Guru Nanak Dev Mission Series 215

A Rejoinder to

the articles of Mr Shourie

published in Indian Express dated 12, 13, 14,

May 1982

Guru Nanak Dev Mission

P, 0, Sanaur, Patiala

Punjab-India

40-Paisc

THE TROUBLES IN PUNJAB

Mr Shourie (May 12, 13 and 14-Indian Express) needs to be appreciated for saying bonestly what he felt. His some sr8tcments. however, ifnot corrected, will create a wrong impression about Sikhism.

I . . Cow sacred to the Sikh Gurus Cow 01" any otber animal was never sacred to the Ourus and neitber is to tbeir disciples. A wrong meaning is given to the state­ment that Sikhs are protectors of Gao-Garlb. Gao-Garlb is a proverb which refers to a poor/helpless person and it does not mean the cow and the poor. Ouru prolects the meek (not the cow) b, warning tbat if stronger men. suck the blood of the helpless and weak (tbrough ·comiption. adulteration, under-weighment, illegal grati6cation, etc.) it . is as sacriligious act as eating cow by a Hindu' or pig by a Muslim. Absence of human feelings and religious respect in the 'society is visible from the fact tbat no one feels concerned, not even the Sikbs, when political, legal, official, social and other p?wers are used to bully and even kill tbe down-trodden (the real cows), wbo actually deserve mercy. OUru Nanak protected buman-cows and not animal-cows.

Mabaraja Ranjit Singll was completely surrounded by powerful Hindu priests. Hindu ceremonies were perform­ed at tbe marriage of his sO.n. When be died, his queens and maid-servants (nine in all) performed 'Sati' -II custom

strongly prohibited in Sikhism. Donation of kohinoor to Jagan Nath Temple, cow protection and giving cows in charity etc .. as mentioned by Mr. shourie were done under tbe pressure of Hindu priests. None of these would become 8 Sikh practice just because they were a<!opted by tho Mabaraja. Further, Kuka Sikbs arc meniioned as cow protectors because they killed the butchers at the cost of their life. Let tbe readers know that tlrey do many more Hindu rituals-worship of fire, sun, performing havans, untouchability , (puritanism). The facI i. lbal Kukas arc not Sikhs in ·the same way as Ahmedias (Qadianis) ,"e not accepted as Muslems. Tbe sa.ericces made by Kukas for the cow Iberefore does not make it a sacred animal for the Sikhs.

2. Religlou and Politics: togefher or separ.te : Tbe troubles in Punjab are the result of not beeause religion anll politics are one according to Sikh faith but because thay. ha;Vc been made alien to each other under the inBu­ence/ne~~ of "Opportunisms". Sikhism is a way of lifo and not a theoretical philosophy to be believed or not to be ·believed. Sikhism is not a e.>de of rituals and ceremonies. To be a Sikb, oDe bas to follow-(i) truthful Jiving, honest means of earning, (ii) service to society (without discri­mination of caste or religion) neither as a favour Dor. to oblige others but as a duty assigned to a Sikh. He must well understand and alway. keep in mind that all humanity, not just the Hindus, or Indians alone, are created by the same God. Welfare of the whole society is his aim and included in hi, daily prayers. Would some one say what harm would 'occur if tbe above principles of SIkhism are. adopted _~ ~ faith by all our politicians.

2

If tbe religion and politics are separated (as i. tbe case to-day) what will check a Minis.er from selling jobs, admissions, contracts & licences. Only check is the cons­cience which is beint · killed by preaching keeping of religioo a way from public life (politics).

Unfortunately, those who preach tbat religioo & politics are ooe, do not appear to have adopted themselves thi.' principle in practice. In actuaf life. political exigencies weigh heavier than religion and public inte~est. The presentl"s. of faitb in social a nd political justice 'demands acceplance of the principle, rather tban denigrat.ing it that poli!ics mnst be guided by the religion for service to the poor and public as desired according to Sikb faith.

