More than 500 years ago, Guru Nanak established Sikhism with its independent identity and doctrines in contradiction to all earlier Indian traditions, Initial Canadian exposure of the Sikhs was generated by Sikh troops or by Sikh companies of friends and relatives Daring (Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, Sikh regiments passed through Canada which probably initiated the Sikh migration. Six thousand Sikh pioneers entered 4 between 1903 and 1908 in a comparatively unregulated immigration, 3,000 Sikhs crossed the border of the United States at this Time.

Sikhs worked hard in their fight against racial discrimination and immigration bans and carried out a liberation Struggle for India from ‘Canada and the United States under ‘the serious threat of political surveillance by British across North America, The pioneer Sikhs in ‘Canada went through the political Climate with racial conflicts in British Columbia and also underwent Asiatic riots during a major depression which hit North America in 1907 and 1908. Pioneer Sikhs went through the difficulties of solidarity, but continued to have strong the Waheguru and the independent identity the Sikhs. The Sikhs established the Khalsa Diwan Society in 1907, By 1920 Gurdwaras been erected in Vancouver, New west minister, Victoria, Nanaimo, Golden, Abbotsford, Fraser Mills, Paldi, The Sikh migration continued during the First and Second World War and later.

In order to promote better understanding of Sikhism in Canada, the Sikh Community, under the Federation of Sikh Societies, established a Sikh Chat rat UBC with the General Objective of to initiate, maintain and promote instruction and research undergraduate and graduate levels in the areas of  Punjabi Literature, Sikhism doctrine, religious practice and philosophy), Sikh History and other aspects of Sikh Studies such as Sikhs in Canada, The money for this chair was paid by the Sikhs as well as by the multicultural department. UBC in 1987 selected Dr. Harjot Oberoi for this chair. Unfortunately, the Sikh community did not have any control on this appointment.

 Dr. Oberoi took this assignment, but completely failed to follow the general objectives of the chair. Some dedicated Silks took notice of his published work and his biased academic inclinations and wanted to have a dialogue with him in an academic forum, So, he was invited for a Sikh conference at Long Beach, California (1988), but declined the invitation. Again in 1990, Canadian Sikh Study and Teaching Society arranged a conference at UBC and invited him, but he failed to show up in that conference. Dr. Oberoi’s book “Construction of Religious Boundaries” was released in February of 1994, Sikh intellectuals across North America Saw his book at a motivated attempt to distort Sikh History, Another attempt Was made to have 4 dialogue with him and again Canadian Sikh Study and Teaching Society arranged an Academic conference at UBC (May 7, 1994), Dr. Oberoi was invited to present the findings of his new book, but he again opted to decline this invitation.

The following authors have reviewed his previous articles and presentations and have given a Sikh perspective about his writings: Dr. Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon: Punjab University, Chandigarh, Dr. Noel King, Santa Cruz, California; Dr. Gurbax Singh Gill: Ph.D., Ohio State University; Dr. Kharak Singh Mann: Ph.D., Ohio State University.

The above work has been published in the following books:

Advanced Studies in Sikhism (1989)

Fundamental Issues in Sikh Studies (1992)

Recent Researchers in Sikhism

(1992)

The above books and published Work have been previously submitted to UBC and Dr. Oberoi, Dr. Oberoi never took notice of such Suggestions given to him by the Sikh academicians. The real issue is attempted academic suppression and not a question of academic freedom of expression, His new book “Construction of Religious Boundaries” is anything but a compilation of his previously published articles and presentations. This book has already been reviewed by the following authors, who consider it to be, a knowingly and willful attack on the: independent Sikh identity:

Dr. Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon: Punjab University

Dr. Balkar Singh; Punjabi University

Dr. Sulakhan Singh Mann; Gun Nanak Dev University

Dr.J. Singh: New York University

Dr. Surinder Singh Sodhi. Dalhousie University, Halifax

Dr. Anurupita Kaur: Punjab University

Sardar Gurtej Singh; Nat’l Professor of Sikhism

Sardar Iqbal Singh Sara: Barrister and Solicitor, BC

Dr. Jasbir Singh Mann: Center of Sikh Studies, Santa Ana, CA.

The conclusion of the above author’s ii that Oberoi has applied Judo-Christian principles to Sikh Studies which are phenomenal based religions, Sikhism is a revelatory religion with its scripture authenticated by the living prophet. When such a test is applied to Oberoi’s description of plurality, ambiguity, and fluidity as related to Sikhism, the terms used by him become meaningless and irrelevant.

His formulations are based on Dr. McLeod’s methodologies which have been repeatedly questioned as inadequate; Dr. Oberoi has completely ignored the work of well-known academicians of the last decade, for example, Professor Ganda Singh. Professor Harbans Singh, Professor Han Ram Gupta, Balkar Singh Dr.Darshan Singh, Dr. Avtar Singh, Dr. Gurnam Kaur,

Dr. Nirbair Singh, and Dr. Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon, He completely reflects ample historical evidence of the distinctive character of Sikhism during the Guru Period and afterwards, He completely fails to reveal independent Studies by Mohsin Fani, Kazi Nur

Muhammed, and Bute Shah, He has suppressed the work of H.A, Rose, which clearly shows that there was enmity between the Sikhs, Who did not worship Sakhi Sarvar and the Hindus who believed in Sakhi Sarvar, He miserably suppresses the details of the mainstream Singh Sabha movement and totally ignores the great role by their leaders in reviving Sikhism with the Strength of Sikh ideology. He only presents a minority schismatic group, led by Khem Singh Bedi and Avtar Singh Vihiria. He completely ignores the well-defined religious boundaries in India’s 900 million people connected to Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism, He knowingly and willfully suppresses the historically well-established Sikh Doctrine of sanctification of Guru Granth in 1708 by Sikh sources, Persian sources, Mughal sources, historians of Ranjit Singh period, Hindu writers, and European Sources. Since 1988, Sikh community and Sikh scholarship has given Dr. Oberoi invitations to come and sit and share his opinions and academic findings. He has completely ignored such invitations and academic review of his work has shown that it is a motivated attempt to dissolve Sikh identity and Sikh ideology which is new and is in contradiction to all earlier Indian traditions; The real issue is academic suppression, intellectual dishonesty, and corruption of soul. He has violated the Sikh religious code and the Akal Takhat at Amritsar is the highest authority who can only resolve this issue.

Provided by: Jasbir Singh,

Canadian Sikh Study & Teaching Society

Article extracted from this publication >> July 29, 1994