A major conflict has broken out in Punjab, between the orthodox Sikh community and a sect (which may or may not be understood as a ‘Sikh’ sect) called Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS). It’s a strange and complex issue, involving caste issues (DSS members are predominantly from what are called ‘backward’ castes), politics (DSS supporters are overwhelmingly Congress party supporters, while Punjab has for many years been dominated by the BJP-allied Akali Dal), as well fundamental questions of who gets to determine how a religion is defined.
The BBC has the basic details here:
Cities and towns across the northern Indian state of Punjab are shut in response to a general strike called by the Sikh community.
Security forces have been deployed and businesses and schools are closed for the day amid fears of violence.
Sikhs are demanding an apology from the leader of a religious sect who appeared in an advert dressed like one of the Sikh religion’s most important figures.
Sikh community leaders say it is an insult to their religion. (link)
The DSS leader’s name is Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, and there was controversy surrounding his leadership of the DSS before the current conflagration began. The DSS has grown quite rapidly in recent years, but its leadership is also being investigated by the CBI on charges of sexual molestation, according to the Times of India:
The era also saw the sect embroiled in a number of contentious issues, especially those involving the dera chief. In 2003, an anonymous letter alleged sexual exploitation of young girls at the dera. Later, murder of a senior member of the dera and a Sirsa-based journalist set the rumour mills working overtime. Family members of the slain scribe moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, demanding a CBI probe into the role of dera in the murder. The case was handed over to the CBI. However, the CBI probe moved at a slow pace despite the HC pulling up the investigating agency. Also, political pressure and protests by dera followers did not help.
More recently, the dera courted trouble just before the Punjab assembly elections this year. Though it enjoyed the patronage of both the Akali and Congress leaders, the president issued an edict asking his followers to support Congress candidates. According to sources, this favour was extended after the party (Punjab Congress) promised relief in the CBI case. Post elections, there have been complaints of Akalis harassing dera men. (link)
That last point in the TOI above suggests how much might be at stake in this conflict; it also shows how intimately religion and politics are intertwined in India. This is at once a religious and a political conflict, and suggestions that the state remain neutral on a matter of religious doctrine, while correct in principle, do not really seem to apply. (It’s yet another reminder of how difficult it can be to comprehend India’s “secularism”)
As a final comment, I should note that while I myself don’t have very much first-hand knowledge of the various Dera sects (there are dozens) that are currently active all over Punjab and its neighboring states, a blogger named SidhuSaaheb (via Neha Vishwanathan at Global Voices Online) does have a fair bit to say about the DSS:
As I keep track of the coverage, in newspapers and on television, of the Dera Sacha Sauda controversy, there are a few things that strike me as strange.
Firstly, the Dera has been described as a ‘Sikh sect’ in certain sections of the news media, whereas it has nothing to do with Sikhism (or any other religious faith, as for that matter).
Secondly, something that has been part of conversations in urban drawing-rooms and rural baithhaks in Punjab i.e. the Dera head issued an edict to his followers to vote for Congress (I) in the recent state assembly elections, only because that party offered to help ‘dispose off’ the criminal cases filed against the Baba and his followers (the charges include murder and sexual abuse), in case it was able to form the government, does not appear to have been mentioned in any newspaper or on any television channel.
Thirdly, most media reports seem to imply that the Sikhs have been outraged merely by the fact that the Baba appeared dressed like Guru Gobind Singh, whereas, the truth is that he not only dressed like the Guru, but also attempted to replicate, to a large extent, what the Guru did on the day of the foundation of the Khalsa (in spite of the counter-claims made in the latest press statement put out by the Dera). He tried to do a ‘role play’, in which he put himself in the place of the Tenth Master. (link)
He goes on to make some direct allegations about the murder of a family member by DSS members.
The note of outrage in SidhuSaaheb’s account of Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s actions is one I’ve also heard from every other Sikh I’ve talked to in recent weeks, as this has been unfolding. The sense of outrage is also very much present in this Outlook article by Chander Suta Dogra, which is worth a read — though I would appreciate citations to substantiate the statistics Dogra gives on the popularity of the Deras and the “decline” of the Sikh community.
I was always aware that there were self proclaimed “sants” who ran their own gurdwaras but never imagined that they were either so prevalent, or were forming such powerful cults. Sikhism is a tiny religion as it is, and diluting it in this manner does not bode well.
I’m no fan of the SGPC, but one does have to wonder what these babas do to attract such large followings. Is it populist views regarding cutting ones hair? or is it the hospitals they run? Perhaps it is time to examine this phenomenon and see how mainstream Sikhs can reach out to these communities.
apparently I had trouble spelling my own name 🙂
If someone dresses up like Krishna and delivers the Gita on a hastily assembled chariot, what would the reaction of any Hindu be? Outrage? Hardly. Amused, maybe. Disinterest (gotta catch that 8:17 to work), likely. Reverence, possible (among the elderly).