3 Appropriation: It is wrong to say that 'Hindus' have been appropriated by Sikhs. If it is accepted that Dbai Mati Dass and other associates with th e Guru were.'HinduI' then Guru Teg Bahadur and other Gurus have also to be labelled .. 'Hind us' . The fact is known to all tbat.Guru Nanak Dev refused to be initiatea as 'Hindu' by not under­going the 'Janju' ceremony. Those who accepted his leachiogs were called Sikh (disci , I .. ). Hc decl ared tbere is no Hindu or Musalman, a ll of uS are same and equal IDsan (human· be ing') '

3

R05PODIe to th e article

The Troubls iu Punjab

Mr. Shourie has exposed his closed and biased thinking through bis article in three instalments appeared OD May 12, 13 and 14, 1982 in lhe 'Indian Exprees'. Let the fa~·.~, put bero~e the general public for their own decisioD •. :·:·; <

He accept. Hindus lind Sikh. would not do what bas been dooe to sacrilege the temples aod gurdwaras. He thererore assumes that some mischevious elements have­taken for ride both Hindus and Sikhs' and made them to ftlb~.i'? ~!$I!rve their own ends I. e. fomenting trouble and Dot l~ailI~' the followers of the IWO faiths to come closer. It sllould bave ended th~re. But be makes w roog asaumptions later·

1. Cow lOa. a. sacred to Sikb Garo. as to the Hindus

Unfortunately, this thinking i. the starting point of the troUble. Day in and day out, efforts are made to prove that Sikhs are a sect of Hindus which they arc not. The Gurus. totally rejeclOd the communal approach. The very first lessoo, Guru Naoak gave, was there is no Hindu, no Musalmso, all of us arc simple Inll8ll8 (human-beings). The Sikh has to believe tbat there i. only ODe religion­"Humanity". Twice a day he wishes welfare of lbe whole

4

community, not jus! of the Hindus or the Musalmans, Sikhism in the modern terminology is 'Humanism', It has same resp.ect for Musalman. as for Hindus because it recolllile. them as human-beings aDd not al Hindus or Musalmaal.

Distortion of basic principle of Sikhism haa beea made by the opportunists, politicians and ill·informed roligious leaders, Un-like Hinduism Sikh Gurus never considered cow as sacred.' They rather preached that a peraon who ,ucb tbe blood of tbe poor actually is like a Hindu eating a cow or a Musalman eating a pig,.j, ,c. the religion of Guru Nanak is service 10 the h~lples~ .aDd ",eak

" . .. men and nol to Ihe animals ,

It is the incorrect interprelation of Ihe word 'gao­garib' .... hich has led to 'tbe wrong idea of cow being considered sacred by Ihe Gurus. Gao garib does not mean a cow and a pauper but it means a heiple,s ~~d .1'­meek person, To prove his wrong statement, Mr Sli911rie quotes references from Maharaje Ranjit Singh and Kuit.s, Performance of , Sa Ii' by nine women (Queens and mai'd­

.servants) althe pyre of Maharaja Ranjit Singh does not justify inclusion of sad as ' a Sikh practice, Giving of cows aDd Kohinoor in charily only proves that the Maharaja was under the strong influence of Hindu priests which is a hiltorical fact. Kuku canoot be considered as Sikhs (io thc same way a. Ahmedias i.c. Qadianis can Dot become Muslims) there beiog a basic difference tbat they do oot consider Adi-Granrh as their final Shabad Guru. Kubs do havaos, they wor_hip sun aDd fire . These practices being adopted by Kuka s cannot become Sikh practices.

s

· Unforiunately, Mr Shouri. thinks tbat Sikbs and Hindu. al one have a common beritage. Let the people .know that Sikhs have a common heritage not "only~ Wilb Hindus but also with the wbole Indian community, including Muslims. Sikh. consider tbemselves buman-beings first and., last and that is tbeir faith. He point. out to the ·idolatory and mindless rituals being performed hy the Sikhs. Jt i. good be has noted ·it. Let him know that they are tbe Hindu practices introduced in the Gurdwaras because ·of tl(e. Hindu dominance and tbeyare not Sikb principles. Tbey-,are practised witb tbe wrong hope of bringing the maj~riiy community nearer, even wben tbey are probibited in Sikbism.

