allowed to weaken but at the same time it must be totally free
of violence. Violence is tantamount to inviting brutal
repression. This is also the time to consider the serious
problems connected with these recurring maladies. The
political and cultural compulsions of those sponsoring
gurudom must be thoroughly analysed and effectively
remedied so that the peace of the Punjab is not disturbed ever
again. Sons of the Punjab must not be put under the butcher’s
knife every few years to suit the designs of decaying
religious orders, jittery unscrupulous politicians and
rapacious pseudo saints.
The BJP’s blinkered vision needs condemnation. Sant Jarnail

Singh Bhindranwale was fighting creation of the Congress,
the Nirankari head, whose present avtar is the head of Dera
Sirsa. We request the leaders of the present movement to
appoint a ‘Media watch committee’ to study how the
movement is being maligned and establish a ‘Media centre’
to remedy the situation by effective dissemination of correct
information regarding the movement.
We request the main political party presently forming the

government in the Punjab to take effective measures against
all deras thriving on Sikh baiting. The mistake of remaining
neutral between the house owner and the thief is not a good
policy. It resulted in denying them political power for several
decades after 1978. It will not yield better results now. Every
human life is precious and must be preserved.
[Distributed to the press on 19th May 2007. Only ‘Spokesman’ published it
in its Chandigarh edition. ‘Ajit’ and ‘Panjabi Tribune’ published it partly.]
*****
ANTICS OF GURMEET RAM RAHIM SINGH
*****
COMMUNITY OF DIFFERENCES
J.S.Grewal
Former vice-chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
Historically, a number of groups emerged from time to time

