Before the planned attack on Darbar Sahib in Amritsar and forty other Gurdwaras all over Punjab, by the government of India in June 1984, the Sikh political and religious organizations of Punjab took very little interest in the affairs of Sikhs living outside of India. Similarly. Sikhs outside India were not overly concerned with Sikh politics in Punjab But, religious and sentimental attachment to the land of the Sikh Gurus was always in existence in the most profound and reverential manner Political interest by despotic Sikhs intensified in the early 1980’s, when certain religious, political and economic concerns were made apparent by the Dharam Yudh Morcha, guided by Akali leaders with forceful assistance from Sant Jamail Singh Bhindranwale. However, the government of India through foreign officers, had been closely monitoring the activities of Sikhs in other countries. The objective behind this was to build a base upon which support could be rallied from the Sikh community, when needed
In the first 60 years of the 20th century, thousands or Sixties settled along the western coast of North America and later in the United Kingdom. Those early Sikh settlers were in touch with the Sikh political and religious activities in Punjab us Akali Dal, Shromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and Congress Sikh leaders had been visiting their cities. In the late 1960’s and 1970’s, a large wave of Sikh immigrants from Punjab and parts of Africa began making their way to Canada and the USA and settled in all parts of North America. A fair number of Sikh families who had been settled in the UK since the 1950’s immigrated to North America, as well. As a result, a sizeable Sikh population was in evidence by the In 1970’s. Sikh Gurdwaras were being built by communities in all parts of North America Sikhs were always conscious of maintaining their religious and cultural values and identity. An important aspect of this effort was the passing on of Sikh beliefs and practices 10 upcoming generations. In order 10 achieve these objectives, the late 1970’s and early 1980’s witnessed the holding of regional and national conferences and the establishment of national Sikh organizations, whose mandate was to ensure that Sikh interests were protected, at all levels of government During this period some difficulties arose in trying to organize the Sikhs interpret Sikhines and religious practices. Answers and directions were sought, by North American Sikh Ieaders from religious organizations in Panjab, Once no answer was received and when a response did arrive it was more vague than not. The focling was that the affairs – both religious and political of the Canadian and American disported Sikh community were of no concern to the Sikh religious bodies In Punjab. The few responses were polite and told Sikhs to make whatever decisions they felt would be in the best interest of each respective Sangat. This was unsatisfactory as it was impossible to rationalize that there could be more than one interpretation of Sikhienets or practices for Sikhs.
The events of 1984 changed the priorities and attitudes of Sikhs within and outside of India. The armed attack on Darbar Sahib, by the government of India made it abundantly clear that the Sikh religion was in as much danger within Punjab – the heartland of the Sikhs – as it was outside of Punjab Operation Blue Star was nothing less than the placement of the proverbial dagger into the hearts of Sikhs worldwide. It was the second time, since 1947 that the Sikh Nation was forced for cases its future Questions of preservation of religion and promotion of values were foremost in the minds of all Sikhs. The only rational and logical solution seemed to indicate that the creation of a Sikh ‘Homeland was necessary, in order to preserve the heritage of the Gurus and Sikhism. The establishment of Khalisian is viewed as being the most important means of survival for Sikhism. Though some people may argue about the size of a Sikh state, it is imperative to recognize that Sikhs require a place – however small – in the world, which they can relate to and claim as the center for their religion and culture. The impact of Operation Blue Star lost all Sikhs religious orphans particularly those outside of India. These disported Sikhs were oppressed by the government of India in numerous ways No person was expected to express any opinion regarding attacks upon religious shrines or indulines of their coreligionists. If opinions did surface, cheap tactics in the form of Vica denials to India and the closing-off of access to holy and precious sites were used. As well, the Indian relatives of despotic Sikh activists were often ha Tassed and persecuted. Visiting Nanakana Sahib and Panja Sahib in Pakistan became more appealing as it was safer than visiting Darbar Sahib in Punjab, India
Before 1984, religious and political Sikh lenders within Punjab. came to North America and the United Kingdom for entertainment or as tourists, mainly to visit families turned friends, A significant change was seen in the attitudes of Sikh Ieaders of Punjab and in the government of India, in 1984 Suddenly, both Sikh sympathizers of the government of India and religious and political leaders of Punjab began to focus their attention on those Sikhs living outside India. The government of India has spent and is still spending millions of dollars in an effort to monitor and control the activities of Sikhs outside India. Pro-Sikh leaders started pouring into North America and the Sikh diaspora looked towards them for help and guidance Unfortunately, some of these leaders badly misled and divided the Sikh community for their own selfish motives. Subsequently the community’s energies were put towards hollow slogans and petty rivalries, while some lenders were responsible for the collection of unaccountable sums of money. This has left the Sikh community outside of India in no better a position than the Sikhs and different parties in Punjab. It is hoped that the lessons and experiences of the last ten years will allow the Sikhs within and outside of India to finally unite 10gother, to design a course and plan for achieving a safe place of their own. This would be a place where the Sikhs of Punjab could enjoy the freedoms of religion, speech and expression and a place where Sikhs beyond could refer to as their space of religious radiance and historical/cultural roots.