2. Prejudices.ad fears between t"o commuaWes .

They have been created by tbe opinion of tb. majority ~~~::'llikh' are second-rate citizens and therefore, must d.,erid on tbe mercy of tbe majority, This, tbey consider, 'ii:tbe principle of democracy.

Mr Sb.:>urie has tried to throw the blame OD English people for making Sikhs feel that tbey are different from tbe Hindus. He quote., amoDg olber tbiDgS, a book 'Hum Hindu Nahia' by Bbai Kaban Singh. It was not tbe OU1-

·come of foreign iDterference but tbe result of the desire of domination by the Hindus over tbe Sikbs. If tbe Hindus bad cared to understand Sikhism. by nOw all of Ihem wnuld have felt pride in being Sikhs. Service. by Si kh. 'were rendered Dot 10 tbe Britisb but to tbe country wbicb ·were appreciated by 110 less a person IbaD Mabatma Gandbi, wbo sent a telegram congratulating tbe Sikhs "Tbe first

6

b~ttle of Independence has heen woo", when the Imperial Goveroment had to bow down to the Sikhs duriog their· struggle for independence of the Gurdwaras. Shri Madan Mohan Malvia advised all Indians to baptise one son as Sikh in each family. Was he illstigated by tbe Englishmen or it was his genuine appreciation of tbe services rendered by lhe Sikhs to the nation tbat he desired every family 10 accept ~ikhism.

If the majority stops feeling jealous of the minority just because tho latter has a superior religious philosophy, there would be no trouble. Sikhs do Dot believe in ;oorship of idols (idol worship m"nlioned by Shourie is being praoli­.se~ DOl by the Sikbs but by those who have a HiDdU ' I~ought but appear to be Sikb. by bearing lurbans) or division of society into upper and lower classes. They have faith only in one God and brotherhood of all humanity . Tbere i, no place for the worship of trees and animal~ like monkeys, cows or snakes io Sikh faith. The majority community. feeling the Ortbodoxy (inferiority) of theiif.ith. is trying to become superior by making ill·conceived efforts of ridiculing the Sikh faith. The Sikhs had there, fJre to retaliate and claim that they have a different indeotity and a different faith . Hence the book 'Hum Hindu Nahio'. Why i. there no book 'Hum Musalma" Nahin'? Boons. Muslman. bave never said that Sikhs are a sect of I"'am, even thou@b if any other faith is nearer to Sikbism, it is Islam aDd oot Hinduism which is nOlhing but a cbaos pf thoughts and a bundle of rites and rituals.

Mr Shourie talks of a concession-Punjabi Suha giveo to. Sikhs. This reveals his mlDd and makes bim oaked.

7

'the right which was given to all the languages was dlnied to Punjabi and arcer a long struggle, it was only partially agreed and that is considered a 'concession' . This expose. people of his 'tbought that Siklls are a second-rate citizens. They have no right of tbeir own as citizens of India. It I, proclaimed a concession to the Sikhs that the Hindus bave agreed to give ~unjabi language its some place, not the ~ue place, He is silent that the Hindus who speale Punjabi but

'tPentioned Hindi as their mother·tongue, were doing the gre~~~st dis·.ervice not only to the' Sikhs but also to the n4riim.by alienating suc,h a modern faith, from Ihe mas. of itiiliAll·olp"iety.

, ":' .~:1, Mr Shouri. closed his eye. to the fact that tbe "majotii'y -'community under tbe garb of secular Congress has been trying to finisb Sikb faith by every possible legal and anti , social means available 10 tbem, being the rulerll Df~!1d,(a . It i. said that the late brave Sardar Patel obser­",e;;f.J;)khs ate a brave nation . Wbenever anything i, done III,i»m, Ihey get united and make tbe strongest nation iu iht world bow before tbem. Let us break them .0 that we can rule them otherwise Ibey will rule the whole country'. Accordingly, the Si kh. were first declared crirr,inals after Independence. Later on, Nirankari., Radba Swamis, Kukas. etc. were patted, helped witb money and political power to create parallel Sikhism and confuse tbe masses. At tbe same time, allurements of position in services and otber official belp was given to tbe followers of these pseudo·Sikb leaders, just to fake away the un-wary maSSeS from tbe fold of genuine Sikhism. The result is the turbulance in tbe whole of Punjab. Why the Government i. silent 00 the allegation tbat Nirankari Baba was given Ibe SlatU' of aD

official VIP when eVer he visited outside India th ough be before being declared a VIP, had no statu. at all but was a discarded Sikh.