in opposition to the mainstream Sikhs. The first was headed
by Sri Chand, the elder son of Guru Nanak. He did not
acknowledge Guru Angad as the only successor of Guru
Nanak, and his followers, known as Udasis, were
renunciants. They remained on the periphery of the Sikh
community which consisted of householders.
The sons of Guru Angad, who did not recognise Guru Amar
Das, and the sons of Guru Amar Das, who did not recognise
Guru Ram Das, did not succeed in forming any important
group. The eldest son of Guru Ram Das, Prithi Chand, gurdwaras should be vested with the representatives of the
offered a protracted opposition to his younger brother Guru Singhs. The Akali Movement resulted in the formation of
Arjan; he refused to acknowledge Guru Hargobind, claimed the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee as a
to be the sixth Guru, starting a new line. His successors statutory body. The SGPC defined Sikh beliefs and
remained in occupation of Ramdaspur (Amritsar) in the 17th practices and appointed the Jathedar of the Akal Takht as
century. They were denounced by Bhai Gurdas as minas, or symbolic of Panthic authority. Not merely the existence but
dissemblers, who stood in opposition to the true Guru. also the demonstration of ‘unorthodoxy’ or ‘heterodoxy’
among other groups owing allegiance to, or using elements
Similarly Dhir Mal refused to acknowledge his younger of the Sikh tradition for their own purposes, informed the
brother Guru Har Rai and started a new line at Kartarpur in attitude of the SGPC towards them.
the Jalandhar Doab. Ram Rai refused to acknowledge his
younger brother Guru Har Krishan and established his own SGPC and others
gaddi at Dehra Dun. These dissenting groups acquired added The Udasis were no longer within the pale of Sikh society.
importance because of the politicisation of the Sikh The original Nirankaris were tolerated or even appreciated
community after the martyrdom of Guru Arjan in 1606. even though they are sahajdharis and did not subscribe to
the doctrine of Guru Panth. The Namdharis, on the other
Birth of the Khalsa hand, were seldom appreciated because of their belief in a
Guru Gobind Singh instituted the Khalsa in 1699 as a personal Guru which infringed the doctrines of Guru Granth
political community and excommunicated all the dissenting and Guru Panth. The Sant Nirankaris came into conflict
groups. The Khalsa were not to have any association with the with the Damdami Taksal and were eventually
followers of Prithi Chand, Dhir Mal and Ram Rai. The excommunicated by the SGPC because of the public
Khalsa alone were the true Sikhs for Guru Gobind Singh. disrespect they showed to Guru Granth Sahib and the Sikh
They believed in the ten Gurus. A day before his demise in Gurus. The Radha Soamis make use of some elements of the
1708, Guru Gobind Singh declared that Guruship henceforth Sikh tradition but without any disrespect for Sikh belief or
was vested in the Khalsa and Gurbani. The Guruship of the practice. They are seldom criticised by the Sikhs or the
Panth and the Granth became the established doctrines of the SGPC. Thus, it is not the differences in religious beliefs and
Khalsa. practices alone which lead to conflict but the demonstration
of disrespect for cherished Singh beliefs, practices or
The keshdhari Singhs, who represented the central stream of institutions. The perceived political necessities play a part in
the Khalsa, were also the most numerous among the Sikhs by heightening tensions.
the early 19th century. However, there were also the
sahajdharis who believed in the ten Gurus and the Guruship The importance the Singh orthodoxy attach to external
of the Granth. They were not keshdhari, but they were seen forms tends to circumscribe its appeal. Sikhs and non-Sikhs,
as an integral part of the Khalsa in the 18th century. Then especially the disprivileged, tend to seek solace in what
there were several categories of Udasis, and the descendants appears to be a meaningful religious life offered by a
or successors of Prithi Chand, Dhir Mal and Ram Rai, and personal guide. [Copurtesy The Indian Express May 31,
their followers. They were all patronised by the Sikh rulers. 2007]
Some new groups had appeared on the scene, the Nirankaris,
Namdharis and Nirmalas. The first two were sahajdhari and *****
they subscribed to the doctrine of Guru Granth. The Adi
Granth served as the basis of their beliefs and practices. The AIR INDIA INQUIRY QUESTIONED
Nirmalas were Singhs who subscribed to doctrines of Guru (Extensions of Remarks - May 23, 2007 [Page: E1125] GPO's PDF
Panth and Guru Granth, but gave Vedantic interpretation of SPEECH OF HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS OF NEW YORK IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Gurbani, like the Udasis. Like them, again, they set up deras TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2007
and remained celibate. Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, recently a Canadian writer
and editor named Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, Managing
Sharpening of identities Editor of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs, wrote a
Under colonial rule there was an overall sharpening of detailed response to an article about the 1985 Air India
identities. The Singh Sabha Movement stood for Singh bombings. As you know, those bombings continue to be
identity, the doctrines of Guru Granth and Guru Panth, the controversial more than 20 years later and the Canadian
Khalsa rahit, and the gurdwara as the Sikh sacred space. Sikh government is launching yet another inquiry into the matter.
scholars tried to give a systematic exposition of Sikh faith Dr. Sekhon's quite comprehensive letter, which was written
and the Sikh tradition, and Singh reformers accepted western in response to an Edmonton Sun article, is very detailed. It
science and technology and western education. The Singh makes a very strong argument and brings up a lot of very
leaders demanded that the management of the historic Sikh important information on the case. Before I put it into the
RECORD, I will attempt to summarize the highlights. extension of the India government's strategy that was
outlined in a memo in 1947 in which India's first Home
Dr. Sekhon points out that Indian diplomat Mani Shankar Minister V.B. Patel described the Sikhs as `à lawless
says that in 1984, the year before the bombing, the Indira people'' and `à criminal tribe.'' In other words, the Indian
Gandhi government in India commissioned him ``to portray government was trying to discredit and destroy the Sikhs
Sikhs as terrorists.'' This directive occurred before Operation almost from the moment of independence.
Bluestar, the June 1984 attack on the golden Temple in
amritsar (the seat of Sikhism) and several other Sikh Madam Speaker, the time has come to stop our aid and trade
Gurdwaras around Punjab, in which 20,000 Sikhs, including with this repressive regime and to demand self-
over 100 Sikh youth ages 8 to 13, were killed and the Sikh determination for the Sikhs of Punjab, Khalistan, the
holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, was desecrated by Muslims of Kashmir, the Christians of Nagalim, and all the
being shot with Indian Army bullets. The orders for that people seeking freedom in South Asia. The essence of
operation were given in January 1984, according to the Sikh democracy is the right to self-determination, not an ongoing
Bulletin, October-November 2005. The Air India operation half-century effort to kill your minority citizens. I would
was part of that campaign. In addition, the newspaper like to place Dr. Sekhon's letter into the RECORD at this
Hitavada reported that the Indian government paid the late time for the information of my colleagues.
governor of Punajb, Surendra Nath, the equivalent of $1.5 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, May 9, 2007.
billion to foment terrorist activity in Punjab and Kashmir. Ret Air India Flight 182 (Toronto--Montreal--London--Delhi),
June, 23 1985: Enquiry of Justice John Major
DEAR SIR, My writing to you relates with some minor and major
Dr. Sekhon refers to the first hijacking of an Air India plane comments related to the subject, and also on `Àir India's Shared Tragedy
by two Brahmin brothers named Pandey to secure Indira Lost in the `SILOS' between two nations by George Abraham (The
Gandhi's release from jail. He notes the penetration of Edmonton Journal, 8th May, 2007).''
Canada by Indian intelligence in the 1980s. The letter cites I would like to comment on Abraham's writing ``Prime Minister (Brian)
both Zuhajr Kashmeri and Brian McAndrew's excellent book Mulroney had telephoned his condolences to his Indian counterpart, Rajiv
Soft Target and former Canadian Member of Parliament Gandhi--an act that was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of who,
David Kilgour's book Betrayal: The Spy That Canada Forgot. exactly, had been victimized, and who, in fact, was to blame.'' Mr.
Abraham seems to be in the grip of part of the problem. As a Canadian
Both show India's responsibility for the bombing. Kashmeri national and belonging to the Canadian Sikh community, it appears to me
and McAndrew cite the Canadian Security Intelligence that `telephoning to the prime minister of a country, which had betrayed
Service (CSIS), which said, `ìf you really want to clear the Canada and the international community in 1974 (explosion of a nuclear
incidents quickly, take vans to the Indian High Commission device prepared from the by-product of a Candu reactor technology for
peaceful and medical purposes) by the Right Hon. Prime Minister of
and the consulates in Toronto and Vancouver, load up Canada' was far more important than about 90 percent of the Canadian
everybody and take them down for questioning. We know it passengers of the ill-fated aircraft. It, certainly, is new information that has
and they know it that they are involved.'' come out in Justice Major's enquiry. What a pity our Canadian prime
minister, who put Rajiv Gandhi first rather than thinking and offering his
condolences to the Canadian Sikhs and the victimized families. This act of
Kilgour writes that a Canadian-Polish double agent was Prime Minister Mulroney will never be forgotten by the Canadian Sikhs.
approached by an East German named Udo Ulbrecht, who Earlier, his predecessor, Charles Joseph Clark, had said to the journalists
was working with people affiliated with the Indian that `ìf you want more information about Sikhs, go and call these numbers
government, to participate in a second bombing, but he (of the Indian Consulate Toronto and High Commission in Ottawa):'' What
an unacceptable act of the prime minister, who hands out the telephone
declined to be part of it and the plot never came off. Dr. numbers of a foreign mission to get information about Canadian Sikhs.
Sekhon rightly asks why neither Kashmeri, McAndrew, nor Should we, the Canadian Sikhs who have been in Canada over a century,
Kilgour has been asked to testify in the current inquiry. He imply that our Canadian administration has no idea of its Sikh Canadians;
also requests that the Indian diplomatic and intelligence or, a foreign mission in Canada has more information about the Canadian
Sikhs, especially when the Indian Constitution 1950, Article 25, has
personnel who were declared persona non grata in Canada in eliminated the `Sikh Identity and Sikh Faith'. The latter is one of the six
the wake of the Air India bombing be summoned back to major faiths of our world.
testify before the inquiry. He notes the mass killings of Sikhs,
Christians, Muslims, Assamese, Tamils, and other non- Does George Abraham know that Mani Shanker Iyer, an Indian diplomat,
said, `Ìn early 1984, to the hearing of all, mentioned that at the instance of
Brahmin minorities by the Indian government Their effort to Indira Gandhi, he was given an unpleasant job of portraying Sikhs as
portray the Sikhs, especially those who speak out peacefully terrorists.'' A few days later, Iyer stated that, `àgainst his wishes he had
and democratically for an independent Khalistan, as terrorists done the job?'' This was before `Òperation Bluestar, the orders for which
is a pretext for this `èthnic cleansing.'' had been delivered in January 1984'' (The Sikh Bulletin, October-
November 2005, p. 11; [email protected]).
He quotes my colleague, the gentleman from California, who Based on the two previous enquiries and the present one which is going on,
said in this chamber that for Sikhs and Kashmiris, `Ìndia it appears to me that nothing extraordinary will come from these enquiries,
might as well be Nazi Germany.'' The late General Narinder because the major things which might yield substantial information and
which might reveal the real cause of the Àir India Explosion of Flight 182'
Singh said that Punjab was a police state. This has been an will never find a place in the enquiry that is going on. Some of the points
that, as I believe, have not been discussed so far, are summarized below: the Indian parliament in 1948, the 26th of November, 1949, 1950 and more
recently on the 6th of September, 1966. The Canadian news media, along
1. Why Mr. Zuhaire Kashmeri and Mr. Brian McAndrew, two Canadian with the international news media and major democratic administrations
journalists, who gave their views in their title, Soft Target India's like the United Kingdom., Canada, United States, Australia, etc., never paid
Intelligence Service and its Role in The Air India Disaster 1989 first ed. and any attention on the ``Sikhs'' Struggle for Independence'' for the reason
2005 second ed. ISBN 10:1-55028-904-7 and 13: 978-1-55028-904-6, have only known to themselves. Volumes of books and tens of tons news
not been called to testify before the enquiry commission? dispatches have been made by the journalists virtually `devoid' of the Sikhs'
[Page: E1126] GPO's PDF Struggle for Sovereignty and Sikhs' status in the Indian Constitution 1950
Article 25. which proclaimed the alleged Indian state as the Republic of
2. Why Hon. David Kilgour, former member of parliament, Speaker of the India.
House of Commons, former Secretary of State for Asia and Africa, and the
author of the title BETRAYAL THE SPY CANADA ABANDONED 1994 Under the umbrella of democracy (or Brahmins autocracy), India has killed
Prentice Hall Canada Inc., Scarborough, ON ISBNO-13-325697-9, the title more than 2.3 to 3.2 million Sikhs; over 500,000 Muslims in general; more
that contained Chapter 9 and 10, A Bizarre Episode in Rome and A Battle than 100,000 Muslims of the Internationally Disputed Areas of Jammu and
