This is with reference to the article by Satnam Khalsa of USA. (DV, March 1, p. 9). Sikhism is a sociopolitical movement mainly directed against the brahmanical stratification based on caste and aimed at reconstructing the society in favour of the oppressed.
It was Guru Nanak the founder Sikh Guru, who declared the caste ideology as perverse and aligned himself with the lowest of the low castes now known as the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Backward Castes (BCs). It was again he who institutionalized his anti-caste ideology into pangat and sangats which later on developed into a full-fledged casteless Sikh Panth.
The Khalsa panth abolished not only the caste system but the entire social order based on it. The Panth did away with all the three main components of caste system. The. Sikh eliminated the Brahmin as a caste or as heredity priest which is a total break from the caste society namely the Hindu society.
The Sikhs also rejected the brahminical policy of monopolizing military power by an upper caste oligarchy. People of all castes including the Untouchables, were freely admitted to the Khalsa fraternity and took part in its military campaigns as equal partners. Out of the first five recruits to the Khalsa (Panj Piaras) four were sudras. Guru Govind Singh’s army recruited out of low castes like oil pressers, barbers, leather dressers and carpenters, etc. Jiwan Singh “Rangretta” was one of the distinguished commanders in the battle of Chamkaur Sahib. Army role for Dalits
When the Taruna Dal of the Dal Khalsa was reorganized into five divisions one of the division: was under the command of Bit Singh Rangretta. In the great battle with Abdali, called Wada Ghalu Ghara, it is specifically mentioned that Ramdasias (cobblers) and Rangrettas (sweepers) both outcastes, took a prominent part. Banda Singh Bahadur’s forces were recruited from the “lower castes” like scavengers. Many of the ill-disposed low caste Hindus joined Banda’s army and they were active in fighting upper caste oppressors says Khafi Khan.
Thus, the Khalsa became instrument for achieving the main two social objectives of the Sikh movement it. The creation of an egalitarian society and capturing of political power for and by the oppressed masses.
When the Khalsa secured political power for the first time under Banda, the “lowest of the low in Indian estimation” were appointed rulers. The common peasantry of the land suddenly attained political power, the zamindari system was abolished and peasant proprietorship established.
So Sikhism, aims at nothing less than the abolition of graded social order and breaking the Brahminic monopoly and exploitation.
Two fold task
Sikhism is a revolution. An unending revolution. Breaking different well entrenched traditional systems of stratification with centuries old roots takes time. Structural changes of political and economic nature might be accomplished within a short period but changes of human sentiments, attitudes, habits etc. take a long time.
There is no short cut to this problem of problems how to change human sentiments, attitudes and habits especially on a mass scale; how to make people rise above narrow personal, family and group interests,
The task before the revolutionaries, therefore, is twofold. To change the hierarchical stratification this is a great hurdle to usher in an era of true human equality and freedom. In this direction the different revolutions of the 20th century the world over had made reasonably good progress but the second much more difficult task of changing man from with remains unsolved.
Non violence
If past historical experience can be taken asa reliable guide, human mind is likely to continue its efforts to change human nature, All humanitarian religions have been concentrating on changing human motivation, Buddhism and Christianity influenced human conduct on an extensive scale not matched by any other movement. But the idea of nonviolence remained a limiting factor.
Role of Islam
Islam has tried to stabiles the social equality and succeeded in its own way. The Sikh movement made heroic effort to put the ideal of “saint soldier” (sant Sipahi) into practice to reconcile the revolutionary methodology with the predominance of ethical and moral ideals.
It was Guru Gobind Singh, the last Guru, who created the Khalsa to oppose the state tyranny and to capture the political power for the plebian masses. Guru Gobind Singh had direct revelation from God in pursuance of which he created the Khalsa. In his own ‘words:
“Tassmed birth for the purpose Of spreading the faith, saving the saints,
And extirpating all tyrants,
So, the revolutionary mission of Guru Gobind Singh followed was God’s own mandate (Macauliffe, vol 5, pp. 300-301).
At present, the minority nationalities including Sikhs and the oppressed (Dalits) are being suppressed and repressed in India by the brahmanical rulers in Delhi and States. They are in tolerate of any other community other than the upper castes/Hindus. They want all other peoples under their strangle hold. The turmoil in Punjab and Kashmiris the direct result of the above policies and practices of the followers of Manu, the brahmanical law and giver.
The choices before the persecuted national minorities denied human rights in India are limited (1) either to become running dogs of the Manuites and in the process lose their identity or (2) to fight back this cancer of caste evil and defeat it before it becomes a curse for the entire world. Thus the present Sikh struggle in Punjab is not merely aimed at self-survival but, in its historical consequence it will prove to be the true liberator of the oppressed Dalits in this subcontinent from the stranglehold of Brahminism.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 22, 1990