Even now, there are people wiih Sikh appearllllce';

who are .beil)8 used to disrepute . Sikh ism by )D~king .i.·te­ments which are anti-Sikh. The poor fellows even thougl\ occupying ",inisteri.1 positions, but are helpless because if they 'do not' speak . what Ibeir ma.ters · say, they would 'DOt,

just be put out of Government but would be sent bahin4 the bars. Many illegal ' and' criminal acts have 'beel! .. aQ~ done from them to keep . them permaneolly u\l.dec. ·tb.(,ir, feet_ '" "' . pity tbem. . .

. Akalis are said to' have a free run 8nd' :noboily is; trying to put the law into action against them. ' The foe! ill1lthat it is the majority community who have a free runt to call a protecting watch dog as mad and then ltilJ}lini.; After. laQelli.og the Sikbs 8S criminals and communaJi'UJ they ar~ ; being honnd.d m:e a prey. If · some. Hiolla ' ia killed, the ';'hole Government is shaken .and gets upsret.r while hundreds Of Sikh. are put behind the bars and given in-humane tortures /punishments and even if dozens of Sikb • . are' killed, nobody even writes a line in sympath·y. Even wtien th';ir ~erigiotis books are burnt, which are a permanent 10 .... tbey are not willing to regisler a case a!!ainst tbe , " . ,

culprits unless public demonstrations are held at great cost . to 'tbe community.

He bas decried Sikhs for u.irtg Gurdwaras for poli­tic'l ·purposeS: 'Why doe. he not .ay Ibat the majority is using the political and official'po ..... er to rule the Sikhs and

9

convert them into Hindus? If Ihe majority wants to finish the minority by 'hook or crook. from wbere else the Sikhs can draw support and protection except the Gurdwaras.

3, _ Sikhism aDd Polities

-' " , ,Mr Sbollrie is at pains to prove that po.1i.tics and rellgibn being one in Sikbism are responsible 'fo_f tbe 'present tfouble.. Let all know tbat opposite is true. tl1~ absence dt. 4 ",1igion bas permitted our Mioisters to ,'ell ' ~dmission,. Patin';!!:s; , places and posts, Even tbe members of -the Setvic~ -,it;Oinmi.sions 'bave to be aPPoInted after beavy' c08't(~'d'iIn'- of money. It was a big Dews tbat in early May.,,~ib~~bief Minister dodged the public in LUdhiana so that h~: ~;;'~illd tllCCt only the indu!trialists in a closed room. What other conclusions caD be drawn except iliat it was ~ suck the blood of the poor througb industrialists by gillf/ll!.i.!pem licences tt> do anything tbey waDI ' with tbe belp":,_people (eaqhe in·numerable number of cows). Ha"~ hi. ' religion beeD combined witb politics. be ' would Dot,bave done it.

Tbe Sikb faitb forces his foliowers to love the whole hUmanity, even tbeir foes, and this is proved by the history,. UOfortunately, Ihe politicians of to-day, wbether tbey appear in Sikh garb or Hindu garb. tbey are 'polltiolaas' and keep ,he instructions of their faitb away from tbem i.'~'t ' they stop 'hem from doing tlie illegal a~d anti-social deeds tbey do. Let the responsible decide whether they waot pt!esent "loot" by corrupt politicians or they' ",ant t,he reli­I.ion "Humanism" 10 be put 00 the heads of tbe politicians to cootrol ,tbe ir vicious desire ••