For Canada, pp.129-163, has not been asked to testify? Hon . Kilgour writes Kashmir; over 300,000 Christians; tens of thousands of Dalits; 15,000
`Òne day, while reading a German newspaper, I spotted the photograph and Tamils, thousands of Assamese and other non-Brahmin, non-Hindu
description of a wanted terrorist. I would have known that face anywhere. It minorities, since 15th August, 1947. What kind of democracy in India is
was the man who had conducted the meeting in Rome, plotting to bomb this which kills its own citizens? There are other democracies in our world,
some Air India flight. I was quite positive it was him; his name was Udo like the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and others. Has
Ulbrecht or Albrecht, wanted for many terrorist attacks and kidnappings in anyone of these countries killed its own citizen(s)? How many Brahmins,
West Germany and Western Europe. I was upset by the whole thing and Hindus or pro-Brahmins India and its armed forces killed since its
decided I wanted out of West Germany as soon as I had done my time.'' In inception?
Hon . Kilgour's title, he further writes ``He was greeted in English, heavily
accented with German, and led into a larger room where a number of men I would like to hear from the journalists like Madam Kim Bolan on the
were already seated and smoking. There were two Sikhs wearing traditional genocides of the Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Kashmiris and other non-
turbans, another pair who looked Italian, Paszkowski and the German, who Brahmin and non-Hindu minorities carried out by the Indian democracy?
chaired and greeted them in English as all of them spoke the language with Does she have any information or has she written even a single word on
differing levels of fluency. The German spoke of the need for international India carrying out genocides of non-Brahmin and non-Hindus since the
co-operation and how important the mission was for each of their respective 15th of August, 1947? Or, else she loves writing against the Sikhs.
governments. He stressed that the group must work closely together. ``Some For Madam Kim Bolan and her national and international colleagues
of the tasks,'' he said, ``might appear strange or even incomprehensible to written specifically or generally on the `fake hijacking' carried out by the
you. Don't worry about that. Let it be the concern of those who sent you RAW of India (they must examine the archives of the All India Radio, if
here. Your role is to carry out orders to the letter without asking questions.'' they pretend to be unaware of the activities of the Indian personnel of
Everyone sat quietly and listened intently. ``The job at hand is, with the use RAW and other agencies). The author was wondering if Madam Kim
of explosives, to blow up an Air India plane in Europe. Lives will be lost but Bolan and her journalistic colleagues know that the `first hijacking' of
we must not think about it Each of you will be supplied with documents South Asia' was carried out by two `Brahmin' brothers (the Pandey
allowing you to move freely in Europe, weapons, explosives, money and brothers), to secure the release of their Congress leader Indira Gandhi from
detailed instructions. I will meet with each of you personally to supply you a jail. Indira Gandhi awarded them, the Brahmins, with her Congress'
with all these. Wait for me and be prepared for action at any time.'' nominations to the UP Legislative Assembly. These criminals were made
the `law makers'. When criminals are made the law makers intentionally,
3. Under the guise of `Democracy', the Indian administrations of post-15th of then what could be expected in a democratic country, so to speak?
August, 1947 era ((JL Nehru to Manmohan Sinh) and before becoming the
political masters of the British Empire later known as the British India Madam Kim Bolan and other journalists must read Congressman Dan
Empire, the Brahmins/Hindus (neither a religion nor a culture; see Dalit Rohrabacher of California's remarks appeared in the United States
Voice, Dalit Sahitya Akademy, Bangore, and other Sikh and non-Sikh Congressional Records of the House of Representatives that ``For the
academics), betrayed the international community and the Sikhs of Punjab, Sikhs, Christians, Muslims and other non-Hindu minorities, India might as
now the State of Punjab (under the occupation of the alleged Indian well be a Nazi Germany.''
democracy, since the 15th of August, 1947). It must be noted that the Sikh
Raj of monarch Ranjit Singh, 1799 to 14th March, 1849, was the first 4. A community, which is less than 15 percent of the total population of
Secular and Sovereign country of South Asia. The Sikhs lost to the British India, i.e., the Brahmins, Hindus and pro-Brahmins (3+12=15 percent),
Empire's forces led by General Gilbert on the 14th of March, 1849. As such, deceived and betrayed the Sikhs of the Sikh Raj of monarch Ranjit Singh,
the ``Struggle To Regain Their Lost Sovereignty, Independence and Political robbed them from their land (partitioned on the 15th of August, 1947) in
Power of the Sikhs began, by peaceful means taught by their 10 the day light, along with the Sovereign people of states like Assam, Jammu
Masters/Gurus (from Guru Nanak Sahib to Guru Gobind Singh ji) right on and Kashmir, Hyderabad, Faridkot (now in Punjab), Bikaner (now in
the day they lost to the British Empire's forces.'' ``The new territory of the Rajasthan), Dalits (who are still used to remove the human waste from the
British Empire remained `status less' but on the 29th of March, 1849, the households and public places of India), Adivaasis, etc.
British agent made a proclamation that the newly conquered `Sikh Raj' is
`ànnexed'' but not `àmalgamated'' to the British Empire for the 5. The journalists and writers like Kim Bolan, George Abraham, Martin
àdministration purpose only'. It should be noted that the status of the Collacott, Ian Mulgrew, Bharti Mukeherjee, Clark Blaise, Bill Moyer, etc.,
Sovereign and Secular Sikh Raj of Monarch Ranjit Singh remained as are virtually devoid of the `Sikhs' history from the Sikhs' point of view'.
`ànnexed'' territory and `not' the part of India under British Empire or the They are known as staunchly anti-Sikh writers and do not get along with
time British exit from India on the 15th of August, 1947. It should also be the Canadian and/or American Sikhs, simply because they are `devoid' of
noted that there did not exist the word Ìndia' in any dictionary or the Sikh history. Indeed, they are well known anti-Sikh writers. Why are
Encyclopedia of the English language until the British agent made the they anti-Sikhs and write against the Sikhs, it is only known to them. They
annexation of The Sikh Raj to the British Empire on the 29th of March, cannot exonerate themselves from the ànti-Sikh' renowned journalists or
1849. As such, the existence of the Ìndian nationality' until the 29th of writers for the reasons only known to them.
March, 1849, was out of question. The Sikhs were `never' Indian nationals,
as evident from the Indian Constitution 1950, Article 25. The Constitution 6. Madam Kim Bolan and other Canadian journalists, with the exception of
which Sikhs' elected representatives `rejected' in its draft and final forms in well respected Zuhaire Kashmeri and Brian McAndrew, never understood
the Canadian Sikh psyche. Why is it so? Only Madam Kim Bolan, other describe an individual, event or commodity that has an
journalists and one Narula of the Asia Watch may explain their position, if enduring value and usefulness. Mr. Talwinder Singh Parmar,
they so desire.
the alleged conspirator of the bombing of Air India Flight 182
7. It goes without doubt that Indian intelligence penetrated Canada in 1980s. deserves this epithet. But the question is, to whom he was
This was done to provide cover for the Indian administration's intended useful when alive and who is benefiting from his death. There
àttack on the Sikhs' Darbar Sahib Complex (mistakenly known as the are three possible beneficiaries; Government of India,
Golden Temple Complex), which includes the Supreme Seat of Sikh Polity, Government of Canada and its various agencies, RCMP, etc,
The Akal Takht Sahib, Amritsar, in the name of a brutal Indian military
and the Sikh Community.
`Òperation Bluestar'' of June, 1984. This was not only an ùndeclared' war
on the Sikh Nation, Punjab, but it was carried out to Èxterminate The Sikh
Identity and The Sikh Faith'. One may ask the question did Indian As far the Sikh community is concerned, it suffered when Mr.
administration succeed? The answer is `No'; it failed miserably. Their Parmar was alive and will suffer for a long time to come. While
penetration made the life of the Sikhs of Canada no less than a hell. Did alive, Mr. Parmar and his cohorts were busy exciting the Sikh
anybody, especially the Canadian journalists, with two exceptions, pay any youth, especially the innocent ones against the atrocities
attention to Sikh nationals of Canada? Every Sikh, who is the follower of the
Sikh religion, believes in the Canadian way of life, Canadian law, Canadian committed by the Indian Government. During those
policy of multiculturalism provided by the administration of the Right demonstrations Mr. Parmar and his cohorts made provocative
Honourable Pierre Elliot Trudeau and Canadian values. Whereas, the Indian speeches, such as “we would kill 50,000 Hindus.” These were
administration deliberately made the Sikhs as `terrorists'; on the 10th of just bravado and slogans, with out any meaning and
October, 1947, just 7-weeks post of the 15th of August, 1947; the Indian practicality. It will not be wrong to assume that these people
administration of JL Nehu and VB Patel and their man, Chandulal Trivedi in
Punjab `declared' the ``Sikhs as lawless people'' in a secret memo. The writer
were acting as agent provocateurs. Of course, through such
is citing only a few major points out of numerous. provocative speeches they lured young innocent individuals to
support them and fleece money from the psychologically
8. Considering the penetration of Indian intelligence in 1980s, not only the wounded Sikh community. What the Sikh community got?
RAW personnel (Research and Analysis Wing), but the Indian Media is busy depicting these individuals as Sikh extremists.
administration made use of Sikhs, especially Akalis like Gurcharan Singh
Of course, it is only a small step, to ascribe the so-called
Tohra, Harchand Longowal, Balwant Ramoowalia, Prakash Singh Badal,
Balwant Singh, Dr Jagjit Singh Chohan (now deceased), Maj-Gen Jaswant extremism to the entire Sikh community. This is what
Bhullar, M S Sidhu, Didar Singh Bains of the United States, Prabhu Dayal Talwinder has given to the community. And he will be
Singh, Harjinderpal Singh Nagra and Akalis (correspondence between R K benefiting his real masters in death as well. Who those masters
Dhawan of 1, Safdarjang Road, New Delhi; the 30th of January--April 25, are, will be explained further down.
1984; please see Chakravyuh Web of Indian Secularism by Gurtej Singh
2000 ISBN81-85815-14-3).
Psyche of the Sikh Community
When democratic administrations employ their `state intelligence' against The question arises, why and how the Sikh community allows
their own citizens, then what is the guarantee that any individual or state itself to be beguiled by such mostly illiterate, dishonest and
appointed commission will find a way to deliver its `just' judgment? unscrupulous individuals. We need to look for the phenomenon
I could write more but I should conclude my writing by elaborating that (i) in the history, psychology and the present fragmentation of the
the Indian missions' employees/intelligence workers, who have since been
declared persona non grata or left Canada should be summoned back by the
community. In brief, the origin of the Sikhs can be traced to
commission to question them. I have my doubts that the `Diplomatic Guru Nanak (1469-1537). At the end of the 17th Century, Sikhs
Immunity' may play its stumbling block's role and nothing constructive will were struggling for their very existence. Mughals-power in
come out from any commission; (ii) the Indian administrations' Delhi and Pathans in Afghanistan were trying to control the
notoriousness is responsible for the Air India disaster of 1985; (iii) in fact, north west of India. But both were hostile to the Sikhs. Sikhs
there should be an International Commission to explore and examine the
put up an extraordinary resistance. By the middle of the 18th
terrorism, persecution, atrocities, human rights violations, and genocides
committed by the democratic India. I am of the opinion that Sirdar Gurtej century Sikhs were a force to reckon with in the North West of
Singh, IAS & IPS (formerly), Professor of Sikhism and Editorial Advisor of India. They became masters of vast areas, extending from
the International Journal of Sikh Affairs ISSN 1481-5435 may shed much Jamuna to Peshawar.
needed light to the Commission of Justice John Major. All in all, Indian
administrations have been responsible not only of the Air India Flight 182, It was really during this period of resistance, acquiring and
but also of other humanitarian problems, such as Manorama of Assam, who
was raped by the Indian Armed personnel in Assam (Assam situation exercise of the political power that the seeds of the future
discussed at the 5th United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva, downfall and bewilderment were sown. The struggle for the
Switzerland in March 2007). Best wishes and warmest regards. Sincerely, very existence of the community destroyed the nascent
Awater Singh Sekhon, Managing Editor and Acting Editor in Chief, education of the community. Sikh shrines were taken over by
International Journal of Sikh Affairs. the elements that were not really imbued with the principles of
Sikhism. Secondly, at the height of their power, Sikh Sardars
***** (chiefs) never developed ways and means to resolve internal
VALUE OF AN ELEPHANT stress and strains of the community. In due course, under
internal and external pressures-British imperialism- political
There is a proverb in Punjabi: A living elephant is worth one power was lost. The community, especially the lower classes,
Lakh (hundred thousand) and –the same- dead elephant is worth was left to fend for itself. The Sikh Sardars (Chiefs and landed
Sava Lakh (125,000). It is supposedly the usefulness of the aristocracy) became sycophants of the British. There were no
bones and the tusks of the elephant. This proverb is often used to religious leasers of stature and the community at large was
