Sir;
I read with great interest the page: ‘of World Sikh News (WSN) However, the article in the WSN dated February 28, 1992 “Relevance of Guru Gobind Singh’s teaching in 20th Century “America” written by Mohan S Kharbanda carried two factual errors. Commenting on thé Casteless Society, Kharbanda ‘wrote a strong statement stating that Mahatma Gandhi tried to under the Hindu Apartheid while “fighting the tyranny of the caste system when he called the untouched ables “Harijans or the children of God.” In other words, i the Indian subcontinent human rights historical data, according to Kharbanda, M.K .Gandhi’s accomplishments am at least equivalent to that of Guru Gobind Singh. Nothing could be further from the truth,
People may credit M.K .Gandhi for conceiving in original the word harijan (meaning children of God) given to the low caste Hindus. But this is not the case. The ‘world Harijan was given first by the Sikh Guna Guru Ram Das. Readers should read Guru Granth Sahib Page 861, Gaur Mohalla IV, Using Hindu fluidity and the Hindu Dharma of consciousness, Gandhi often used 10 pickup different phrases other religious scriptures. In that pursuit, he picked the word Harijan from Gura Granth, But remember, his ulterior motive was ‘never equality to the Harijans but rather a political move to the subdue their entrance to embrace Sikhism.
As far as the caste system goes, Gandhi even well into his fifties had accepted the caste system in to as the “natural order of society.” promoting control and discipline: Later on, Gandtryinn’ to reform Hinduism, favored milder treatment of untouchables by the upper caste Hindus. Re member again, that does not mean Gandhi broke the caste system. In ‘actuality, he remained stuck to the basic caste system all his life insisting that a man’s position and ‘occupation should be determined essentially by birth. A position that I consider quite opposite to the Sikh principles.
GB Singh
‘Waynesville, MO
Article extracted from this publication >> March 27, 1992