10

4. Exlra-Ierrltorlalit;, of Sikh Pri •• t, and Gard .. ara.

In tbe secend instalment of hi. article, Mr Sbourie prolests against the non ·us~ of . authority over the extra, ~erriortially of ,. !~e Gurdw.ars and Sikh leaders" He forgets tbat !he. {nvestiga ting aU.thority whicb demands .to catch the ,cq!prils need not visit Punjab. to recover the weapons becaus~ they have an armoury buried in the ya'1!~na near Delhi from where tbey call recover ~ny .. ,capOn they want to lag to aoy. pe .. on 10 ju&t.ify;tb'eir iIIega\ .and unlawful detention of. Sikh.. II is.:.faet tlla, tb·.y. arrested many 'persens and Iben released somo i ,9{ tbem,. 'because of the mass protests, they visYlili~d.lha~ seri~ul' consequcnces would follow ' if .fal ... :~~·. ,.,~~o proc~ded fUflller. Harass'1ient and lorthres "'of penoo~ bec':u.e of their being Sikhs still continue with a greater vengienec All this is to satisfy the aggrieved party and tq diyerl their alleplion th·at culprits are nol being .';a~ched, Ac/UaJly r"lI1\1~rs ;'go that they are the culprits tbem.elv ... . who are rulers ja .,Delhi and they have ao polilical .wiU .t~

catchlheir own people who were bired ror such acls which, ';'ould keep Ibe Hindus and the Sikhs agitaled and Ibu •. separated for tbeir political aim of "Divide and Rulo:'_ He.' ha~ rightl)' . me.nlioped ' about the Mahan Sikhs. It ia ' good b~cause . .'I~ i . confirm. the ",.uthor's ob~ervations tbal. it i. tbe mini.tees who stage-mana"e many things which hale

. • Il r

a.othing to do w.ilb ~ikhism.

5. AppropriatioD/obilteratioD:-

Mr Shouri. talks of app.~opriations by the Si~h'.

Sardar, Db~Bftt singh beiDB SbOWD 'witb a ,turban ra th~r than wilh a 'hal is nol acceptable to him Th'i. is furtb .. confirma­tion of ' 'Ihe f ael Ibal tbe Hindus tbink tbal Hinduism is soperiot III Sikbism 'aDd , every rigbt belongs only to them even to destroy the bistorical facts, Dbaga! Singh 'was wii'h 'tllr~,D wben he was iov,olved ' in sbooting ii'reid'Dt al LahOre. Later on 10 conceal' liis' 'identity, be removed bi. \lair ' pui on tbe hat 4bd' Englisb dr~ss so that b'o could ~pe. '.'Populari,;"1 tbe real form of Bhagai Singh i; tlot",ac<;epiable to Mr Sbourle, This' r-eveals bis attitude eilit lit: reijliogs about the' Sikbs. A llikb, appropria'ted by iD'aj~riiicJjiifmunity by sbowing nim with bat plea~etMr SIl­oul'le<aili(.pc[Sons of bis tb;nking but ~heD he is " b'r'o~ght out in hls~'it'iil;ii,,1 fMm 'wilh turban, ' it becomes' pai~ful t~ them 'all. ecuid theie 'be anything ' worse tban this ' I~ creale ill­fielings amohg tbe two conll~(unities ?

" • • t o·

".:~.~~~ter Varagi, a Hindu, is rc:sented to have been~ apptbpritted as Banda Singh Bahadur. Thai "'ay 'the whole Sildi commanity is tbe result of appropriation by Gurus. 'Veer Varagi toole amrit and became a Singh and was pla­ced' at the 'head of five oiher Singhs 'ilod sent to Punjab. Ail, whether Ibey were Hindu jal', Brahmi,!s, Sudars, Moslims, were given option either \0 remain a', they were and boar the zulam of rulers Or to accepl Amrlt and adopt the failh of "Humanism", named ~'Khalsa" and be ready 10 sacrifice their heads for the upkeep of the princ.i'tJles 'of humanily, If Mr Shourie, like aoy otber Sikb, acceplS , 10 adopt this failb, will be be appropriated: to Sikhism or ",iii he gel freedom from the communal feelings, perform­,linet of meaningless and miadless rituals wblcb be bad beeD

, '12

encircled ":ith so far.

