By Pritpal Singh Chatha

The above question raised by a letter in the July 281989 issue of World Sikh News has had on me the intended effect i.e forcing me to take time to think about the factors that shape the Sikh feelings and altitudes. The following article is the result.

From the time of its origin Sikhism has held both Hinduism and Islam with respect. The first followers and companions of Guru Nanak Dev Ji were Bhai Bala (a Hindu) and Bhai Mardana (a Muslim). They travelled with Guru Sahib to distant lands for spreading Wahegurus name and Sikhism and for removing superstitions and religious hate by breaking caste barriers and emphasizing the oneness of God and of the human race. Both the founders and followers of Sikhism have lived by tenets that establish the Sikhs distinct identity on one hand and establish their relatedness on the other. However as noted by the author of “Sikhism and Islam” one often notes that many Sikhs feel a somewhat closer kinship with Hindus than they do with the Muslims The psychology that shapes this feeling can be explained without any arduous attempt.

The Sikh psyche has evolved in an environment which has systematically promoted the Sikhs affinity with Hindus encouraged their alienation from the Muslims and suppressed their individuality with political economic educational and other means. Specific facts that evidence the existence of such a phenomenon are as follows.

  1. Guru Nanak—the founder of Sikhism—was born in a Hindu family. Although from early childhood itself he “refused to accept the Hindu practices and he later avowed his distinct identity and openly rejected his affiliation with both the Hindu and Islamic faiths the very fact that he was born in-a Hindu family has always made-it easier for the Sikhs to accept an affinity with the Hindus. Moreover this acceptance tends to impress upon the Sikh psyche almost unconsciously because while growing up.in India a Sikh experiences a smothering influence of the Hindu culture which is zealously promoted by the Indian media advertising and movie industry. In this respect the experience of Sikhs is very different from the experience if Christians: that Christ was born in a Jewish family does not obligate the Christians to claim or even experience close ties with the Jews because Christians are a ruling majority who do not face pressures to adopt Jewish appearance an language in order to get major roles in movies set in their countries or to get promotions and other benefits on jobs and
  2. Hindus have been and they continue to be an overwhelming majority in India.

Consequently they have dominated the social cultural and educational leadership to the point that in spite of the fact the Sikh-religion is opposed to all kinds of superstitions quite a few Sikhs have bad their marriages and travels arranged as per a Brahmins advice and most Sikhs depended upon arthritis to arrange their economic affairs. The arhitia exploits al the earnings of Sikh farmers in many evil Many well-known farmers are born in arhitias debt and they also die in arhitias debt. Farmland and farmers possessions slay mortgaged The Punjab farmer receives lowest price for his produce but he is charged highest price on everything he buys thus he is forced to buy on arhitias credit on highest rate in the market Such slavish conditions not only suppress the farmers enterprising spirit but also keep him under the Hindu influence economically culturally and politically.

  1. Since Muslims were foreign rulers of India at times the Sikhs and Hindus shared the common fate of being their victims. Since the education system of India has remained more or less a monopoly of the Brahmins they have been successfully exploiting the inherent distance between themselves and the Muslims and the distance between the Sikhs and the Muslims. Moreover whereas the foreign rulers communicated in Persian the Brahmin/ Hindu communicated in the native tongue and thus reached the masses at a much larger scale and succeeded in impressing upon the common mind the general affinity of Hinduism and Sikhism while widening the distance between Sikhs and Muslims.
  2. The Hindus have always played double role with utmost ingenuity. Espousing friendship claiming cultural kinship and establishing family relationships with the Sikhs they have often spied for the Muslim rulers and incited their wrath against the Sikhs. Chandu was responsible for inciting the torture of Guru Arjan Dev Ji Gangu was the informer about the whereabouts of Mata Gujri Ji and the two young princes; Suchha Nand was the inciter of the wrath of the governor of Sirhind. Advising the governor against the two princes he stated that the governor must not relent because of the princes tender age because “Serpents off springs will be serpents”. Through such deviousness the Hindus have often eked out special advantages for themselves. By begging Guru Teg Bahadur Jis help which led to his martyrdom they arranged manifold advantages for themselves:   
  3. a ) they gave a major blow to Sikhism which had become formidable challenge to Hinduism b) they made the Sikhs the direct target of the fanatic rulers coercion.          
  4.  c) they directed the rulers attention away from themselves
  5. d) they joined ranks with Aurangzeb and succeeded in persuading him to attack Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Anandpur Sahib . In the more recent history of India similar examples continue to surface again and again. The so-called Mahatma while facing the challenge of losing a large segment of Indian population out of the Hindu fold decided to go on a fast death on learning that Dr. Ambedkar (father of the Indian Constitution) had decided to embrace Sikhism. To check the trend Gandhi openly condemned Gutu Gobind Singh Ji as a misguider -(kurabiaya) Examples of Hindu duality after 1947 are far too numerous to be recounted in a brief article like this are the proofs of Indias undemocratic practices in domestic as well as foreign affairs.