M. Nam
Jawahar, I think that’s a healthy attitude. The charity functions of the DSS are often mentioned briefly in the articles about the recent conflict, but I’d like to know more about what they’re doing on that front.
I currently don’t know of anyone (i.e., an anthropologist) who has studied these folks in depth.
Hindus get their knickers in a twist and fire in their effigy burning souls about other things, MoorNam.
The following of babas and cults is exactly what prevailed among the Sikhs of Punjab until the “purifying” Singh Sabha movement in the late 19th/early 20th century, which was initiated in the colonialist environment and a response to the Arya Samaj and some Muslim “revival” movements. Harjot Singh Oberoi called the tradition opposed to the Singh Sabha “Sanatan Sikhism” — where the reverence for living gurus, icons and pilgrimage centers is acceptable, and where clear demarcations between religious identities do not exist. It seems like Punjabis are reverting to the “Sanatan” mode. Someone should email him and ask for his analysis of the situation.
The more you look into this, the more it seems that there are problems on all sides, quite beside the religious politicking and irresponsible rhetoric emerging from hardliners. For a start, this Sant is dodgy — sexual abuse and rapes at his dera, and two journalists who brought it to light being murdered. These protests have taken off the heat and maybe that’s what he wanted.
As for the rise of the deras, well if there is a vaccum in which Sikh organisations would traditionally have offered spiritual and material solace to the poor, uneducated, the drug addicts and alcoholics and so on, then no matter how corrupt and exploitative they are, at some level the Deras are fulfilling a need.
I have no idea how impersonation of a Sikh guru by a random guy can threaten Sikh religion. However, such trivial acts always seem to cause offense among the conservative crowd in every religion. Conservative Sikhs have every right to feel outraged, but is there any need for violence? Can outrage be not shown in a peaceful manner? These things can be solved by negotiations between the sect and the aggrieved party. What is the need to hold an entire state hostage for a random act by the leader of a sect?
Having said that I must state that this kind of violent behavior is an acceptable political tool in India. Almost every established political party employs these techniques to carry on with their agendas. All this leads to is a cycle of endless violence on the streets. Nitin Pai has coined a nice term to categorize these kind of events – “competitive intolerance”.
Regards,
Anindo, I don’t disagree that some of the outrage here might be called “competitive intolerance” — it’s something I myself complained about when there was outrage over a controversial Sikh-themed play in England in 2005 (“Behzti”). But there is a difference here: unlike Hinduism (or perhaps I should say the various Hinduisms, in the plural), Sikhism does have a single centralized authority structure and clear scriptural/ritual mandates. The leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect seems to be challenging all of that by taking on the mantle of the last Guru — he’s on the verge of setting up a parallel religion.
While that might not be “wrong” in principle (people should be free to worship however and whomever they want, in my view), it might at least be understandable as to why this has become such a big deal.
Also, as far as I know, the violence hasn’t been that extensive. The Bandh (general strike) in Punjab has led to one death, which is one too many to be sure, but not a sign that things are out of control. Things could get a lot worse — though obviously I hope things don’t go that way.
Because “hurting religious sentiment” is a legal offense in India, thereby making the best offense a good…offended. Over and over I read of violent attacks supposedly incited by “hurt religious sentiment.” It makes warring factions appear even more pathetic: how much “faith” can religiosos have if their gods/gurus/traditions are so easily denigrated at every turn? Violence aside, the “hurting religious sentiment” law is anathema to Free Speech, and is constantly invoked on behalf of censorship.
Indeed.
I would like to know if there’s any movement afoot in India to get rid of “hurting religious sentiment” as a legal defense.
Moornam ,i think you know that many beggars in India impersonate Shiv ,Hanuman or Krishna and ask for money .
views from “progressive ” Sikh community 😛
http://akalpurakhkifauj.googlepages.com/eyeopener-derasachasuada
If someone slaughtered cows in conservative hindu areas, I am sure there would be riots. Yet millions of people of other faith slaughter and eat cows peacefully daily. Are you suggesting rest of the world is more peaceful?
Religions are a set of irrational beliefs, similar acts don’t have same significance in other belief systems. Yours is a false comparison.
No my friend, yours is a false comparison.
Slaughtering cows is considered bad because it is the killing of something that is deemed sacred – very similiar to, say, burning effigies of Gurus. Outrage is normal and expected (although related violence should not be condoned). Here we have a case of outrage when someone is emulating the sacred and divine. Can someone explain to these guys that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?