Unfortunately, Mr SholJrie i. blind towards historI­cal facts. He has reached the border of saying that GllrD Nanak was a Hindu when he labels four Sikb associate. of Guru Teg Babadur as Hindus y.:hn )Vcre tortured and killed

' along with 'fhe Guru in Dellii. All Gurus had Hindu names and Iheref)re, " according to Mr Shou~ie, should b~ called Hinduli. It ~hows either Mr Shourie i, inlention,lIy bl ind to tbe fad thai Guru Nanak re[used to be !;alIed' is 'Hindu' by dediniog to, pu't 'o'n "Janju" orvery ' ~uch limit'eil i"nformation has been obtained by him about Sik'!i' ('lith. A. Sikh c~uld tlie have. Hindu. Mu.lim pr a.ny other ~l!Yte: Ii was at the time of Baptism in 1699 ' when ' tbe unito'no of five ,K.klr aDd the name 'Singh' was given to bring unirormity in the Khalsa and incu lcate the feefing of unity to keep their spirit. high to resist the zulam committed by lhe .trong aDd evil force •.

6. A080dpur Sablb Resolutio,,,

'in tbe tbird instalment of his article, Mr Shourlc is critical of tbe Anand!'ur Sahib Resolution , Thi. is tbe outcome of continuous ill-trelifinent of the Sikh. and not fodhe desire of independence frOID Delhi as he alleges. Tbis bas been cleared mare tban once lind in unambiguous terms. How about similar demand, from Bengal, Tamil Nadu aod other States? Tbey, 'arc' as good if not hetter J{indus than the Delhi, rUlera. It is ' n'ot the religion tbat iiuDjab wants more powers for bUt thes~ are n~cess.ry for the dtveloprueot of the State in which tb·. Cent're and tbe majority community are not interested . ' People difter in

13

their opinions about the meaning or strong Centre , Slro~g

Cenlre should not mean weak and' incapacitaled slales, Jlbich ca nnot make any Pfosreso,

The meaning of "Khalsa" haa bee~ ~ntioned to be "pUre; in tbe' original 'Iense, ' Kb~l~ means 'Royal', Th'e 'w~rd ',Khalsa' refer. 10 ibe land . under the dir.~ct conlrol of lilt , Emperor as dilferenli"led from Ibe one controllrd

, 'tlit~ State Heads, Jagirdars or' Kings, The 'present da·y !eqtit~i.~~~,·,' word would be ;Central', Sikhs being d\rectly­COaii.;ct'ea .. · ... ilh -God, not through , aodl and demi·gods, wer9~~~il~d 'Khalsa'.

i. e>ilf.c Khalsa shall rule' doe. not melln thaI there shall b~ ;" :b~!>inet of Sj\c;~1 alone as, diclato .. and Hindus and Musliins will be ruled by them. This slogan mea:::. Ibal there 'Wollld be a Cabinet of .humanl/eings to· .e.r.ve Ill.. human 'beiDis as against Ihe gree<jy and Iyranl rule of the lime (;'he~ sl<:>g~p was. designed) which will ullimately perish. To day il iSJ,ep~aled dailY ,by the Sikhs as a part of Ihelr brave Hist~ry and as a proof of baving ended Ibe tyrant rule by sticking to the pripciple of" Humanity" &; sufferinl for it, , II gives ,Ire!lgth to them to 6ghl the 'oppressioll witb tlie 6rll) hope of defealina it iu tbe end. As 'Ram Raj' does not mean 'rule by lb. followers of Ram over olberl':' but i~p\i~s 'rule of lOod people for tbe goodness of society, simi.larly, lOlalsa Raj refers ,to the rulo of juslioe, 'This

14

hope was given to the followers of Sikh faith living io f oreSls tbat ultimatelr truth will prevail if tbey continue to resist tbe injustice lind zul •••

, . .'

