DV protests Sikh bid to embrace their very killers
The Editor of Dalit Voice, V.T. Rajshekar – the first non-Sikh to suffer (1986) for defending the Sikh struggle for self-determination that ultimately culminated in the bloody Blue Star Operation – for the first time visited the world-famous Golden Temple on June 11, 2004 in the company of a large number of Dalits and Sikhs. As the Editor in charge of DV’s Punjabi and Hindi editions, I accompanied. Brother Rajshekar.
As he was closely associated with the revered Sant Bhindranwale, who is ranked next only to Guru Gobind Singh, the last and the most famous Sikh guru, and also supported the historic Sikh war against Brahminism which was brutally suppressed by sending the Indian Army inside the Golden Temple and killing thousands of Sikhs, the Editor was overwhelmed with emotions and he was often found in tears as he went round the vast temple complex under the burning sun.
After he was conferred the honour by the temple authorities, he was asked to write in the visitor’s book. The following short note. which must come as a warning to the Sikhs, is reproduced for its historical importance.
12-6-2004, Harmandir Sahib, V.T. Rajshekar, Editor, Dalit Voice
This is our first visit to Golden Temple though as a great admirer of Sant Bhindranwale we were supporters of the Sikh movement for self- determination for which we were jailed in 1986 in Chandigarh. But we are sorry to note that the brave and great Sikhs, who suffered and whose holiest shrine was destroyed by the Brahminical people, have now joined hands with the same Brahmins. We strongly protest this and the people of India demand that you quit their enemy company.
Slow death of Sikhism: The Editor’s note was read out by me to the assembled gathering, and one Sikh religious leader present contradicted the Editor saying that the Sikhs did not join hands with the Congress Party. The Editor said the Congress no doubt was the original Brahminical party, and the BJP was born to it, but both were Brahminical in content.
Mine was the first reaction to the DV Debate on the “Slow death of Sikhism”. It was publsihed as the guest editorial (DV Edit Jan.1, 1999: “Sikhism manipulated & massacred by upper caste Sikh intellectuals to help Aryans”) when our Editor had shifted to Delhi from Bangalore for the second time and DV started publishing from Delhi. The Debate went on for years highlighting the deep concern of the Editor over the sad state of Sikhism.
As a devout Sikh myself, I know that our Editor is a sincere supporter of Sikhism because it is a liberating religion. Only recently he visited Nanded where the greatest of the Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, died. He had visited all the important gurdwaras in Delhi. When the Sikhs of Bangalore took out a silent procession to protest the Blue Star, he was the only non-Sikh to join it. He had also visited the Patna Saheb Gurdwara in Patna where Guru Gobind Singh was born, and the gurdwara in Calcutta. He used to be a frequent visitor to the Bangalore gurdwara. Dalit Voice once had several hundreds of Sikh subscribers.
His articles used to be reproduced in all Sikh journals in India and abroad. Sardar Kapur Singh and Jagjit Singh, the author of the book, Sikh Revolution (1998), two eminent Sikh intellectuals, were members of the DV family
Akali Dal offer: Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, general- secretary of the Akali Dal, who later became a Union Minister under the BJP Govt., had met our Editor in the Chandigarh Jail (1986) and after honouring him offered to get him elected to Parliament from Punjab. The Editor had become the darling of Sikhs.
And I came to know our Editor through his revolutionary writings supporting the Sikhs and later he put me in charge of DV Hindi and Punjabi editions. It is through him I encountered a vast number of Dalits and Muslims all over India and decided that as a Jat Sikh I can serve the humanity better and be a better Sikh if I serve the Dalits, the lowest of the low.
But it is a matter of great regret that even brilliant and honest intellectuals are not heeding his words of warning. So much so the “Slow death of Sikhism”. predicted by him, has gained speed.
My fear is the Brahmins may succeed if quick remedial measures are not taken. My visit to the Village Ballan gave a new hope that it is possible to serve Sikhism with the help of the Ravidass saints.