illiterate. In this confused state descendants of the Gurus tried to On the political side, there are two types of individuals, one
carve a special status for themselves. Some even tried to pose as who do participate in the political process. Their purpose is not
successive gurus. Sikh shrines were controlled by Mahants, who the welfare of the community, but only their personal
were more inclined towards Hinduism. There was pressure from aggrandizement. For that they use the grievances of the
the Christian missionaries. community. The second type can be termed only as double
dealers, megalomaniacs, double agents or even multi-agents.
In this situation some even predicted that Sikhs (Sikhism) won’t A nexus has developed between the ‘double’ agents and the
survive for more than 50 years. At the same time Swami Sadhs. Quite often the same person embodies the two elements.
Dayanand was roaming in various parts of the country. He had Outwardly, such a person presents himself as a pious person,
more success in Punjab. He was welcomed by Hindus and Sikhs wholly devoted to the Guru (Granth). To hide/camouflage his
alike. But the cooperation, whatever it was supposed to be did double agent activities he extols the old heroes and glorious
not last long. What the Sikhs wanted/expected from the Swami traditions of the Khalsa warriors. He presents a panacea for the
is not very clear. Soon the Swami started denigrating Guru ills affecting the community. During the last three decades this
Nanak. Under the insults of Swami Dayanand and pressure from panacea is the “Khalistan”. Majority of the so-called
the Christian missionaries, the community rose from slumber. Khalistanis fall in this category. They have never defined the
The inspiration did not come from the Chiefs and the landed boundaries of the Khalistan, and how they are going to achieve
aristocracy, rather from poor and unsung heroes like Prof. it and what will be the working principles of such a state.
Gurmukh Singh and Giani Dit Singh. This led to the Gurdwara
Sudahr (Reform) movement. Eventually, Sikh shrines were freed Sikh masses abandoned by the intellectuals and politicos are an
from the Mahants and SGPC-Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak easy prey to such megalomaniacs and charlatans. Sikh
Committee- came into being for the management of the Sikh community has suffered on account of the activities of these
shrines. As compared to the Mahant period the management of people, in men and material and loss of respect. The epithet of
the shrines is better to day, but much remains desired. extremism will stay with the community for a long time to
come. The legacy of Parmar, etc., has benefited the Indian
SGPC was established in the 1920’s. During the last eighty years government. By showing to the world that the “agitation” in
the Sikh leadership, religious as well political, has not been able Punjab was due to Sikh extremism, Indian government of Indra
to develop procedures and structures whereby the internal Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi was successful to a great extent to
stresses and strains of the community can be meditated. Sikh hide the genocidal policies towards the Sikh community. How
leadership is more concerned with the power grab, with out any they were able to achieve it?
concern for the welfare of the community. And this has given
rise to a type of individuals, who will do any harm for their Genocidal policies
personal gain. The gain may not be monetary. It could be just To understand the diabolic and genocidal policies of Indra
ego and megalomania. Religious leadership, in the true sense, Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, we have to understand the genesis of
does not exist. Those who hold exalted positions, like Jathedars the events in 1983-84 in the Punjab. This will take us to the
of the Takhats, are either subservient to the political bosses or partition- independence in 1947.
they are busy developing their own cohorts to gather money.
These Jathedars support the so-called Sadhs who are mostly In the struggle for independence of India Sikhs contributed far
unsavory characters. Here it may be mentioned that the Sikh more than their number warranted. Though Sikhs were less
intellectuals have almost, barring few honorable exceptions, than 2% of the Indian population, among the individuals
abandoned the community. This is the situation in Punjab, birth hanged during the struggle, more than 80% were Sikhs. When
place of Sikhism and where majority of the Sikhs live. Situation time came for the British to leave, Moslem League were
is not much different in the diaspora, Canada, USA and UK. adamant for division of the country based upon the majority
Moslem population provinces. Punjab was one of those.
The chaotic state leaves individuals to their own resources. Moslem league wanted the whole of Punjab included in
Majority are looking for direction, at the end they hope/desire to Pakistan. To achieve this objective they started “Direct action”,
meet some Messiah who will solve all their problems. Futile is i.e., killing of the non-Moslem population and started in those
this hope. But the desire for a Messiah, without any personal areas where these populations were most vulnerable, i.e., in
effort, is being exploited by the unscrupulous individuals, be western Punjab, Rawalpindi and Jehlum districts. Non-Moslem
they religious or political. In the religious sphere, it has given population in these areas was hardly 20%. Moslem League
rise to the so-called Sadhs/Saints. If you investigate these Sadhs, made the Sikhs special target of their ferocious attacks. News
you will find their teachings and activities in two fields only. papers in West Punjab controlled by Moslem League were
1. They will exhort their followers to attach themselves to the every day exhorting their coreligionists to expel the Sikhs: “No
Guru (Granth). In practical terms, it means a paid Akhand Paath, Sikh should be allowed to remain in West Punjab.” If the Sikhs
i.e., reading of the Granth Sahib in 48 hours without any had joined the Pakistan, eastern boundary of Pakistan would
concern, if any one listens to it or not. have been very close to Delhi and Kashmir would have
2. Personal devotion to the Sadh, with various gifts of money automatically gone to Pakistan. In subsequent communal
and more often something beyond that. riots/civil war Sikhs lost more in men and material, over and
above their holy shrines, e.g., birth place of Guru Nanak. Fully
one third of the community was uprooted. India always cries hoarse proclaiming to be the ‘biggest’
democracy in the world.
Before proceeding further, it would be appropriate to deal with
the usual complaints of the pseudo-Khalistanis and their True there have been regular elections in India. So far no
Pakistani sympathizers. They –pseudo-Khalistanis- blame the individual, army general or politician has been able to control
Sikh leadership for opting for India and not for Pakistan. completely the Indian state. But this is not due to lack of trying.
According to these people Jinnah was more reliable than Nehru. India has been just too big to be controlled. But the Indian
Wishful thinking does not depend upon reason. Do these people democracy is only skin deep. Indian elite, Congress or other
think that Sikhs would have received better treatment than parties are not democratic at heart. It started with Nehru. On
Ahmadias and they should look at the Shia Sunni carnage going account of historical factors and the way the power was
on every day in Pakistan. The present writer believes that to opt transferred to the Indian leadership, Nehru and his cohorts were
for India was a better decision. Harassed and bloodied but still considered by the Indian masses as almost semi-gods.
defiant Sikhs crossed the demarcation line. They expected at Bamboozled by Gandhian rhetoric, western powers are almost
least a compassionate reception, if not a hero’s welcome from dumbfounded. Nehru used to preach every one in UNO. In
the Indian authorities. But they found out pretty soon that the reality Nehru was an autocratic. He was democratic as long
new political masters headed by Nehru and Gandhi had people voted for him and his party. Otherwise, whenever
something else in store for them. Gandhi in his daily prayer possible he destabilized the opposition parties and dismissed
meetings was regularly condemning the Sikhs for all the evils in non-congress governments in the states. To stay in power he
the world. Nehru cabinet had plans to cripple their linguistic and supported corrupt Chief Ministers and used his influence to get
social progress, as much as it was practical to do so. elected individuals who were accused of corruption and scams.
Krishna Menon was one of such protégés. Pratap Singh Kairon
The core issue came to be the language. Before independence of Punjab and Bakhshi Ghulam Mohmmed of Kashmir were
Congress –Nehru, Gandhi party- had promised to reorganize the the Chief Ministers openly supported by Nehru. The trend set
states on linguistic basis. After some delay, they kept the by Nehru has borne fruit. A nexus has developed between
promise, but not for Punjab. Punjab was the only state that was politicians, criminal elements, big business and charlatan
not organized on linguistic basis. Four parties come into play; Sadhs/Saints. It is reported that about one third of the members
a. Government of India, of the Indian parliament are under various indictments
b. Congressite Sikhs, including murder. State legislatures are no better.
c. Akali Sikhs, and
d. Punjabi Hindus. Another curious phenomenon has occurred in USA and
Government of India, under Nehru was dead against the Punjabi Canada. If there is a human rights violation in China, a howl
language. Congressite Sikhs have always been beholden to goes up and the academics do not stop talking of human rights.
Congress Chiefs and Gandhi, even when Gandhi denigrated Human rights violations in India never have such an effect,
Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Master. Punjabi Hindus led by neither on legislators nor on academia. Every thing is covered
Arya Samajis even disowned their mother tongue (Punjabi). For under the Gandhian ‘Non-violence”. It is worth mentioning, the
the census they have mostly declared Hindi as their mother greatest democracy in the world under Rajiv Gandhi did not
tongue, which has distorted all the subsequent decisions. allow Amnesty International to enter into India.
Akalis struggled, agitated for the Punjabi speaking state, but Back to Punjabi Suba
with the opposition of Nehru and Arya Samajis disowning their The Commission to determine the boundaries of the Punjabi
mother tongue, it was a stalemate. Nehru was followed by Lal Suba (Punjabi Speaking State) started right away on wrong
Bahadur Shastri. Soon ensued the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war. Its premises. It used the census data on language. That was totally
main theatre was on the demarcation line of East and West bogus, falsified by the declaration by the majority of the
Punjab. Punjab peasantry, mostly Sikhs, rendered a yeoman’s Punjabi Hindus Hindi as their mother language. As a result a
support to the Indian army. It was at this time that Lal Bahadur large chunk of Punjabi speaking areas were denied to Punjab.
Shastri conceded Punjabi Suba in principle. A commission was Punjab was denied its capital and water resources of Punjab are
set up to demarcate the boundary. During all this period, Indra still under dispute. Congressite Sikhs-Beant Singh, as Chief
Gandhi, in the wings, was maneuvering against the Punjabi Minister under pressure from Indra Gandhi agreed to give away
Suba. Unfortunately, Shastri died and he was followed by Indra Punjab waters to Haryana. That was the main cause of the 1983
Gandhi. agitation. It resulted in, according to some estimates almost
quarter million Sikh youth killed in Punjab, and 329 deaths of
Indian Democracy the Air India Flight 182. Who is responsible for this? Indian
Before proceeding further, it would be worthwhile to have a Government blames it on the Sikh extremists, which is a code
look at the Indian democracy. Western powers, media and word for the Sikh community. Canadian Government and
academics are fascinated by the Indian experience. India is media, CBC in particular, are silent about every thing except
always compared with Pakistan. In this comparison India always the Air India disaster. Government of Canada and Media, no
comes better and the western powers do not want to look deeper. matter how many enquiries they have, will not be able to
explain satisfactorily the Air India disaster without explaining
the role by the Indian Government agent provocateurs. That is .Eventually this monster created by Giani Zail Singh played
the dilemma facing the Government of Canada. havoc with the Sikh youth, especially the innocent ones. Indian
Government and media, CBC in particular, present this
To understand the puzzle one has to know some developments in Khalistan specter a dream of the Sikh extremists. But no body
India and the mechanization of the Indian Government under wants to know who created this monster: Indra Gandhi, Rajiv
Indra Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and their cohorts. It is well Gandhi and Giani Zail Singh. Eventually, Giani was
known that in the ‘biggest democracy’ of the world there has elected President of India. He was Indra Gandhi’s choice. Of
developed a nexus between politicians, big money, criminal what caliber Giani Zail Singh was should be evident from his
elements, police and human traffickers. No political party is statement, while President. “I am only a Jharoo Bardar-
free from it. Even courts, especially at the lower level are not sweeper-of the Gandhi family.”
independent. Still here and there we find judges who stand up to
the powers to be. Such a case was in the Allahabad court in Giani was elevated to the position of President of India and in
1974/75. A case was filed against Indra Gandhi for violating Punjab Beant Singh became Chief Minister. It was under his
election rules. She was accused of utilizing the State machinery ministry that Indra Gandhi designed a plan to give Punjab
for her election campaign. The case went against her. As a result waters to Haryana. That triggered the agitation by the Akalis
she was supposed to step down. with disastrous results for the Sikhs and death of Indra Gandhi.
So democratic is the Nehru Gandhi Family, that they cannot see As has been mentioned earlier, Congressite Sikhs have been
