“Truth is high but higher still is truthful living”, said Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, whose nativity falls on November 16, 1986, Year after year, Sikhs all over the world celebrate the occasion with great fervour and devotion. At the congregations, learned scholars and pious pontiff is talk about his life and his mission, his teachings and his eternal message. They exhort Sikhs to dispel the darkness of ignorance by seeking light that perennially flows from the pages of the Guru Granth Sahib. Minstrels (Ragis) enrapture the devout with the devotional swell of the divine hymns.
More often than not, the ceremonies are performed in utmost solemnity but in a spirit that, in essence, is essentially ritualistic. Precepts are proclaimed that have no relation with practice. The total range of the celebrations does not stretch beyond a mechanical repetition of a schedule that stands in sharp contrast to what Guru Nanak preached and practiced. Often motivated attempts are ‘made to distort or negate the basic philosophy of Sikhism.
Guru Nanak waged a relentless crusade against casteism, ritualism, socioeconomic exploitation, religious domination and unjust political order. He had no use for escapist renunciation nor did he recoil from the ugly realities of life. He deemed it a religious obligation to weed out the evil and the wicked. In him the temporal and the spiritual go hand in hand.
Today, when Sikh nation is passing through a grave crisis, when its very identity is at stake, when its votaries are increasingly subjected to gross indignities, it is important that Sikhs must develop clear focus and proper perception. It is also important that they should not depart from the teachings of the Gurus. They must rigidly adhere to the Sikh code of conduct whatever may be the provocation.
Sikhs should not allow themselves to be duped by planted agents ‘who masquerade as champions of Sikhism and talk about preserving the sanctity of the Sikh religious places and plead for separating politics from religion.
What precisely do they mean by polities? Promoting personal ambitions by playing upon religious sensibilities is certainly politics. Angling for positions whether in the Gurdwara or in the government is also politics. But upholding righteousness and fighting injustice, falsehood, tyranny and discrimination is not polities. Talking about fake encounters is not politics, nor is it polities to condemn the destruction of Akal Takhts and killing of innocent pilgrims. It is also not politics to demand punishment for those responsible for antiSikh riots. In fact not to feel concerned about such harrowing monstrosities is politics and criticising those who raise their voice for justice and freedom is more than politics. It is downright villainy.
‘Sikhs should realize the full import of the many pronged attack against them. They should be particularly vigilant about the fifth columnists among themselves. It is really painful to watch the manner in which some of the self-proclaimed leaders waste all their breath and resources in throwing mud at sister Sikh organizations rather than directing their wrath against the common foe. There are Sikhs who seem to have no preoccupation other than foulting those who are engaged in one constructive activity or the other.
It is high time that the Sikhs should solve their small ego problems and rise above their narrow self-interests. Let us on this auspicious occasion rededicate ourselves to Guru Nanak’s mission and follow it with singular sincerity if we wish to successfully combat the communal onslaught let loose against all that we hold sacred. The choice is between freedom and slavery, between honour and ignominy, between life and death and those who think otherwise see not the writing on the wall, recognize not the dangers that loom large ay the horizon.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 14, 1986