Two recent events have heralded more optimism and fresh times for the future. Ono was the visit made by Singh Sahib Professor Manjit Singh, Acting Jathedar of Akal Takhat, in July-August 1994 10 North America and the United Kingdom and the other is the upcoming event titled ‘Global Sikh Meet’ – to be held in February 1995. Guru Hargobind, the founder of the Akal Takht formalized the concepts of Miri (temporal Buthority) and Piri (spiritual authority) as conceived earlier by Guru Nanak The relationship between the two concepts symbolizes the interdependency of religion and politics. Therefore, in Keeping with this principle, the Jathedar of the Akal Takhat should be the custodian of Sikh spiritual and temporal values. However during his visit, Singh Sahib stressed the spiritual teachings more so than the temporal values of the Sikhs. His reasons for doing so are not entirely clear but some may speculate that it was a wise diplomatic move, under the present political atmosphere in Punjab Nonetheless, his visit helped to bring the Sikhs of Punjab and North America closer. The open invitation presented by President Tohra to the Sikhs of the world, to come to Amritsar to discuss various social, political, economic and religious challenges facing the Sikh Nation, is once again a first. It is the first time that the Sikh religious body, inside of India has included Sikhs outside of India, as part of the Khalsa Panth
It is about time that Sikhs outside India should be recognized as equal partners and participants in policy-making and decision-making for the future of the Khalsa Panth. It is imperative that the diasporic Sikhs are officially represented on the Sikh religious organizations of Punjab, so that energies of this large population of Sikhs can be best channeled for the welfare of the Sikh Nation. The formalization of a mechanism for this representation should be one of the main objectives of the upcoming Global Sikh Meet” The decisions approved at the “Global Sikh Moctare expected to be the voice of the gross roots of the Khalsa Panth all over the world and should reject the wisdom of the Sikh leaders and the long and short term directions for the Sikh Nation.
Sikhs outside India are looking towards the Akal Takht and the Sikh religious body-the Shromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and Akali leadership to collectively resolve, in no uncertain terms that a Sikh Homeland is required for the preservation of the Sikh identity and for the promotion of the philosophy and ideology of the Sikh Gurus. Sikhs living outside India are ready to engage in the struggle for this objective and are willing to use their economic and political force, if necessary. This is not the first time that various religious and clinic diasporas have laded their brothers and sisters back home in achieving their goals and aspirations. Unless the Sikhs of Punjab agree to cooperate, Sikhs outside will not be able to mobilize outside forces and powers, in an effort to achieve the Nation’s objective of establishing an Independent Sikh Homeland, Sikhs outside India are as divided as those in Punjab but they are looking for unity and guidance from their direct or indirect contacts in India. The glue which is needed to unite the Sikhs of the world can only be provided by the Sikh Ieaders of Punjab and the responsibility to create this glue, rests on their shoulders. Then and only then will Sikhs inside and outside of India be able to work together and fully utilize all resources at their command towards achieving the creation of an Independent.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 10, 1995
