There has been a virtual coup d’état in the annual elections of the Sikh Council of North America. In the checkered history of the Council, there are periods that no honor loving Sikh can easily condone or reconcile with. Yet the record of the Council is not all a dark corridor with a redeeming ray of light. It has to its credit positive entries also. It would be ingratitude to totally write-of constructive role in the field of disseminating Sikh religious philosophy and values among the Sikhs. On the soils far removed from the emigrating and salubrious native air, the Council provided a congenial forum to Sikhs to cater to their socio-cultural needs. It served as a unifying link for the Sikhs on the North American Continent and kept the community spirit alive among them.
The Council lost its credibility with the majority of the Sikhs when was subordinated by certain individuals to serve their vested interests, when it was misused for prompting political alignments. It reached its moral bankruptcy when during the crucial phase of Sikh struggle for equality and justice; it welcomed and honored the Indian Prime Minister who had nothing but contempt for the legitimate Sikh aspirations, who had embarked upon the sinister course of reducing Sikhs to the position of serfs and slaves.
It is hoped that the new leadership would restore the Council to its pre-eminent position among the Sikhs living in this part of the world. The resolutions adopted immediately after the election augur well and reflect the mood and the determination of the new leadership. The decisions to support and promote Panthic cause in every way, to accept World Sikh Organization as the Umbrella body for all our socio-political aspirations and to recognize World Sikh News as the representative voice of the Sikhs are steps that can go a long way in bringing urgently required unity of purpose among the Sikhs.
The new leaders also deserve accolades for conducting the operation in a perfectly democratic and disciplined manner. They did not resort to any self-destructive course of capturing the Council through fraud or intimidation. They have proved that elements inimical to the current Sikh crusade for dignity and freedom can be isolated and rendered ineffectual through a
Well planned democratic exercise also,
There are some Sikh bodies and institutions that are still controlled by persons sympathetic to the Indian government. These persons undermine our struggle and serve as fifth columnists to torpedo Sikh national interest. The liberation of all Sikh bodies from such renegades is imperative to achieve the desired goal. However, the game must be played with the finesse and maturity exhibited by those who executed the coup at the Sikh Council of North Americas election meeting, Character assassination; muscle flexing and other crude methods must be scrupulously avoided. Sikhs must never stray from their lofty religious ideals and traditions and must resist unethical temptations to maneuver temporary gains. Sikhs do not subscribe to the philosophy of all fair in love and war; Principles and truth are more dear to a Sikh than passing material or military victories. A true Sikh finds greater glory in martyrdom than in power or pelf,
The resolutions passed at the Council meeting have generated new confidence and the implementations of these resolutions in letter and spirit would be watched with interest and hope.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 30, 1986