the Indian parliament/ministry without them. Rather than always beholden to Nehru, Gandhi Family. Akalis have
accepting the verdict of the court or appealing it, Indra Gandhi espoused the Punjab and Sikh interest, but they squander the
imposed emergency. Individuals for no crime of theirs were results when it comes to the implementation and
thrown indiscriminately in jails. Only group/political party that administration. This time the agitation was mainly for:
steadfastly put up resistance were the Sikhs under Akalis. Here it
is worth mentioning, a number of Hindu politicians to escape the 1. Punjabi Speaking areas that were not included in the newly
wrath of Indra Gandhi took refuge in the Golden Temple carved Punjab.
complex. Finally, she realized that she could not sustain the 2. Capital city of Chandigarh
emergency, so she gambled on elections. There she was totally 3. Allocation of Punjab waters.
mistaken and was defeated. Unfortunately, the opposition
coalition that came to power proved to be totally inept. This Negotiations went on for months and years, but no end in sight.
made possible for Indra Gandhi to come back. Once in power There were other developments as well. Bhindrawale was
she never forgot the people who had opposed her emergency, in brought in by Giani Zail Singh. He broke away from Indra
particular the Akalis. Gandhi. What brought this rupture; we do not know and
perhaps will never know. Dal Khalsa boys, Khalistanis-created
In regard to Punjab, she moved on two fronts, with the support by Giani Zail Singh, were making their noise. Bhindrawale was
and connivance of Giani Zail Singh and Beant Singh, successive saying that this time Akali leadership will not be allowed to
Chief Ministers of Punjab, both Congressite Sikhs. The first make underhand deals at the last moment. He had no plans, he
plank was to weaken the Akalis. For that Giani Zail Singh, in never demanded Khalistan. He had no organization worth the
cooperation with Sanjay Gandhi and then Rajiv Gandhi, adopted name. Whatever organization he had, it was infiltrated by agent
two strategies. On the religious side he tried to bring in religious provocateurs, police informers and even criminals under police
individuals, so called Sadhs/Saints, who could point out the control. At the same time Rajiv Gandhi was praising
deficiencies and weakness of the Akalis in the management of Bhindrawale as a “Saintly” person.
the Sikh shrines. Here it is worth mentioning that most of these
Sadhs are semiliterate, with no knowledge of national and Akalis were totally paralyzed. They could not deal with Indra
international happenings. Their only strength is harkening back Gandhi and did not know what to do with Bhindrawale. At the
to the old glories of the Khalsa Raj and sacrifices of the Sikh same time mayhem prevailed in Punjab. Murders were not
Gurus and Sikh warriors. Giani Zail Singh was able to bring in uncommon. Government was blaming Akalis and Bhindrawale
Bhindrawale. They both belong to the same area. Bhindrawale and they were blaming government agents and the police. As it
fits the old mould of rustic, honest preacher but without any has come out now, the murders were often by the police and
organizational capability in the modern sense. He did field his their agents or criminals. During all this time army was
followers in the elections for SGPC, but none was successful. practicing with a replica –some where in UP- of the Golden
Temple complex, how to attack the Golden Temple. The
Most of the Sikhs deep down would desire to keep their diabolic attack did come on 6th of June 1984, with the declared
particular identity and from time to time it is expressed in having objective of clearing the complex of extremists. Their number
Khalistan, an area where they could feel safe and secure. But no was put at 100-200.
serious person has advocated an independent state. Giani Zail
Singh knew this psyche very well. He gathered some young To clear 200 extremists whole Western command of the Indian
men, who advocated the creation of Khalistan. Giani was not army was deployed. Punjab was totally cut off. No newsman
serious about Khalistan, it was only a ploy to weaken the Akalis was allowed in. In addition to the Golden Temple Complex
about 30 other major Gurdwaras in Punjab were attacked. The their homes and take up arms. At the same time Government
objective was not to capture or eliminate the extremists. It was used double agents and even criminals to incite and infiltrate
the final solution, to teach a lesson to the Akalis and the Sikhs the so-called insurgents. People like Talwinder Singh Parmar
for opposing Indra Gandhi during the 1976 emergency, in the fall in this category. Even the leadership to these harassed
process to kill as many Sikh youth, guilty or innocent, as youth was provided by the Government of India. That way
possible. The attack was on the Martyrdom day of the Fifth there could be a maximum kill. In this regard name of Dr.
Guru, Guru Arjan Dev. Guru Arjan Dev was tortured and killed Sohan Singh is prominent. Dr. Sohan Singh was a medical
during the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Jahnagir. On this doctor, at one time head of medical services. These boys used
celebration thousands of devotees were visiting the Golden to call him Bapu (Father). But they did not know that their
Temple. Indra Gandhi utilized this opportunity to maximize the “Bapu” was really a wolf in sheep’s clothing. At one time this
kill. How many people were killed? No body knows. The Indian man is shown in the company of Hikmatyar Khan, one of the
army, in the land of non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi, burned war lords and one time Prime Minister of Afghanistan.
those bodies en mass. No outside government ever has raised a Eventually, at the appropriate time, Dr. Sohan Singh was
voice against this mass murder. As noted earlier violation of arrested in Kathmandu, Nepal. There was a bogus court case
human rights in India is sanctified by the non-violence of and ever since this “Bapu” is living in an air conditioned
Mahatma Gandhi. Bungalow in Chandigarh. He has been well rewarded. His son
was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Punjabi University at
Diabolic as the attack on Golden Temple complex was, what Patiala. Talwinder Singh Parmar was in the same category, a
followed was worse. A reign of terror was let loose in Punjab. double agent. Unlike Dr. Sohan Singh, he was illiterate and
Any Sikh boy was a terrorist. Police would pick up young boys, rabble rouser and a street brawler. It is sufficient to note that
demand ransom. If parents could not afford ransom or were slow finally when he was killed by the Indian police, he was coming
to respond, the boy would be killed in a “fake encounter”. from Kathmandu. What were these people, Sohan Singh and
According to police claims number killed was 50,000 (fifty Parmar, doing in Khatmandu, Nepal? People in Surrey who are
thousand), but the real number is much higher. Mr. KPS Gill, a presenting Parmar as a hero are doing a great service to the
Sikh by appearance, was the chief butcher of the Sikh youth. Government of India. What are their real objectives: simple
The perpetrators of fake encounters were paid bounty money. To bravados, ignorance or they are double agents just like Parmar.
escape the wrath of the Indian police quite a few Youth crossed Only God knows!
the border into Pakistan. There the Pakistan intelligence
agencies used and exploited these innocent, inexperience youth. Outside India: USA, Canada:
The real story of their mistreatment will never come out. Government of India did expect great resentment among the
Sikh diaspora, on account of the attack on the Golden Temple.
Attack on the Golden temple was bound to create an emotional Mr. J.S. Bhullar was assigned the task to mitigate the
response in the Sikh community every where. The Government resentment of the diaspora. He presented himself as a follower
of India was well prepared for that. The plan was to mislead the of Bhindrawale. Bhullar was a retired army general-Major
community and diffuse slowly the anger or to destroy the youth General. He leaves for USA and his summons were issued the
in Punjab, who could raise any voice. Nevertheless no one can same day, but only after he had taken up the flight. In USA and
control every thing. Human spirit is so unpredictable. Canada he became head of WSO (World Sikh
Organization).WSO started making some noise. They started a
Sikh leadership was totally paralyzed. Congressite Sikhs were newspaper as well-World Sikh News. First Editor of the paper
tongue tied. They would not utter a word against the genocide of was a relative of KPS Gill, the butcher of the Sikh youth.
the Sikh youth. Akali leadership was either in jails or under People contributed generously for the establishment of WSO.
ground. Bhindrawale was dead. The myth of Khalistan During the next two three years Bhullar gathered all the
movement was exploded. Baba Joginder Singh, father of information he needed, created enough disinformation that no
Bhindrawale became the Head of the Akali Dal. How ridiculous viable organization could come into action and has gone back.
and desperate the situation was, can be gauged from the fact, He is living in Chandigarh, enjoying the patronage of his
that at this stage an 80 year old man is the head. He was totally masters. There were other lesser known individuals in this
illiterate, who had no political experience. He just happened to category.
be father of Bhindrawale. Bankruptcy of the Akali Leadership
can be further observed from the fact; at the next election Akalis It has been already mentioned, it was Giani Zail Singh who
boycotted the election. As a result Congressites came to power gathered some boys and they constituted themselves as Dal
unopposed. It was during this period that Congress under Beant Khalsa-Khalistanis. Before the attack on the Golden temple
Singh as Chief Minister and KPS Gill as Director General of these individuals slipped away and eventually they were helped
Police killed the maximum number of Sikh youth. by the Government of India to migrate to USA and Canada.
Here they presented themselves as followers of Bhindrawale.
Here is a brief description of the methods used by the The author met one of them, it was in 1984. In the Sikh
Government of India to create and then control the insurgency. Gurdwaras, especially in British Columbia and California,
The indiscriminate killings of Sikh youth, either in fake these are the Khalistanis who have created the most trouble. Of
encounters or as hunting bounty did force some youth to leave course with the passage of time some have settled down, others
are still at the old game. of course camouflaged, of Rajiv Gandhi a reign of terror was
let loose on the Sikh population. Congress MPs actively
Role of the Canadian Government and Media participated in the killings. With voters list in their hands they
Now we come to role of the Canadian Government and the directed the goons to the Sikh houses. Delhi police actively
media, especially CBC. It is simply inconceivable, that the helped the goons. Sikh members of the police force were sent
Canadian Government and its law and order agencies, RCMP, home and quarantined. All-India Radio, government controlled
CSIS, etc. did not know that Indian Government operators, agent -exhorted the population to take revenge on the poor innocent
provocateurs, were working within the Sikh community. This is Sikhs. The death dance continued for three days. Congress MPs
the greatest cover up and to cover their incompetence they will involved in the massacres were rewarded by Rajiv Gandhi with
attribute every thing to Parmar. That is the easiest escape. Dead ministerial berths.
men do not tell any tale. CBC is following the same track,
because it is an easy way out. Ujjal Dosanjh is the white Knight Mr. Joe Clark, Foreign Minister of Canada, was tongue tied.
of the CBC. Any time there is news about Air India tragedy or Even Dr. Ubale, a Hindu, at that time Human Rights
disturbance in the Sikh community, they show Mr. Dosanjh as Commissioner in Ontario, justified the killing of Sikhs in
deploring the violence. Simple question: Is it believable that as Delhi. Some times truth is stranger than fiction. Diabolic as the
Attorney General of British Columbia he did not know about the planned massacre of Sikhs in Delhi was/is, there is an opinion
Indian agent provocateurs? The following statement, when he that this was the lesser evil to befall. According to this opinion-
became Premier of British Columbia, is revealing. As reported Sangat Singh, Author of Sikhs through the History- Indra
in the newspapers, he said, “I am Canadian first, then Indian and Gandhi had much bigger plan. Her sudden death saved the
Punjabi and then Sikh.” Sikhs and India from a real cataclysm. There is no way to prove
or disprove this theory.
Some questions (Name withheld)
There are a few questions that are worth asking.
1. What was Mr. Parmar doing in Kathmandu, Nepal? *****
2. What was the relationship between Parmar and Ripudaman [Sikh Bulletin is published in USA and as Sikh Americans we are very
Singh Malik? much concerned about the actions of the US Government. The three
3. How Malik became millionaire? Did the Government of artricles below express our sentiments but even they do not begin to
condemn the arrogant and unlawful policies of the Bush administration
India provide any financial help to Malik? which subverted and corrupted every aspect of the administrative
4. How Bagri and Parmar have been able to provide for their machinery-Judiciary, FBI, CIA, FEMA, GSA, Electoral Process,
families? They never worked regular jobs. Environmental Protection Agency, Consumer Product Safety, Energy,
5. What was the relationship of Malik with Yogi Bhajan, an Education, Interior Department, International Agreements and many more.
operator in USA, and a friend of Giani Zail Singh- Jharoo By injecting corruption into public service this draft dodging duo,
Bush/Cheney, have turned this great country into a Third World Banana
Bardar of Gandhi Family?
Republic. Republicans went to a great length to persecute Clinton with fake
Unless the Judge Major delves into the role of the Indian charges and impeachment over a moral issue. Why cannot the Democrats,
Government, it will not find any real answer to the Air India 182 now finally in power, impeach Bush/Cheney duo for crimes not only
Tragedy. against the US citizens but the humanity at large? Do they really need
whipping boys for the 2008 election? It is not the ‘loyalty’ Bush feels about
