A great deal of controversy was raised among Sikhs in Punjab recently on reconstruction of the Akal Takhat at Amritsar. Damdami Taksal headed by Baba Thakur Singh made it known that it would like to resume the voluntary construction program that had been interrupted in May 1987 in the wake of India’s military-commando aggression on the holy complex known as operation “black thunder”. Taksal is one of the leading Sikh religious institutions amply qualified to lead the “kar seva” of Akal Takhat. But it is not the only institution to claim a monopoly of the program. Babbar Khalsa International and the Panthic Committee headed by Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahal as well as Akhand Kirtani Jatha and other groups could not be kept out of reckoning on the issue just as those groups need not criticize in public the historic role played by the Taksal especially in recent times under the dynamic leadership of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. What was, therefore, required was a consensus among all major Sikh organizations. It is a matter of satisfaction that the Panthic committee associated with Dr.Sohan Singh and others took a consistently wise line of building up wide consensus among Sikhs so that the long delayed reconstruction of the Akal Takhat is resumed and the work finished as early as possible. S.G.P.C. chief Baldev Singh Sibias behind the scenes efforts to minimize the area or disagreement on the issue also deserves to be mentioned as positive. Thus the reconstruction program has been entrusted to a five member committee of Sikh sants namely Baba Thakur Singh, Baba Jagtar Singh Tarn Taran, Baba Dewan Singh Khan Chhabri, Baba Harbhajan Singh Paonta Saheb and Baba Darshan Singh Ghanupurkale.

The controversy on the “kar seva” issue should become a thing of the past. If necessary a few more Sikh personalities with a record of service in the sphere of Gurdwara building and management could be associated with the committee. It should be remembered that the place became holy because of its association with the sixth guru, Hargobind Saheb. By raising the immortal throne just in front of the Golden Temple, Guru Hargobind Saheb left a message to the Sikh nation to aspire for and work towards the creation of Sikh political power which should operate in conformity with the overall scheme of the Sikh religion That is precisely what the Sikh nation, particularly its youths, are doing today against heavy odds unknown to the world outside.

A welcome trend towards the acceptance of Khalistan as the Sikh nation’s immediate goal and militant groups as legitimate Sikh leadership had grown on the eve of the controversy on “kar seva”. It was perhaps intended to take the focus away from the Sikh goal as well as the Sikh leadership. That should not be allowed to happen. It should be remembered that vast section of dedicated Sikhs are today compelled to live underground. They have every right to participate in “kar seva” but they are not likely to get that opportunity for quite some time. Those participating in “kar seva” should not forget the great contribution being made by the underground movement towards the achievement of the Sikh goal. Therefore any move on the part of Delhi’s lobby among Sikhs to corner the glory and publicity under the banner of “kar seva” should be frustrated by the common Sikhs.

The resumption of “kar seva” should not radiate thoughts that the old type “normalcy had come about and that the rebuilt Akal Takhat faces no danger of destruction at th hands of Hindu fundamentalists. Only a sovereign Sikh political power can guarantee safety and glory to the immortal throne of Hargobind Saheb. At the same time the innocent Sikh youths should be warned against approaching the place because the Indian state will use it to catch them. Thus the schemes of the enemies of the Sikhs to use “kar seva” as a tray should be frustrated by the organizers of “kar seva” as well as militant leadership. This cone of the key lessons of the 198586 “*kar seva” and the subsequent Indian attack, The Indian state today is far more vicious than what it was five years ago. It appears to have come to secret terms with certain super powers that no longer care for Sikhs human rights Situation within India is also heavily tilted against minorities now than ever before. The treatment meted out to Simranjit Singh Mann should serve as afresh reminder. He was way to Ayodhia to hold talks with Muslim leaders so that joint measures were taken to prevent the possible destruction of Babri mosque there, But the Indian state in U.E arrested him without any provocation and forced him to go back to Punjab. Those engage in “kar seva” of Akal Takhat will have to remember the world politics as well as the India states politics, It is a mistake to harp on this or that organization being “purely religious Politics as well as religion must remain in proper focus while performing “kar seva” at Amritsar

Article extracted from this publication >> November 1, 1991