BEFORE THE FIVE MEMBER CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF SHRI GURURAVIDAS DHARAMSTHANS, ARBITRATORS

IN THE MATTER OF :

CHET RAM TAKHI

VERSUS

SHRI GURU RAVIDAS DHARAMSTHANSANTGARH, TILAKNAGAR, NEW DELHI

PETITION ER/COMP LAI NANT

RESPONDENT

1. The Applicant before us, Chet Ram Takhi, had filed a suit for iniunction

against Shri Guru Ravidas Dharamsthan Prabandhak Sabha, Santgarh for

restraining the Defendant from removing the symbot "SOHANG" from the

Shri Guru Ravidas Dharamsthan, Santgarh. ln the suit, the Defendant

argued that the dispute is covered by the arbitration clause in the

, Memorandum and Rules and Regulations of Central Committe of Shri Guru

Ravidas Dharamsthans, Delhi. Accordingly the dispute was refened to the

Central Committee for arbitration by the Civit judg e Tiz Hazan, Delhi on

4.8.2009, therefore the above case has come before us'

2. The case of the Applicant is that in 1924-26, Ad-Dharm Mandal was formed

by followers of Shri Guru Ravidasji, Valmiki, Namdevji and Kabir Saheb, all

belonging to downtrodden communities. Shri Guru Ravidasii was worshipper

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Dharamsthans from the very inception and since last many decades. ln fact,

SOHANG has assumed the importance of a long tradition which

cannot be changed into any other symbol at the will of a few and until and

unless such change is consented to and approved by the majority of the

fotlowers of Ad-Dharmi. '{

That for coordination and supervision of the work of the local area

committees, the Central Committee of Sri Guru Ravidas Dharamsthans was

constituted in 1996. The Central Commiftee looks into the affairs of the Local

Area Committees and also decides any complaints or disputes that may

arise. A resolution waS passed by the Central Gomrnittee on the issue of

SOHANG on 2L0S.2005 reaffinning that the sanctity and unanimity of this

symbol be maintained in all Dharamsthans. The only exceptions were

Dharams,{frans Mangolpuri and Mohan Garden.

That Sri Guru Ravidas Prabandhak Sabha, Sant Garh, Tilak

Naga(respondent herein), was at the relevant tirne a member of the Central

Committee, and has in any case to abide by the basic tenets and betiefs of

Ad-Dharma religion as well as by the resolutions and decisions of the

Centrat Committee, which represents all the fotlowers of SOHANG. The

Respondent has changed the sacred symbolSOHANG

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to HARI on the Flag and other places of the building of the Dharamsthan

controlled by it, without the consent of the central committee. The said

proposed action of the Respondent sanin Garh runs counter to the basic

belief and foundation and also amounts to a btatant betrayal of the faith and

trust of the followers of Shri Guru Ravidasji and the SOI-IANG symbol, who

have contributed large sums of money for the construction and running of

the Dharamsthan. The action of the santgarh Dharamsthan is contrary to the

Central Gommittee resolution dated 21-8.2OO5

Moreover even according to the dictionary Brihart Hindi Kosh the word HARI

denotes the god Vishnu and his many avatarc as well as various forms of

animals, plaes, etc. shri Guru Ravidas was a follower of Nirankar and as

suc*r the word 'Hari' or symbol HARI which depicts God Mshnu cannot be

instakd on Dharmasthans of hb follcnrers. The use of H*RJ symbol would

cornpletely change rather negate the identi$ of the place of worship and

against the very basic tenets and beliefs of Guru Ravidasji and his followers.

S.lnviewofthefa€*qstatedabov-e,itisheldthatthechangeofthereligious

symbot from SO}IANG to HARI by the defendant would deeply offend and

hurt the religkrus followings and sentirnent of the followers of Guru Ravidasji

who have contributed and donated for the construction, maintenance and

management of the Dharmasthan in question. tt is proper therefore that all

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As per Shri Gian Chand Kater (Arbitmtor}. Shri O-P- Dhanda

ra-rrtl-.^-1 -;-r er--i N--*.1a7 laeqi fsfEitfalgIl

AWARD

The SOHAIIIG has bffin the sacred symbcil of Shri Guru Ravidas

Dharanrsthan since its inception. The SOHANG symbol was first concei\rcd

in the year 1926. Since then the Sohang symbot has been ttre onty symbol

identised with Sflfi Guru Ravidas Dharamsthan. The Respondent

Dharamsthan was also using the symbol SOtlAItlG ftorn i'ts formatjsn to

25,12.20fF.. TIE Appticant has fiH bdore qs $ryents to prove the same'

The Cental Conrmlttee of Shri Guru Ravklas Dharamsthan' Ddhi was

formed in 1996. ffre Cenbal Conrnittee hai the iudsdiction through out the

Natisra! Capigl Tenitqry of Dethi. The ainrs and o$ectitre of the Centrat

Commitbe are as under

To aSSist fire Manage$efi of variotts Dharamsfrraffi for imprwement

and devdognen! of Shri Guru Ravktas Dharamsthans.