Finally, as the sayings go: “Sinner is overwhelmed by his own Gonzales and others; the fact is that Gonzales and others lied for him at his
instigation. Bush is very fond of saying ‘the world is a better place without
sin”, and “Race is not to the fastest, bread is not to the wisest…., Sadaam’; but it would be even much better without Bush/Cheney duo. As
luck, chance, destiny happens to every one.” At the height of her an ultimate insult to the intelligence of the American people V. P. Cheney
power, Indra Gandhi considered herself beyond and above all has turned ridiculous into sublime by unilaterally putting his office out of
restraints. Destiny had something else in store for her. Her own the administrative branch. ED]
body Guards, who happened to be Sikhs, struck her down.
Indian Government, Canadian agencies and CBC always link CARTER BASHES BUSH WORLD POLICIES:
these two boys with Bhindrawale. They had nothing to do with ‘WORST IN HISTORY’
Bhindrawale. It was their gut reaction to the attack on the ASSOCIATED PRESS
Golden Temple by the Indian Army and innocent killings in
thousands. What followed was definitely planned, and Giani Zail LITTLE ROCK - Former President Jimmy
Singh, a Sikh, President of India-Jharoo Bardar of Gandhi Carter says President George W. Bush's
family- facilitated the action. administration is "the worst in history" in
international relations, taking aim at the
Parliamentary procedure, in an emergency, such as if the Prime White House's policy of preemptive war and
Minister is incapacitated; the senior most member of the cabinet its Middle East diplomacy. The criticism
takes over. After that who comes as Prime Minister is decided from Carter, which a biographer says is un-
by the caucus, but not in this case. At the time Rajiv Gandhi was precedented for the 39th president, also took
only an MP, not a member of the cabinet. Giani Zail Singh, as aim at Bush's environmental policies and the
President catapulted him to the position of Prime Minister. Then administration's "quite disturbing" faith-based initiative
the real drama, death dance started in Delhi. Under direct orders, funding. "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation
around the world, this administration has been the worst in the Geneva Conventions however President Bush and Vice
history," Carter told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in a story President Dick Cheney wanted. We knew he was willing to
that appeared Saturday. "The overt reversal of America's basic politicize the Justice Department. Now we learn that Gonzales
values as expressed by previous administrations, including those also was willing to accost a seriously ill man in his hospital
of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon room to get his signature on a dodgy justification for
and others, has been the most disturbing to me." unprecedented domestic surveillance. The man Gonzales
harried on his sickbed was his predecessor as attorney general,
Carter spoke while promoting his new audiobook series, "Sun- John Ashcroft. The episode - re-counted this week in
day Mornings in Plains," a collection of weekly Bible lessons congressional testimony by Ashcroft's former deputy, James
from his hometown of Plains, Ga. "Apparently, Sunday morn- Comey - sounds like something from Hollywood, not
ings in Plains for former President Carter includes hurling reck- Washington. It was the night of March 10, 2004. Several days
less accusations at your fellow man," said Amber Wilkerson, earlier, Ashcroft had been stricken with a severe case of
Republican National Committee spokeswoman. She said it was pancreatitis-and rushed to George Washington University
hard to take Carter seriously because he also "challenged Ronald Hospital, where his gallbladder was removed and he was
Reagan's strategy for the Cold War." placed in intensive care. Ashcroft's wife had banned all visitors
and phone calls.
Carter came down hard on the Iraq war. "We now have endorsed
the concept of pre-emptive war where we go to war with another Ashcroft's illness came amid a fight between the White House
nation militarily, even though our own security is not directly and the Justice Department over the program of warrantless
threatened, if we want to change the regime there or if we fear domestic electronic surveillance that Bush had authorized
that some time in the future our security might be endangered," following the 9/11 attacks. Comey, serving as acting attorney
he said. "But that's been a radical departure from all previous general because of Ashcroft's illness, refused to sign off on a
administration policies." Carter, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in reauthorization of the program until changes were made. The
2002, criticized Bush for having "zero peace talks" in Israel. He night before the current authorization was to expire, Comey
also said the administration "abandoned or directly refuted" said, he was being driven home when he got a call from
every negotiated nuclear arms agreement, as well as envi- Ashcroft's chief of staff, who had just heard from Ashcroft's
ronmental efforts by other presidents. He also offered a harsh wife that Gonzales, then serving as White House counsel, and
assessment for the White House's Office of Faith-Based and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card were on their way to
Community Initiatives, which helped religious charities receive the hospital. They wanted to get the ailing Ashcroft to overrule
$2.15 billion in federal grants in fiscal year 2005 alone. "The Comey and sign the reauthorization. Comey ordered his driver
policy from the White House has been to allocate funds to to turn around and managed to get to the hospital first. Rather
religious institutions, even those that channel those funds ex- than wait for the elevator, he ran up the stairs. "And Mrs. Ash-
clusively to their own particular group of believers in a croft was standing by the hospital bed," he testified, "Mr.
particular religion," Carter said. "As a traditional Baptist, I've Ashcroft was lying down in the bed, the room was darkened.
always believed in separation of church and state and honored And I immediately began speaking to him, trying to orient him
that premise when I was president." as to time and place, and try to see if he could focus on what
was happening, and it wasn't clear to me that he could. He
Douglas Brinkley, a Tulane University presidential historian and seemed pretty bad off."
Carter biographer, described Carter's comments as
unprecedented. "This is the most forceful denunciation President Gonzales was carrying an envelope when he and Card arrived.
Carter has ever made about an American president," Brinkley Gonzales told Ashcroft they were there "to seek his approval
said. "When you call somebody the worst president, that's for a matter," Comey recalled. Ashcroft refused to sign
volatile. Those are fighting words." anything, told them why, and said that, in any event, Comey
was the acting attorney general with the full powers of the
Carter also lashed out Saturday at British Prime Minister Tony office.
Blair. Asked how he would judge Blair's support of Bush, the
former president said: "Abominable. Loyal. Blind. Apparently Now let's fast-forward a couple of years - to February 2006,
subservient." after the secret surveillance program had become public.
Reproduced From Sunday, May 20, 2007 • The Sacramento Bee Gonzales, testifying before Congress, said there had been no
serious disagreement within the administration about the
***** legality of conducting such widespread electronic
ALBERTO GONZALES: eavesdropping without seeking court warrants. In fact, there
was nearly an insurrection. Comey and other high-ranking Jus-
ANYTHING FOR THE CAUSE
Eugene Robinson tice Department officials threatened to resign if the White
House continued the surveillance program as it then was con-
WASHINGTON - It just gets worse and worse. We already stituted. "Mr. Ashcroft's chief of staff asked me something that
knew that Alberto Gonzales - who, unbelievably, remains our meant a great deal to him," Comey testified, "and that is that I
attorney general - was willing to construe the Constitution and not resign until Mr. Ashcroft was well enough to resign with
me." Ultimately, Bush and Cheney agreed to modifications that behind him as he embarks on a long and painful lame duck-
addressed Justice's concerns. hood. His hopes of Grafting meaningful immigration reform
Gonzales' testimony in 2006 was that officials expressed no and fixing Social Security are dead on arrival. The legacies that
reservations that "dealt with the program that we are talking Bush will carry into retirement are the war he started, lost and
about today." Presumably he was being extraordinarily careful stubbornly refused to end, and the corruption that he and his
with his words - "the program that we are talking about today" team visited on our democracy and Constitution.
had already been modified, two years earlier, to avoid what
threatened to become a Wednesday Night Massacre. Before The president's lawyer, mi abogado, Attorney General Alberto
those changes, the attorney general neglected to tell Congress, Gonzales, dangles in the wind as we learn, day by day, of how
the program had caused a legal riot. grotesquely this administration politicized the professional staff
of the Justice Department. It was Gonzales, as White House
The image I can't get out of my head is of Alberto Gonzales counsel, who provided legal cover for the torture and
carrying a document for Ashcroft's signature into the man's maltreatment of prisoners and suspects that led directly to the
hospital room, attempting a sneaky end-run around the deputy Abu Ghraib prison scandal and the ClA's secret Kafkaesque
whom Ashcroft left in charge of the department, knowing full prisons scattered around the world where "enhanced" in-
well that Ashcroft was seriously ill and almost certainly terrogation methods were generously, if un-productively,
medicated. What did he intend to do, guide the man's hand? This employed. It was Gonzales, as attorney general, who hired and
is the attorney general of the United States, ladies and gave unprecedented hiring and firing powers to a 33-year-old
gentlemen. Heaven help us. attorney, Monica Goodling, who'd graduated from a TV
Eugene Robinson's e-mail address is [email protected]. evangelist's law school. It was Goodling who resigned and took
Distributed by the Washngton Post Writers Group. the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions that hadn't
even been asked. It was Goodling who was Justice's liaison to
***** the White House and Karl Rove.
COUNTING DAYS UNTIL
BUSH HORROR IS OVER Meantime, the White House can't find 5 million e-mail
messages involving official business and refuses to provide
By Joseph L. Galloway
many of those it can find to the congressional committees in-
There are a little more than 600 days left until Jan. 20, 2009, and vestigating the firing of U.S. attorneys.
the end of our long national nightmare as President Bush and his The agencies of government - the CIA, FBI, Treasury,
Rasputin, Vice President Dick Cheney, shuffle off to their Department of Defense and who knows who else - use secret
necessarily well-guarded retirement homes and onto the ash executive authority to suck up databases of personal informa-
heap of history. So much of what they talked about doing in a tion about ordinary Americans, without regard to their privacy
new century and a new and different world never came to pass. rights, in a search for suspected terrorists. Have they found any
So much of what they did to grow the power of the presidency using that information? Have they unearthed terror cells with
and prune the constitutional safeguards crafted by our Founding more potential than the ones in Florida and New Jersey that
Fathers, they never talked about. were penetrated and perhaps manipulated by FBI informants?
That sort of terrorist isn't half so frightening as Bush and
The American people have turned their backs on Bush and his Cheney.
dreams of planting the seeds of democracy in Mesopotamia at
the point of a gun and seeing them spread like kudzu across the Over in Iraq, 150,000 American troops soldier on, attempting,
Middle East. He's failed in his quest for victory in Iraq and for a at the cost of their own lives and limbs, to follow the orders of
world put in order by a new and stronger United States, and his a president who still thinks he can pull victory out of defeat. A
brash blundering into a dangerous land has made us all much democratically elected but hopelessly divided Iraqi parliament
less safe. The president's approval ratings are below his knees, feuds and dithers and contemplates its summer vacation while
sinking to 28 percent in one recent poll, and he cannot recover Americans and Iraqis die in increasing numbers in the streets
short of the kind of miracle that parts seas and feeds the multi- outside the Green Zone, and the mortar and rocket fire lands
tudes. The war that was never ours to win by military means - inside that sanctuary with increasing frequency. Nineteen
the only button this president who never learned war ever months, and counting. It doesn't seem possible or even
learned how to push - is lost. Bush and Cheney and the rest of bearable.
their cronies and co-conspirators are toast.
Joseph L. Galloway is former senior military
correspondent for Knight Ridder Newspapers and co-author of the national
The question is: How did such ordinary-looking men - best-seller "We Were Soldiers Once... and Young." Readers may write to
seemingly unable to carry out even the smallest nonpolitical him at: P.O. Box 399, Bay side, Texas 78340; e-mail: [email protected].
tasks of governing - succeed in doing such extraordinary and Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
lasting damage to our country, our military and our body politic
in so few years? With Congress in the hands of the Democrats,
and the 2008 election looming dead ahead, the president can't *****
even count on key figures in his own Republican Party to stand
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gurcrn isMG (ijAux vflf) rfhIN hI huMdI hY . hy nfnk ! hrI dI syvf AuhI jIv krdf hY ijs
nUM gur sLbd dI soJI nfl hrI imlfp ho jFdf hY. .10.
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af igaf. gurduafrf sfihb dy iblkul sfhmxy ihMdosqfn hAumY mmqf jfie] Auqm pdvI pfeIaY scy rhY smfie] nfnk
pYtrOlIam df pMp do srdfr BrfvF df hY qy ipCly pfsy sfzf pUrib ijn kAu iliKaf iqnf siqguru imilaf afie] 1] {pMnf
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arQ :—jy mnuwK mn itkf ky siqgurU dI (dwsI hoeI) kfr kry, qF
