Bangalore: Whether we call it slow or fast death, it is death. This is so with Sikhism over which a Debate is going on in DV since our Editorial of Nov. 1, 1998: “BSO using internal enemies to destroy Sikh identity: Slow death of a brave community” and the guest editorial of Dr. (Mrs.) K.K. Sidhu: “Sikhism manipulated & massacred by upper caste Sikh intellectuals to help Aryans” (DV Jan.1, 1999). The Debate is still going on, the last came out in the DV of May 16, 2000 (p.18 to 23).
Chandigarh nazi show: A further proof that Sikhism is on death-bed is just available. The Hindu nazis stepped up their efforts to complete the dying process when the newly-appointed nazi chief, K.S. Sudarshan, addressed a 3-day conclave of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, a wing of the nazi party, at Chandigarh on April 30 last.
Sudarshan asserted that Sikhs were Hindus and snubbed those Sikhs who differed from him. There was hardly any protest against the RSS chief’s statement because the Punjab Chief Minister Badal’s Govt. was a slave of the Hindu nazi party.
That India’s largest Hindu nazi party has itself set up a Sikh wing to hinduise (enslave) the Sikhs confirms our fears about the “Slow death of Sikhism”.
The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat has spread its wing in the countryside after capturing the urban-based upper caste Sikhs. India’s bravest, the youngest and the most revolutionary indigenous religion is dying if not already dead. Sikhs had many extraordinary advantages to develop and strengthen their identity. They had a state of their own. They also had a distinct physical appearance because of the beard, turban, sword etc.
Besides, they occupied a strategic region, bordering Pakistan with which they had close relations. Apart from this they were also close to India’s capital city where their population was as high as 30%. Their fairly good representation in defence forces and police had the added advantage to challenge the ruling Brahminical Social Order. Sikhism itself commanded thousands of gurdwaras which could have been used as their battle-ground.
No other community in India had such multi-faceted advantages. That was why the BSO was mortally afraid of Sikhs.
With all these plus points, the Sikhs lost their just struggle and we are sorry to note the “Slow death of Sikhism”. Slow or fast, it is death.
