Recently in a radio phone in interview relayed to the people in Canada directly from India, Mr. Ramowalia, the Labor Minister of the Government of India, was asked, ““You have become Minister after taking an oath on the Constitution of India. The Constitution retains the Article 25. You five other Akali leaders have put this Article to fire. Now do you consider this Article as a just measure?”’ Mr. Ramowalia replied, “It is like this: at the time of putting the Article 25 to fire, I, S. Balwant Singh and S. Parkash Singh Badal thought we should not burn the Article 25, this is a wrong step. This means the Sikhs, Jainis and Bodhis equal Tights. No doubt it deems the background of Hindu Religion but it, also, accepts the individual status of the Sikhs. I asked it not to be torn. But they replied, as it puts Jainis and Bodhis at part, it must be torn off…When the party had decided… (We) were duty bound and it was torn. But according to my personal view, even at that time, the Article 25 (2) (b) is not wrong. Now everybody has acquiesced to the same and sworn on it.”(Verbatim quote)
Articles 25 states “(1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practices and propagate religion.
“(2) Nothing in this article
Shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any Law
“(a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or to the secular activity which may be associated with religious practice;
“(b) Providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindu.
“Explanations I the wearing and carrying of kirpan shall be deemed to be included in the profession of the Sikh religion.
“Explanation II In sub clause (b) of clause (2), the reference to Hindu shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jains or Buddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed accordingly.”
No doubt the Article 25 (2) (b) (leaving aside Explanations Tand I) was included to reward Dr. Ambedkar, and to woo the vote banks held by the Late Shri Jagjiwan Ram. A little addition to the Article 15 (2) (a) could have easily served the purpose. The addition of Explanations I and II was a clever, subtle and clandestine move of the Hindu mind at the helm of the power. Particularly for the Sikhs the policy of carrot and stick emerged with this; whereas the Sikhs, with shallow thinking, were pleased with the Explanation IJ, they never fathomed the clever intention of making them a part of Hinduism. They were, as a matter of fact, reprimanded, “Forget your “Ham Hindu Nahin.” (Reading this Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha’s soul must be in agony).
Only a few Sikhs, who were intelligent enough, comprehended the writing in between the lines and refused to acquiesce to the contents of the Explanation II at the time. But, unfortunately, even those were swayed by the economic gains at the end. The Sikhs along with Jains and Buddhists are made a part of Hindu religion, and their independent ideologies are decimated. The Jains and the Buddhists have accepted this disgraceful anomaly and have, willingly, obscured their own independent doctrines. But for the Sikhs to accept the “Explanation II’ is not only detrimental, but also humiliating: It eliminates the Sikhs ever claiming an independent entity let a longa Nationhood. It demeans all the efforts rendered and sacrifices made by Guru Gobind Singh to create a Sikh Nation.
Whatever prominence Mr. Ramowalia has achieved (according to his own acknowledgement) has come through the benevolence of the Akal Purkh and the Tenth Master. To put the creation of Tenth Master in the lap of the Hinduism is most sacrilegious. The Article 25 (2) (b) is not harmful, as he maintains and he may be night, but only if the “Explanation Il’ is not there. To earn the blessings of Tenth Master, as he aspires most of the time, at the least, he can arrange to move an amendment to delete the derogatory Explanation II.
Dear Editor,
Sat Siri Akal. I appreciate your efforts and continuous struggle to awaken and to inform our Sikh brothers all over the world about the true ideals of Sikh religion. I was pleased to read the letter written by Bhai Sahib Baldev Singh ji from Collegeville, PA, entitled “Sikhism and Pseudo Saints.” I cannot express my agreement in words and support his philosophy and ideas about these self-appointed contractors of religion. I support his ideas and I feel it is time we stand up and have discussions and debates with them and challenge their pseudo sainthood philosophy.
During the life ime of Gurus from Guru Nanak Dey ji (1469) to the death of Guru Gobind Singh ji (1708) not a single Sikh was given the title of the saint even though there were many deserving candidates. The word used by the Gurus to refer to these Guru Sikhs who demonstrated the highest ideals of Sikhism throughout their lives with Nam Japna, Kirat Karni, and Vand Chakna was Bhai. None of these pseudo saints fit in the ideals of Sikhism. Let us wake up to discuss debate and challenge them in the Sangats with reason and rationality.
It hurts me very much to see my Sikh brothers who are educated and intellectuals sitting quietly and see these pseudo saints distort and twist the ideals of Sikhism to their pawl glory and profit. I really with my brothers to come together to reiterate the true ideals of Sikh religion. If we go on sitting quietly and let them do their false preaching then we are not true to our Guru!
I am grateful to Bhai Baldev Singh ji and many others who are doing their best to challenge those pseudo saints and their personalized philosophy. Gurus showed us the true path of one God and freed us from the shackles of caste system, human pollution, and contractors of religion (The Brahmins) and pseudo saints. Hoping to hear from some brothers who might respond and get together, to do the Guru’s sewa.
With malice towards none. Thakar Kirpal Singh Grewal Merced, CA.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 21, 1996