jnm asLtmI afeI, AugrfhI mMgx vfly afey, asIN ienkfr kr Auh syvf jLrUr Pl dyNdI hY—nfm Dn iml jFdf hY qy icMqf qoN
idwqf, Auh rfq nUM sfzIaF gwzIaF dy qfly vgYrf qoVdy rhy jfxI rihq (pRBU) mn ivc af vwsdf hY, hAumY mmqf dUr ho jFdI hY . qy
bhuq nuksfn kIqf pr asIN iblfvjHf iksy kMm vfsqy pYsy dyxy ieh sfrI Aumr df duwK kwitaf jFdf hY . (hjLUrI ivc) vwzf ruqbf
jfiejL nhI smJy. imldf hY, mnuwK swcy hrI ivc smfieaf rihMdf hY .
hy nfnk ! muwZ qoN (kIqy hoey cMgy kMmF anusfr) ijnHF dy ihrdy ivc
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iPr jvfb dy idwqf, srdfr jI nrfjL hoey pr asIN pRvfh nhI kIqI (Bfv, AuhI siqgurU ƒ pCfx lYNdy hn) .1.
qy afpxf kMmkfr krI gey. Auh lwsI df zolxf Br ky dPqr ivc
dyx afey asIN lYx qoN vI ienkfr kr idwqf. Aus idwn Auh pUry pAuVI] sf syvf kIqI sPl hY ijqu siqgur kf mnu mMny] jf
jor-sLor nfl lokF dy qpdy sLrIr nUM GMty do GMty leI TMzf kr rhy siqgur kf mnu mMinaf qf pfp ksMml BMny] Aupdys ij idqf
sn pr AunHF nUM lokF dy ihridaF nfl koeI vfsqf hI nhI ies siqgurU so suixaf isKI kMny] ijn siqgur kf Bfxf mMinaf iqn
krky Auh lokF nUM bdfmF, rUh aPjLf, duwD, pfxI, sLwkr-cInI aqy cVI cvgix vMny] ieh cfl inrflI gurmuKI gur dIiKaf suix mnu
TMiZafeI vflI lwsI ipaf ipaf ky, iswKI asUlF dy iblkul Ault iBMny] 25] {pMnf 314}
gurU arjn dyv jI dy awD-jly sLrIr nUM vI iesy lwsI dy shfry TMzI awj-kwlH siqgurU jI qF sfzy kol nhI hn iPr ikvyN pqf cwly ik
sLrDFjlI Byt kr rhy lwgdy sn. siqgurU jI df mn pqIjL igaf hY jF nhI? dUsrf svfl ieh hY ik
awj sfzy gurU hn sRI gurU gRMQ sfihb jI qy Eh hn sLbd rUp ivc
vfh myry gurU aih qyry iswK jo qyrI iewqnI vwzI kurbfnI df mwul qy AunHF df mn qf hY hI nhI. ies krky pRcwlq ivafiKaf qoN QoVf
kwcI lwsI pf rhy hn. sLhIdF dy isrqfjL, iswKF dy pihly sLhId, hwt ky ies slok nUM smJxf pvygf. Auh syvf kIqI sPl hY ijs
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afpxy hwQIN ‘poQI prmysr kf Qfnu’ ilKx vfly sLhId, AujVdy siqgurU dy hukm nUM mMn ilaf qF pihlF dy byhosLI dI hflq ivc
Bfrq nUM muV vsfAux vfly sLhId, qrn qfrn, krqfrpur aqy kIqy sfry mfVy kMm (pfp) Kqm ho jFdy hn. ijnHF ny siqgurU dy
aMimRqsr vsfAyx vfly sLhId, lokF nUM ijLlq BrI ijMdgI ivcoN kwZ AupdysL nUM afpxy kMnF nfl sux ilaf qy AunHF ny siqgurU dy
ky vpfr ivc pfAux vfly pihly sLhId dy iswK lokF nUM TMzI lwsI Bfxy/hukm/inXm nUM mMn ilaf qF AunHF nUM ies ijLMdgI dy asl
ipaf ipaf ky afpxy ipafry qy siqkfry sLhId dI awD-jlI dyh nUM mnorQ dI dUxI/cOxI rMgx cVHdI hY. gurU df AupdysL sux ky mn
TMzI lwsI nfl TMzf kr rhy hn. vfh myrI qkdIry bIjIaF sI ivc vsf ky aml krn vflf rsqf hI dUsry rsiqaF nfloN inrflf
mUlIaF qy Aug pey KIry. jy PrjL kro ies kMm nUM mnuwKqf dI syvf aqy aslI hY.
hI mMn ilaf jfvy qF gurU sfihfbn dy hukm muqfbk sfnUM gurU gRMQ
sfihb ivcoN dyKxf peygf ik gurU sfihbfn syvf iksnUM kihMdy hn. pAuVI] ZfZI iqs no afKIaY ij KsmY Dry ipafru] dir KVf syvf
kry gur sbdI vIcfru] ZfZI dru Gru pfiesI scu rKY AurDfir]
pAuVI] hir kI syvf sPl hY gurmuiK pfvY Qfie] ijsu hir BfvY ZfZI kf mhlu aglf hir kY nfie ipafir] ZfZI kI syvf cfkrI
iqsu guru imlY, so hirnfmu iDafie] gur sbdI hir pfeIaY hir hir jip hir insqfir] 18] {pMnf 516}
pfir lGfie] mn hiT iknY n pfieE puChu vydf jfie] nfnk hir arQ :—jo mnuwK afpxy mflk-pRBU nfl ipafr pfAuNdf hY, AuhI
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arQ :—pRBU dI bMdgI hr iek leI hI sPl hY (Bfv, mnuwKf jnm bMdf krdf hY). ijhVf mnuwK pRBU dI hjLUrI ivc itk ky gurU dy
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ƒ hI siqgurU imilaf dwisaf igaf hY aqy Ausy AuWpr hI ikRpf hoeI
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(Bfv, purfqn Drm-pusqk BI iehI gwl dwsdy hn) ik afpxy mn svfrxhfr ]4]4]43] {pMnf 361-362} siqguru syvin afpxf
gur sbdI vIcfir (pMnf 1415) gurU dy sLbd dI vIcfr hI aslI 431] aqy "qyrf kIaf mITf lfgY ] hir nfmu pdfrQu nfnku mFgY
syvf hY pr sfnUM ies qoN vFJy krky lwsI ipafAux dy lV lf ky gurU ]2]42]93] {pMnf 394} dy muK vfkF anusfr gurU jI afpxy
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imlky ivroDqf kr irhf sI. AWm jnqw nUM lutdy Aqy rwijAW mhWrwijAW dI jI hzUrI krdy
sn Aqy s`c bolx vwly dy ivru`D Pqvy AwdyS Awidk jwrI
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iv`c vI ivKwvy vwlI pUjw ho rhI hY, EQy qKqW dy pujwrI (jQydwr)
vI Awpxy byhUdy AwdyS jwrI krky Awm is`K jnqw Aqy Awpxy
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ivc imlfx leI keI iksm dy lflc qy srdfrIaF dyx dI vI
pysLksL kIqI geI hovygI. pr mnuwKqf nUM ipafr krn vfilaF nUM
mhwn koS Anuswr pUjw-pUjn dI ikRAw jo dyvI dyviqAW dIAW
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mUrqIAW iSvilMg Awidk nUM du`D-GI, DUp, dIp, sMDUr, cMdn
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sfihb dy clfey inrml pMQ dy asUlF anusfr sLhfdq df jfm pI krdI[Bw. kwnH isMG nHwBw ilKdy hn ik iksy Kws sQwn Ar Kws
gey. "suKu duKu qyrI afigaf ipafry dUjI nfhI jfie" m:5, pMnf sm`grI nwl srb ivAwpI krqwr dw pUjn is`K Drm iv`c inSyD
kIqw igAw hY[prm ipqw vwihgurU dI pUjw bwry gurU swihb ies v`K v`K sm`grI nwl bRwhmx pujwrI rwhIN pUjw kIqI qy krweI
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hoie]krxI kuMgU jy rlY, Gt AMqir pUjw hoie]1]pujw kIcY nwmu -Bogxhwry BoigAw ies mUriq ky muiK Cwir](kbIr jI) pujwrI
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pKwlIAih, jy mnu DovY koie]juiT lhY jIau mWjIAY, moK hn[SrDwlUAW nUM svrg dw lwlc Aqy nrk dw fr dy ky AMD
pieAwxw hoie] (pMnw-489) Bwv nwm hI Asl pUjw hY, bwkI sB ivSvwSI bxw ky pUjw Bytw dy nW qy lùitAw jw irhw hY[ijvyN
krm kWf hn[ienHW bwhrI sm`grIAW nwl pRmwqmW dI pUjw ho hI ihMdUAW iv`c bRwhmx-pRoihq Aqy muslmwnW iv`c kwzI, mulW-mOlwxy
nhIN skdI ies dI pRoVqw krdy Bgq rivdws jI vI PurmWdy hn- hI swrIAW Dwrimk rsmW inBwauNdy hn qy bwkI Avwm nUM aunHW qy
dUDu q BCrY Qnhu ibtwirE]PUlu Bvir jlu mIin ibgwirE]1] hI ifpYNf hoxw pYNdw hY pr is`K iksy pujwrI qy ifpYNf nhIN hY, auh
mweI goibMd pUjw khW lY crwvau?.......pUjw Arcw Awih n swrIAW Dwrimk rsmW Awp inBwA skdw hY[gurU swihb jI ny
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Byt krnw hI Asl pUjw hY[gurU rwmdws jI PurmWdy hn ik-Brim
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hn[ dyx vwlw gYlIlIE ivigAwnk s`c qoN ipCy nw hitAw Aqy kurbwn
ho igAw[ieslwm dy mulwixAW ny srmd vrgy sUPI PkIr nUM ies
sR. ipAwrw isMG pdm Anuswr ieSt pRqI SrDw Bwvnw jW Awdr krky mrvw id`qw ik aus ny aunHW dI SrHw nhIN kbUlI[SMkrcwrIAw
pRym pRgtwaux vwlI ikRAw pUjw hY[ihMdU m`q iv`c cUMik dyvqw nUM vrgy bRwhmx pujwrIAW ny bu`D vrgy bu`DIjIvIAW nUM Bwrq iv`coN k`F
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ielwvw bwhrly AmlW rwhIN vI aus nUM pUijAw AwrwiDAw jWdw dy clwey krmkWfW dw BrvW KMfn krn vwly Bgq kbIr jI,
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Bojn, Bytw, vwry jwxw, ibrwjmwn krnw Awidk[ieh ie`k dyvqy idvwey[pujwrI vrg ny sB qoN v`D ivroDqw gurU nwnk dyv jI dI
dy bulwaux qoN lY ky aus dy h`Q mUMh DuAwaux, sugMDq krn Aqy AMq kIqI, aunHW nUM kurwhIAw, BUqnw Aqy byqwlw vI ikhw-koeI AwKY
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ieSt nUM rIJwauxw[gurU nwnk jI ny ies ivKwvy vwlI krmkWfI cMdU SvweIAw, muhMmd bwkI ib`lw, SyK Aihmd srhdI Aqy SyK
pUjw dw KMfn kridAW ikhw ik Asl pUjw pRBU ismrn hY-pUjw PrId buKwrI Awidk AKOqI Dwrimk lIfrW Aqy pujwrIAW dw pUrw
kIcY nwmu iDAweIAY, ibnu nwvY pUj n hoie]1]rhwau](pMnw- h`Q sI ijnHW ny kMnw dy k`cy bwdSwh jhWgIr dy r`j ky kMn
489) Bgq rwmwnMd jI vI ies bwry PurmWdy hn-kq jweIAY ry Bry[AMimRqsr dy msMd pujwrIAW ny vYrwg-iqAwg dI mUriq gurU
Gir lwgo rMgu]myrw icqu n clY mnu BieE pMgu]1]rhwau]eyk qyg bhwdr jI nUM sRI drbwr swihb AMdr nw Awx id`qw, swry
idvs mn BeI aumMig]Gis cMdn coAw bhu sugMiD]pUjn cwlI drvwjy bMd kr id`qy qW gurU nUM kihxw ipAw-ho msMd qum
bRhm Twie]su bRhmu bqwieE guir mn hI mwih]1]jhw jweIAY AMimRqsrIey]iqRSnw Agin qy AMqirsVIey](sUrj pRkwS) gurU
qh jl pwKwn]qU pUir rihE hYN sB smwn]byd purwn sB dyKy goibMd isMG jI ny gurU pMQ nUM gurqw dy ky ieh pRQw hI bMd kr
joie]aUhW qau jweIAY jau eIhW n hoie]2]siqguru mY bilhwrI id`qI[hryk is`K Awp hI gurbwxI dw pwT, kIrqn ivcwr Aqy
qor]ijin skl ibkl BRm kwty mor]rwmwnMd suAwmI rmqu Ardws kr skdw hY[gurU goibMd isMG jI dy joqI joiq smwaux qoN
bRhmu]gur kw sbdu kwty kit krm]3](bsMq rwmwnMd jI) bwAd kwPI smW is`KW nUM muglIAw hkUmq nwl jUJdy jMglW iv`c
Bgq rwmwnMd jI kih rhy hn ik ie`k idn myry mn c’ vI pUjw rihxw ipAw, qW audwsI Aqy inrmly swD gurduAwirAW dI syvw
krn dI qmMnw pYdw hoeI qW mY coAw cMdn Awidk sm`grI lY ky sMBwl krdy rhy[ienHW au~qy bnwrs kWSI ivKy ividAw pVHn krky
bRhm dI pUjw krn cilAw qW gurU ny bRhm mn iv`c hI idKw id`qw bRwhmx dI sMgq dw Asr sI[ies krky gurduAwirAW iv`c vI
qy myry pUjw pRqI swry Brm k`t id`qy[Bwv gur-Sbd dI ivcwr krky pujwrIvwd SurU ho igAw[mhWrwjw rxjIq isMG dw rwj AwieAw
Aml krnw hI Asl pUjw hY[ aus ny sYNkVy eykV zmInW Drm AsQwnW dy nW lvw id`qIAW[is`K
vI AmIr ho gey[pujwrIAW koloN hI pwT pUjw krvwaux l`g
pujwrI-pUjw krn vwlw[pujwrI SRyxI cqur bRwhmx dI hI kwFH pey[ieauN pujwrI hor cwml gey Aqy keI ivDI ivDwn vwly pwT
hY[A`j mMdr dw pMifq, crc dw pwdrI, gurduAwry dw BweI Aqy clw ky pYsy dy rUp iv`c pUjw Bytw lYx l`g pey[v`K v`K fyirAW
msijd dw mulW bhuqwq iv`c pujwrI vwlw rol hI kr rhy hn[pUjw iv`c pwTW dIAW iekoqrIAW clw id`qIAW[Awm SrDwlU nUM gurbwxI
Sbd hI sMsikRq dw hY Aqy sMsikRq ihMdU Drm Anuswr dyv BwSw pwT dy nyVy nw l`gx id`qw ik qusIN pwT Su`D nhIN kr skdy, swfy
hY[kroVW hI dyvI dyvqy mMny gey hn Aqy hryk dI v`K v`K FMg Aqy fyry dy pwTI tkswlI hn, aunHW qoN pwT krvwE qW kwrj rws
hoxgy[ies lwlc Aqy vihm iv`c lok pujwrIAW qoN hI pwT ArdwsW jI dI inrol bwxI dw pRcwr krnw koeI gunwh hY? ijs krky
krwaux l`g pey[ guris`K ivdvwnW dI zbwn Aqy klm bMd krvweI jw rhI
hY[rsmI AKMf pwT kr krvw ky mwieAw iek`TI krnI pUjw-
iPr isMG sBw lihr au~TI aus ny kukrmI mhMqW nUM qW Drm pujwrIvwd nhIN qW hor kI hY?
AsQwnW iv`coN k`F id`qw ikauNik mhMq nrYxU vrgy SryAwm
gurduAwirAW iv`c SrwbW pIx Aqy kMjrIAW ncwaux l`g pey pUjx vwilAW nUM drd BrI pukwr-sdw Xwd r`Ko “pUjw Akwl
sn[ieauN mhMqW dy Drm AsQwnW iv`coN k`Fy jwxy krky kuJ smW is`K kI, prcw Sbd dw, iddwr ^wlsy dw” hI is`KI isDWq hY[pUjw-
mrXwdw bhwl rhI pr fyirAW dy pVHy rwgI gRMQI vI pujwrIAW vwlw pujwrIvwd is`KI dw isDWq nhIN bwhroN AweI Amrvyl hY jo is`KI
rol hI Adw krdy sn[hOlI hOlI ienHW ny Awpxy Awp nUM sMq dy vDdy Puldy bUty nUM idno-idn KweI jw rhI hY[is`K ikrqI hY,
khwauxw SurU kr id`qw[ijs dw is`tw nklI inrMkwrI, rwDw suAwmI, syvwdwr hY, nwm rsIAw hY, isiKAwrQI hY, jQydwr hY, srdwr hY,
AwSUqoS, BinAwry vwlw, phyvy vwlw, srsy vwlw bhurUpIAw swD Aqy fwktr, ieMnjInIAr, swieMsdwn, ivigAwnI, KyfwrI, ispwhI,
AnykW hor fyry Aqy sMpRdweI Awpo AwpxI mrXwdw clw ky is`K POjI, ShId, pRcwrk, ilKwrI Aqy vwpwrI qW ho skdw hY pr
sMgq nUM gumrwh krky dohIN h`QIN lu`t rhy hn[Awpxy Awp nUM m`Qy pujwrI-sMpRdweI nhIN[pUjw-pujwrIvwd dw jUlw mnu`Kqw dy gloN
itkwauxy qy Awpxy crnW dI pUjw vI krvwaux l`g pey[ihMdU grUAW-BgqW ny lwihAw sI jo A`j iPr pwieAw jw irhw hY[ies
pujwrIAW dI qrHW vr srwp dyxy SurU kr id`qy[qrHW qrHW dIAW DUp qoN bcx dI AiqAMq loV hY[pujwrIvwd dw suMfw is`KI isDWqW dy
sm`grIAW nwl gurU gRMQ swihb jI dI pUjw krxI krvwauxI AwrMB hirAwvl pìqAW nUM bVI bydrdI nwl KweI jw irhw hY[bcxw hY
kr id`qI Bwv is`K sMgqW nUM vI gurU gRMQ jI nUM bu`qW dI qrHW pUjx qy qW Awp pwT-kIrqn-kQw burbwxI dI ivcwr inqw pRqI kro inrw
lw id`qw[mnGVq swKIAW suxw suxw Awpxy v`fy sMqW nUM hI mhWrwj pujwrIAW qy hI ifpYNf nW hoey rho[A`j gurU gRMQ swihb jI qy pUrn
kihx qy khwaux l`g pey[iPr gRMQIAW dy rUp iv`c mhWn qKqW qy Brosw r~Kxvwly mweI-BweI hryk jQybMdI nUM ie`kmu`T ho ky pwKMfI
vI jw ibrwjy Aqy isMG sBw dy moFIAW pRo. gurmuK isMG vrigAW nUM swDW Aqy hMkwrI pujwrIAW dy ivrùD Avwz bulMd krky pujwrIvwd
qKqW qoN Pqvy jwrI kr ky pMQ coN Cyk id`qw[iPr bwAd iv`c ig. dI pRQw hI bMd kr dyxI cwhIdI hY[ies iv`c hI gurU pMQ blik
Bwg isMG AMbwly vrgy au~ckotI dy ivdvwn nUM vI pMQ coN Kwrj kr srb`q dw Blw hY ikauNik guris`K nUM swry krm Drm gurmiq
id`qw[AYs vyly bhuqwq is`KW iv`c ibprn kIAW rIqW hI c`l rhIAW Anuswr krn dw pUrn AiDkwr hY[hryk guris`K gurbwxI dw pwT,
hn[Awpxy Awp nUM pMQ dIAW isrmOr jQybMdIAW AKvwaux vwlIAW kIrqn, kQw ivcwr Aqy Ardws Awp kr skdw hY[ijs idn
tkswlW, sMpRdwvW Aqy fyry bhuqw krky bRwhmxI krmkWf (ibpr hryk mweI BweI ieh krm Awp krn l`g ipAw pujrIvwd Awpxy
rIqW) hI krI krweI jw rhy hn[jd ienHW ibpr rIqW dy ivru`D Awp hI bMd ho jwvygw[ienHW ivcwrW qy gOr krnw jI[sMprk leI
ie`k pRvwsI BwrqI knyfw invwsI sR. gurbKS isMG “kwlw 510-432-5827 qy Pon kr skdy ho[pVHn Aqy suJwA dyx leI
APgwnw” ny jordwr Avwz auTwauNdy hoey “ibprn kI rIq” pusqk bhuq bhuq DMnvwd!
ds BwgW iv`c ilK ky is`K kOm nUM jwgirk krn dI kiTn koiSS
kIqI qW vydWqI vrgy pujwrIAW ny aus dw p`K suxy bgYr hI kuJku *****
bRwhmxvwdI sMpRdwvW dy dbwA krky bVI bydrdI nwl pMQ coN Cyk
id`qw[rozwnw spoksmYn dy sMcwk qy sMpwdk sR. joigMdr isMG jo dws gurduAwrw sRI pMjw swihb ivc bYT ky kIrqn
pypr rwhIN s`c dI Avwz bulMd krky is`K sMgq nUM vihm Brm,
sRvx kr irhw sI [ rwgI swihbwn Awpxy rol qy Aw rhy sn
krmkWf C`fx leI AwpxI Aqy Awpxy ivdvwn kyKkW dI lyKxI
rwhIN isAwsI AwgUAW dy pol KolH rhy sn Aqy sR. gurbKS isMG jI qy kIrqn krn qON bwd auT ky clY jWdy [ dws soc irhw sI
“kwlw APgwnw” vrgy au~c kotI dy ivdvwnW, jo kyvl qy kyvl gurU ik ieh ikaN auT rhy hn [ ieqny ivc ,iek sPyd bwxy dw
gRMQ swihb jI dy isDWq dw pRcwr krdy hn, dIAW kRWqIkwrI kIrqnI jQw AwieAw [ ienHW dw bwxw bhuq swP suQrw qy
rcnwvW nUM “spoksmYn” iv`c Cwpxw SurU kr id`qw qW ienHW
sohxw lg irhw sI swirAW dI nzr ies jQy vl nUM pY rhI
bRwhmxvwdI pujwrIAW dw huknwmy rUp kuhwVw spoksmYn dy muK
sMpwdk sR. joigMdr isMG qy vI c`l igAw[A`j ieh pujwrI dsm sI [ jQy ny kIrqn SurU kIqw qy kIrqn dy nwl nwl sMgq dI
gRMQ vrgI ASlIl rcnw nUM gurU dI bwxI dy brwbr drjw dy ky mihmw bwry bhuq cMgw vIcwr kIqw [ sMgq BI juVI hoeI sI [
gurUAW BgqW dI bwxI gurU gRMQ swihb jI qy vI AwpxI hauNmY BrI kIrqn dI smwpqI qON bwd jQy ny iek dm Klo ky mQw
DONk dw kuhwVw clw rhy hn[ienHW nUM ieh gurU dw hukm “gurU
tyikAw qy Awpxy kmry nUM cl pey [
mwinEN gRMQ” Bul igAw hY jW iksy swijs sdkw “AKOqI dsm
gRMQ” vrgI ASlIl pusqk nUM r`bI igAwn dy BMfwr gurU gRMQ dws hYrwn pRYswn rih igAw qy QoVw bhuq KPw BI
swihb jI dy bwrbr pRkwS kr rhy hn[gurU gRMQ swihb jI nUM mMnx hoieAw ik horW nUM sMgq bwry qW bhuq aupdys dyNdy hn pr
vwilAW nUM pMQ coN Cykx dy AwdyS id`qy jw rhy hn Aqy “AKOqI Awp Aml nhIN krdy [gurU swihb jI Purmwn krdy hn:
gMdIAW kivqwvW nwl Bry gRMQ” dw pRkwS qy pwT krn vwilAW nUM
Avr aupdysy Awp nw kry ] Awvq jwvq jnmY mry [
isropy id`qy jw rhy hn[ieh pujwrIvwd dI is`Kr nhIN ik ie`k vI
AnUp isMG , pwiksqwn 0304 998 6666
fyrydwr, sMpRdweI jW bwdl p`KI jo fyrwvwd nUM bVwvw idMdw hY Aqy
Akwl qKq dI mrXwdw dIAW D`jIAW aufw ky SryAwm aulMgxw
krdw hY nUM kdy AwdyS dy ky pMQ coN CyikAw hovy[kI gurU gRMQ swihb *****
LOST IN HISTORY – 1984 RECONSTRUCTED - A book by Gunisha Kaur