Mr Sbonr'e gives II long history of pre-partition and post-partition days, indieating tbat Giani Kart~r Sin.llb :"'anted an iDdependent Sikb State.tbat be wanted to .. vI' the pjoatb oilly. H indus were safe in tbe bands of Congre54, Muslems were safe iii tbe bands of League. The oply UD~ safe 'community was Sikhs wbich still remain uns8f~ , Ulld~ the dbminance of Hind'li com.:nunalism whicb is r~'!~~~'~ for tbe 'present problems of the State, He obsel'Ves ,Ihal eXlremists of yesterday are considered m~di:rat,~., ,(,f to-day because more severe and extreme demands have ,bt~ m,de by otbers which are against tbe ideals of our' sec~la~ cons-11I:ullon. He has confused Secularism witll Hindu commu­liallsm under the constitution. Everyone bas a ·~ght to believe and act the w.y, he wantl except the Sik'bs \.110 jlavQ bc;en included in the Hindu Code Bill because they were Qot worthy for a Sikh <:ode bill. It must be noted t~at Muslems have been allowed to follow their OW" Ilerso­nllL laws. In tbe cnd, Mr Sboll1'ie preaches to educate our children about our tradilions, of course by excluding the brave deeds of Sikbs. According to his "balanced" view. "Sikbs are traitors" sbould be taught to the children because Amin Chand, a Hindu, was a model of loyalty. Probably be wants to bave a nation of traitors only . He wants to con~tal the fact. af 'hi.Atory wbicb belittle the Hindus as a community. Wben GUTO Nanak and bis succ-' essor Gurus were busy in Punjab to sew.,togetber the human­ity split into Hindus and Moslems an dalso as Kbatris,

IS

Brahmins & Sudras and prepar,ing Ih~ nuion 10 slop (which '.ctualiy stopped for ever wben Kbalsa' took over Nortb <India) tbe invader. from the West, foreigners took advant­age of the weaknesses of the 'nation and ' 'entered from the Soutb & East of tbe country, Accordio" to Daulat Rai Arya (1898) even when Gurn Gobiod Siogh sacrif!ced evee, thiog to save the oatioo ana the Hindu HiI\- Rajas froq' the tyranny of tbe rulers, they tbemselves .tabbed his pro,. ,gramme by fighting agaiD~t him and thus del~ying freedom. "TIio:',,,'nly independent 'region ; Punjab, wa~ captured ,by J;!~.lisli~i~n in (1845·1849) with , the belp of Hindus and

'il6i'Sikht;" A. mentiooed earlier it is tb~ Sikhs who fought tb~" f.irs~ 'suCceSsful battl. to d'efeat the foreigo powerful rulers ~d 'fina!ly made thom to quit. It i ~ tbe Sikb. under

'the batl~~t ~f Akali Dal who agai~ successfully resisted Ibe "Emergency rule, This fact was 00 the lips of everYODe in 1977 but is being quicklyJorgotten. like many otber servicel

' r~Di!e,r.!d 10 Ibe nation _by tlie S'ikbs. '

.(n the end it i.s requested tbal tbe respOnSibility of the majority community ' to recognise tbe bravery and /loDesty of tbe minorilY community, because of tbeir supo­,rior Philosophy, may be observed in tbe overall interest' of humanity.

** J6

CONTRfflUTED BY

l' Sri Guru Siogh Sabba, Patiala. 2. Sri Guru Kalghidhar Sewak Jatha, Bikaner,

3. S. 10deT Sinah SlLutri Nagar, Dhaobad. 4. S: Gurcharao Shigh Paramindor Sinab, Tehsil Rd;

Sagraon. , . S. Baldev Singb Harkint Singh, Tehlll Rd. ]aaraoD. 6. S. S Baba Teja SinSb Trult W. Patel Napr, New

Delhi. 7. S. Darshan Singb, .Sudarsban Park, New' 'Delhi. 8. , S. Gurcharan Singb Indian Automobilea~ "Kurnool,

9. Brigadier Kushal "Pal Sinab, Nabbll.

10. Giani Jit Singn Hoo. Missionary Kbar, Bombay .. II . Capt. H~rgobind Singh. Gobind Naaar, DobI;aduo. 12'. S. Sber Singh, Edmonton (Canada).

13 . S. Kartar Singh, Faleh Nasar, Now Delbl. 14. Sardar Cloth HOOle, Lajpat Rai Rd. ~asraon. ) S. S, Makhan Sinllb, Datar Sinah, Whole Sale Cloth­

Deators, Chaura Bazar Ludhiaoa,

Printed by Inqlabl Printers for Guru Nanak Dev Mi .. ioo aod published by tbe Secretary of tbe Mission from Sanaur

Disl! . Patial. in June, 1'82.