To guide and assbt the management of each Dharamsthan in setiling

out probtems/disputes etc, if any, in their Executive Committee itself

or with any other Party or with the

a)

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. bxi) in the event of non-settlement of any dispute in spite of involvement of

the Central Committee, the matter will be treated as referred to the

Central Commiftee for arbitration and the decision of the Central

Comrnitee will be binding legally and sqcially on the disputingparty.

bxii) As the Dharamsthans are the religious place of Guru Ravidas Samaj

as a whole, the party violating the Central Committee's decision could

be socially boycotted. '

c) To m-odinate and arrarqe Shobha Yatras (Religious Proessions)

on the occasion of Shri Guru Ravidre birthday;

d) To deeide about the dates for funcfions to be held in different localities

for celebrating Shri Guru Ravidas tlirth annirrersary.

e) The Cenhal Committe will formulate Customs/Rituals (Maryada) for

popularizirg unifonnity in worship including Ardas, Jait<ara etc.

0 To *sis* in estaHbhing Se*rools/lnstih#ioreetc.

g) To prom& fadKbs ffid e&rd€f eain p$aris (gurumukhs).

h) To publtrsh/prcpagate the teacting of Shri.Guru Ravidas ji and colleci

hls wriEnge

0 To amange, obtain, ampt donatisrs, subsaiptions and funds etc.

From NCT Delhi, any other state in lndia and abroad for furtherance

of the aims and'obiects.

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To acquire, purchase or otherwise or take on lease or hire in the State

of Delhi, permanentfi morrable and immovable proper$ for the

furtherane of the Central Committee-

To do afl other things as are incidental or eonducive to the attainment

of the above obiects

The thirteen'Dharamsthan of Shri Guru Ravidas Ji in Delhi and NCR are

member$ of the Gentral Committee and as sucfr they arc bound by the

decisions as truell as tts memorandum, rules & regulation of the Central

Committee. l/Wpnever a Dhafamsf,han was f;omed in De*hi and NCR, the

SOHAIIG has been used as their symbl.

SAroblra yata on fre evq'of trtrffiry oeffin of Shri Guru Ravidas ii

Maharai in lgqr$r Delhi $rhictl s&rts ftorn Sri Guru Ravidas Dharamsthan,

Moti Bagh, I\hYu lldfti to Sri Guru Ravidas Dtprarrsffian, R-K. Puram New

grE1hi Eror;g5 Shri Guru Ravi6 Dhararrefiraa, Nanak Pura is performed

every year under the oreran coiltol of Csr&al Gonrmittee. All the thirteen

Dhanamsfrans ate p6 t*cipafrng in the sid Shobha Yara under the flag with

symbol of SOHANG.

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r99 F-:l?,s: *trill ll,se:meetings of 06.01.2001, g6.o9.zacB and 21.o3.2oa4, wnerean arref Eeateo

argurnents decision was taken that SOHANG symbol was to be used in all

the Dharamsthans in Delhi/NCR.

Further, the Central Commiftee had also decided in its meeting dated

21-0fi.-2OAS that all the Dharamsthan should use the word SOHANG f,n their

Dharamsthan and also decided that the Managing Committees of Shri Guru

Ravidas Dharamstftan of Mangol Puri and Mofran Garden to

give a serious thought to this issue and ty to reach at consensus with the

other dharamsthans for the sake of unanimrty in the interest of Sri Guru

Ravidas Mission.

It is evident that Pnabhandhak Sabha of San$arh Dharamsthan has

committed a serious viotation by Changing symbol tuom SOHANG to HARI

and ignored decision taken by the Cenhal Committee during its various

meetings taken ufien one of their menrber was Secretary General of the

Centnal Committee otfrrat time. Erren President of Central Committee ofthat

time did not take sublect issue sedously and did not try to prevail upon the

concemed Parbandhak Committee in this regard. Unfortunately, the symbol

of SOIIANG yvas rsnoved from the letter pad of the Cenhal Committee.

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ln view of the above facts, circumstances and record of the central

committee and tradition of shri Guru Ravidasji Dharamsthans, we have

cbme to the conclusion that SOHANG has Ueen the religious symbol of Shri

Guru Ravidas Mission. we, therefore, hold that soHANG should be the only

symbol to be used by aH the Dharamsthans under the central comrnittee

including on the letter-head of the central commihee as the same was being

used since the formation of the Central Committee which was removed by

som@ne offie bearer of the central commifiee deliberately' shobha Yatra

on the eve of birthday celebration of shri Guru Ravidas ii Maharai in south

Delhi is performed under the overall Conbol of Central Committee should be

under the flag wi$r symbol of SOHANG'

Further, it may not be out of place to mention here that the unity in our

Samai is must in allcirormstances. We shouH notforget that different views

do exists among our family members on various issues due to which a family

cannot be broken or disintryrated at any cost'

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We respect the sentiments of our community members but they cannot be

allored to by pass the Central Committee and not to go to any Court of Law

or any outside body for reOresgrfof theil grievance directly. ln case any

issue arises in respect of any of the Dharamsthan, they must approach

Central Conrmittee first in writing.

4--&-t'*sHRr GnN CHAND KALER (ARBITRATOR)

S:HRI NAREND ssr (ARBTTRATOR)

New &lhiDate:30.10.2011

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