Surely there is no denying that there have been many clean-hearted and essentially noble Hindus who have taken up the human rights causes in general and the Sikh cause in particular. Todar Mal collected the enormous amount needed for the cremation of the two princes martyred at Sirhind Pandit Madan Mohan Malvi acknowledged his overwhelming. gratitude to the Sikh patriots who made unexcelled sacrifices and stated that India needs at least one Sikh in each family; Acharya Kriplani while holding the office of the President of the All India Congress cautioned Gandhi that the arrangement planned at the Roundtable Conference will prove detrimental to the Sikhs in future (his advice fell on deaf ears only); Prof. Kothari and some eminent men of law such as Justice Tarkunde and Attorney Lekhi Jathalmani and his daughter and a few military commanders like Lt.Gen.Sinha have remained committed to truth and fairness. Sinha refused to attack the Golden Temple in 1980 and again in 1982; he defied New Delhi government and resigned. Also Sikhs will never forget Brig. Gen.Jumbalats daring refusal to attack the Golden Temple on June 11984 by stating that his conscience does not permit him to attack on his own people

  1. To solidify the Hindu dominance the Hindu majority rule in India has taken the general kinship of the Hindu and Sikh faiths into laws that recognize Sikhs as mere kins of the Hindus. In 1952 the Indian Constitution declared Sikhism as a mere sect of Hinduism although the Sikh representatives in the Indian Parliament rejected the statement and withheld their signatures. Even though neither the leaders of the Sikh faith nor the Sikh masses agreed to any legislation of the kind Indian laws have continued to focus on Hindu Sikh kinship in a cunningly exaggerated manner. Through the enacting of Hindu Marriage Act in 1955 Hindu Minority and Guardianship Actin 1956 Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act in 1956 and Hindu Succession Actin 1956 All Personal Laws of Sikhs have been abolished. In 1915 during Mahatama Gandhis stay in South Africa when similar acts were passed against the Indians in general (Gen.Smuck repealed the Hindu Muslim and Sikh marriage acts) Mahatama Ji was so pained that he addressed the Indian community and stated “South African Government has succeeded in making us bastards”. It is a shame that when the Indian Government: itself has succeeded in abolishing all Sikh laws and succeeded in making Sikhs Buddhists and Jains as mere sects of Hinduism and repealed their marriage acts—thus making them the “bastards”—no one of _ Gandhi’s followers has felt any pain or .
  2. Because of lack of an Independent Sikh Educational system and because of the Centers control over the media a vast majority of Sikhs continue to exist in spiritual confusion intellectual shallowness and utmost ignorance of Sikh history. Consequently they do not know facts like the following: a
  3. ) A warm and friendly following by Baba Mardana Ji and his descendants shows a strong reverence to Sikhism Mardana Ji followed Guru Nanak to all places including Hardwar (a Hindu place of worship and Meeca Sharif (a Mauslims place of worship).
  4. b) Rai Bular a Muslim ruler was the first to see the divine greatness of the Creator being manifested through the child Nanak Later he donated land of 60 villages to Guru Nanak at Nankana Sahib—in Pakistan al present.
  5. c) Emperor Akbar was a great friend of the Sikhs. He donated land for the construction of Harmandir Sahib Complex in the name of Bibi Bhani Ji.
  6. d) Mian Mir laid the foundation of Harminder Sahib.
  7. e) Nawab of Malerkotla interceded on behalf of the Sikhs and requested the governor of Sirhind to spare the lives of the two young sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
  8. f) 1.Peer Budhu Shah wok the right side when he followed Guru Gobind Singh Jin: fighting against the unjust Moghul mule in the battle of Bhangani. He lost his two sons and 500 followers (Mureeds) in the struggle.
  9. Nabi Khan and Gani Khan—two brothers and traders—escorted Guru Gobind Singh Ji in a palki as “Uch Da Peer” against the mighty forces of Aurangzeb and Hindu Hill Maharajas.
  10. g) A warm friendship and cooperation existed between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Nawab of Hyderabad.
  11. h) Mohammed Ali Jennah—te founder of Pakistan—cautioned the Sikhs to beware of the Hindus after assume power and begin to control the Sikh destiny.
  12. i) In 1947 the Sikh Leaders put their blind faith in Gandhi and Nehru and their promises of “special consideration” and of having “an area in the North where Sikhs can see a glow of freedom.” However a cleverly planned scenario of betrayals of the faith commenced night after independence tae
  13. To some extent the alienation of the” Sikhs from Muslims is also caused by Mohammed Ali Jenahs failure in making a positive response to the Sikh interests in 1947. He could not stop the Sikh massacres _ and allow Sikhs for stay in the independent Pakistan.

How can we bring the two communities together? 

  1. Share the joys pains and sufferings of each other
  2. Request the Pakistani Government to: give refugee status to Sikhs who: seek asylum in Pakistan.
  3. Recognize the Nankana Sahib as the 6th Sikh Takhat with the Vatican status and allow Sikhs to establish Guru Nanak University Library and Museum on the Gurdwara premises. In addition allow them a television station so that Gurbani Kirtan may be telecast on daily basis for Sikhs Sangats in India and other places.
  4. Allow all Sikhs to visit Pakistan to pay Homage to their holy shrines, since there are over 350 Gurdwara’s in Pakistan, the – Pakistan Government must allow Sikhs to select SGPC (Management Committee)” ‘Or Property management and maintenance, The Committee may be allowed to add new buildings for Providing adequate religious, cultural, communication, educational, and medical facilities to the public in general and the pilgrims in particular.
  5. Participate in the interfaith organizations, Plan programs for these organizations to support each other and to develop mutual understanding and friendship at the local, national, and international levels.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 27, 1991