CHANDIGARH: The Panthic Committee headed by Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahl has out-rightly rejected the theocratic concept of Khalistan in what it called as Khomenism.
In a message to Sikhs on the occasion of Hola Mohalla Baba Manochahl said some people consciously or unconsciously wanted to limit Sikhism to rigid Brahminical boundaries so that their dress language food and other day-today activities be pre-determined rigidly. These people forget the scientific humanistic and practical nature of Sikhism so these people put before the Sikhs a model which resembles traditional Islamic faith as followed by Khomeini. This kind of rigidity was opposed by our ten Gurus he said.
A rigid posture would also be contrary to our model of Khalsiyat democracy he said. Baba Manochahl categorically rejected the communist notion of rights of nations to self-determination saying we are pledged to establish a new humanistic society based on Khalsiyat democracy which our 10th good Lord Guru Gobind Singh propounded for the welfare of the people. Humanity cannot be confined in geographical regional or lingual boundaries. Man is a social animal and anybody professing humanistic concepts of Bani and Bana is included in the Khalsa Panth scattered all over the world.
The Panthic Panel chief asked traditional Akalis and students federations to accept the leadership of the Panthic Committee otherwise they would have to fend for themselves. He offered to reshuffle the Panthic Committee by calling another Sarbat Khalsa if and when fault was found with any Panel member.
In an indirect attack on Mann Baba Manochahl said Mann was as wise as Ram Rai who had distorted ‘Gurbani’ in front of Aurangzeb and tried to save his skin and declared how can we tolerate such people when they create confusion about our aims and aspirations before Delhi darbar. Debunking Mann’s thesis of the right to self-determination he reiterated his stand that he was ready for negotiations on an independent sovereign Khalistan with an all-party delegation authorized by Indian Parliament.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 8, 1991
