Dear Editor, take: ‘exception to your prejudiced and inflammatory essay on gurdwaras in N. America being con: i alleged Khalistani supporters. Unlike the Gurdwaras in India that have long been infiltrated by the Indian government agents who have installed anti Sikh leaders, the Gurdwaras abroad are very much democratic and yes very out spoken ‘and will continue to be so.
Gurdwaras (their mini-parliaments ‘since they do not have one) where do you expect them to speak about the rave human right violations taking place in India from the last 12 years? Where should they speak about tens of thousands of young Sikhs who have been eliminated by the Punjab Police in encounters, or in the hell holes of India where third do; torture means are used for forcible ‘confessions, all in the name of containing alleged militancy? If Sikhs do not speak now during the gravest crisis facing the community since Indian partition when do you expect them to speak? What has India done to heal their wounds other than using few misguided Sikhs to demolish them further?
Indian government is fully responsible for creating the problem of Khalistan for the wanton, brutal attack on the Golden Temple, the Sikh massacre following Indira’s death, for failure to address grievances of the Sikh community from the last two decades and for prolonging the problem.
Dear Editor:
On behalf of the Sikh Nation, [would like to let you know that Angeline Malhotra Singh’s article (“Mourning the Hijacked Gurdwaras,” February 18) was offensive and full of inaccuracies. ‘The claim that Gurdwaras have been “hijacked” by Sikhs who speak out for the freedom and dignity is contrary to the teaching of the Gurus and the views of the Sikh Nation.
The article’s opening quote is taken ‘out of context. Malhotra Singh quotes Porsrand singh either of Gurdwara in India and Around the World, as follows:” Since Guru Nanak neither ttimed at establishing a new religion or aspired to a divine status of himself, an edifice to enshrine his ideals ‘was not on his agenda.” The same Claim can be made about Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, and all the great religious teachers of the world. But Patwant Singh goes on to say that “The Gurdwara would fill that role much later, as Sikhism developed into a distinct religion in its own right.” Remember Bhai Gurdas wrote, “Marya ‘Sikka Jagat Witch Nanak Nimal Panth Chalaya,” i.e. Guru Nanak started a pure religion.
Guru Nanak taught the brotherhood ‘of man and opposed religious bigotry and the caste system. In that light, how can any Sikh defend the genocidal oppression against the Sikh Nation by the Indian regime which has resulted in the killing of over 150,000 Sikhs since 984? The Indian regime has also killed more than 200,000 Christians in Nagaland since 1947, over 43,000 Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, and tens of thousands of Assamiese, Manipuris, and others, Dalits have been killed by the thousands. On behalf of the Sikh Nation, f condemns these killings.
Malhotra Singh speaks of “the traditional separation of miri (spiritual power) from miri (temporal/worldly concerns).” But miri and miri are traditionally intertwined, Spiritual power ‘and temporal power cannot be separated because spiritual power is the root of worldly ‘power. Without political power, nations have been cardigan as the Indian regime is trying to eradicate the Sikh Nation today. Private Gurdwaras Cosigned to ex-clued the Sangat from management are absolutely contrary to the Guru’s teaching. Gurdwaras belong to the Khalsa Panth through the Sangal, not to a small clique of private individuals. Sikhs worked hard to insure this. Since Sikhs view all people as brothers and sisters, the openness of the Gurdwara to everyone is essential to the practice of Sikhism. The only ones who benefit from private Gurdwaras are the Indian regime and its agents. Remember that the Gurdwaras were freed from the Mahants. Who had private ownership of Gurdwaras and were backed by the British government.
It is well known that Indian agents have infiltrated many Gurdwaras in order to create friction and monitor the activities of those Sikhs who speak out for freedom and dignity for the Sikh Nation. This is the cause of violence in the Gurdwaras. The fact that the major ‘trouble spots are the Gurdwaras in cities where the Indian regime has consulates, shows that it is the regime, not the Sikhs, who are the source of trouble, To rectify this situation, honest and sincere religious Sikhs should come forward and offer their services as managers of the Gurdwaras according to the principles of Sikhism. This will free the Gurdwaras from interference by Indian government agents, The Sangat should be vigilant at all times as it is their duty to manage the Gurdwaras. Every Sikh family should be active politically and religiously. That is how we insure a bright future for the Sikh Nation.
‘The Gurdwara is the spiritual and social center of the Sikh religion. It is where Sikhs gather. Where else would ‘one go to speak to the Sikh Nation about the necessity for a free Khalistan? If the Sikh Nation is to reclaim its freedom, we must speak out and organize, Those Sikhs who prefer to support the Indian oppressors are free to stay home if they are uncomfortable, ‘but they will not be excluded from the Gurdwara when they choose to worship Waheguru with their fellow Sikhs. Like the former Soviet Union, India is destined to collapse, Khalistan will be free by the 300th birthday of the Sikh Nation in 1999, As soon as the Indian regime recognizes this reality, peace will return to the Gurdwaras as the Gurus intended.
Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh President. Council of Khalistan.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 20, 1996