Published by Sikh Youth Federation, Toledo, Ohio, 6863 Cloister Road, Toledo, OH, 43617, USA in 2004. ISBN 0-9762682-0-5
Young Gunisha Kaur is a first generation Diaspora Sikh. She graduated from High School in 2002. She started researching human
rights violations in India during her high school years. An earlier version of this book won her the Joanne Champion Granger Award
in 2002. This version of the book was published in 2004. The book is extremely well researched with 270 references. Even so the book
is so well written that it conveys auth1or’s message in only 83 pages. Having published books in English with Diaspora Sikh youth in
mind, this writer is painfully aware that we as a community are allergic to reading. Secondly, although many of us are fully aware of
the problems facing the community, primarily because of morally corrupt and spiritually bankrupt leadership of our historical political
and religious organizations, and eager to verbalize what is wrong, but then we turn around and warmly welcome the same corrupt
leaders to our Gurdwaras and homes; most recent case in point is the invitation to Vedanti, the corrupt jathedar of Akal Takhat, by the
leadership of new Gurdwara in Kerman, California. Gunish Kaur, at very young age, is cognizant of the fact that as a community we
do not speak out and get involved in issues that are of vital interest to the well being of the community when she writes, “Sitting in the
comfort of our homes, it is easy to bestow the responsibility of taking action on others”. Any effort that is being made in the area of
concern for the Sikhs, both in India and in Diaspora, is attributable to a few individuals and a few very small groups working
independently and in isolation. Our traditional historical institutions such as SGPC and Akal Takhat have fallen into wrong hands and
the tragedy is that the vast majority of the followers of the religion that gave high priority to critical thinking (bibek budhi) have taken
leave of their budhi, otherwise how does one explain fights in Gurdwaras over langar hukamnama and invitations to the likes of
Vedanti to inaugurate new Gurdwaras in Diaspora. “Today the Sikh Panth is house divided. For this we have no one to blame but
ourselves. So long as there is lack of unity in Sikh Panth, we have no friends. But the day the Sikh Panth is united, we will have
no enemies.” This statement was part of ‘Roseville, California Declaration’ passed as a resolution at the First International
Conference on Sikh Identity held at the Sikh Center Roseville, California, USA, on Saturday, Nov. 20, 1999. It was true then
and it is true today. Had we been united, no Tom, Dick and Harry (Gurmeet, Ram and Rahim) would dare to insult our Gurus and
deny our distinct identity. Gunisha Kaur has extensively used actual quotes from the reports on 1984 genocide by reputable
organizations. Here we quote two of them from The Citizens for Democracy, comprised of a retired Supreme Court Justice and five
other Indian citizens, only one of whom is a Sikh. “Today, it is the State itself which openly indulges not only in murder and assault,
but also in inhumane torture, molestation of women non-production of the accused before a magistrate, destruction of crops, frequent
raids, and harassment of the friends and relatives of the accused and false encounters leading to gruesome deaths.”… “India is the only
country which did not sign the new UN convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment as punishment.
The rulers who say that they believe in democracy, secularism, freedom of worship, social justice, and human rights have themselves
enacted black laws and have let loose unabashed State terrorism which has been unleashed specially on the Sikhs-because they are
Sikhs”. Hardev Singh Shergill [Note: This book can be ordered from The Sikh Youth Federation for $6.00 plus postage.<[email protected]>
Khalsa Tricentennial Foundation of North America Inc.

3524 Rocky Ridge Way
El Dorado Hills, Ca 95762
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The Sikh Bulletin jyT-hwV 539 May-June 2007

The Sikh Bulletin

In This Issue/qqkrw DERA “SACHA SAUDA” CHIEF A RELIGIOUS “QUACK”.

K. T. F. of N. A. Inc. 3524 Rocky Ridge Way, El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762 1

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, incidentally, also had the same

Today the Nankana Sahib Estate consists of about 16,962

The family had directly managed and looked after this

MURDER CASE AGAINST SIRSA DERA CHIEF

Accusing the Congress

The movement against gurudom and dera culture must not be

The BJP’s blinkered vision needs condemnation. Sant Jarnail

We request the main political party presently forming the

ANTICS OF GURMEET RAM RAHIM SINGH

Historically, a number of groups emerged from time to time

LOST IN HISTORY – 1984 RECONSTRUCTED - A book by Gunisha Kaur

Khalsa Tricentennial Foundation of North America Inc.

K. T. F. of N. A. Inc. 3524 Rocky Ridge Way, El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762 32

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