To the point. Deras are to Sikhism what Buddhism was to Hinduism. When Hinduism failed to meet the needs of the common man, there was upheaval from within and Hinduism was relegated to less than 10% of the population for more than 600 years. Only when it reformed itself post-Shankara, could it successfully regain its former place.
M. Nam
To the point. Deras are to Sikhism what Buddhism was to Hinduism. When Hinduism failed to meet the needs of the common man
I don’t know about this. I’m thinking the Deras are a form of fluid religiosity that prevailed in Punjab prior to Singh Sabha reforms. Its actually a revival.
MoorNam, I think the cow slaughtering analogy is a good one — the point is that there are different pressure points, there are ‘red buttons’ for different religions that cause hot blood. Sikhs don’t object to a picture portrait of Guru Nanak, but Muslims will protest against a painting of Prophet Muhammad, for example.
From the Hindu :
A godman and a political storm, NOTE: from November 2001
Vignettes of relief , March 2001
This is just another example of religion being used for political ends. Coming from a Sikh family myself, I wish Sikhs wouldn’t take the bait so willingly. I think there are much better things for Sikhs to be outraged by, much better injustices for Sikhs to rally around–like the drug problem in Punjab, the causes of brain drain and farmer suicides, corruption, etc. The comparison to the Behzti controversy is apt, I think. Rather than address things at their root cause (i.e. asking why deras are so popular on the one hand, or what can be done to prevent sexual assault at gurudwaras on the other), Sikhs’ reaction always seems to be to reach for the swords. That’s lame.
Is their belief so shaky that it is threatened by a clown? (This is probably the appropriate place to mention that I come from an orthodox Sikh family, that I have been a true believer, that I am a proponent of blasphemy in all its forms, and that I fear people who are unable to make fun of themselves and their beliefs.)
I heard about this story from my bhuas who, along with myself, are visiting my parents. One of my bhuas characterized the Sacha Sauda cult as having a lot of “lower caste” followers. Honey, I got news for you. Calling those people “lower caste” is contrary to Sikh teachings–in a much more fundamental way than dressing and acting like the guru, I think. Give me a break!
Anyway, pardon me if I am more critical of Sikhs than other communities. Like I said, I am a disillusioned former believer.
Harbeer, there have been a number of articles posted in the news tab about how the tension has a caste element to it. If one of the reasons why deras are appealing to certain people who feel marginalised from mainstream Sikh institutions, then those institutions have to ask serious questions as to why that is — and if it is a casteist mentality that stunts their appeal to ‘lower caste’ Sikhs, then can you blame them for seeking spiritual solace from people who offer an alternative? I have a close Sikh friend who comes from a Ravi Dassia background, and this is what he says is going on.
Harbeer @ #18; thanks for making some very good points!
I have a general question in connection with Harbeer’s para. 3. Sikhs, it seemed, from the historical accounts of Sikhism’s evolution, were such committed followers of the Granth Sahib. How, then, did this memory of caste — which is utterly contrary to Granth’s teachings — re-emerge ?
I use words like “memory” and “re-emerge” because, when I was growing up, my Sikh friends were just Singhs or Kaurs. Today, everyone seems to be an Aurora, or a Brar, Dhillon, or a Kahlon, or… Are the memories of my childhood accurate, or was caste never banished from the Sikh consciousness ? Any answers ?
I use words like “memory” and “re-emerge” because, when I was growing up, my Sikh friends were just Singhs or Kaurs. Today, everyone seems to be an Aurora, or a Brar, Dhillon, or a Kahlon, or… Are the memories of my childhood accurate, or was caste never banished from the Sikh consciousness ? Any answers ?
I’m reading up on this just now. I would say no, it’s never been banished. The Singh Sabhas, which have created the dominant [Tat Khalsa] understanding of modern Sikhism, certainly tried, but here’s what Hugh Mcleod, a maligned Sikh scholar, has to say:
“In some cases Tat Khalsa historiography was only a partial success, an example being provided by its notion of caste. Tat Khalsa leaders maintained that all the Gurus had preached against caste as it necessarily involved discrimination as practised by Hindus. Most Sikhs, however, have ignored the teaching. Discrimination (or at least difference) is widespread in the Sikh Panth. In this case Tat Khalsa teaching failed to distinguish between baran (varan)[Skt. “varna”] on the one hand and za´t (ja´ti)[Skt. “jati”] on the other. The Gurus were certainly opposed to baran but their opposition to za´t and to got (gotr)[Skt. “gothra”] was only to the extent that it involved discrimination.” link
Today, everyone seems to be an Aurora, or a Brar,Dhillon, or a Kahlon, or…
Some Dhillon’s are OK.
while Punjab has for many years been dominated by the BJP-allied Akali Dal
Amardeep,
There are some flaws in your analysis. May I:
1) BJP-Akali Dal won state elections a few months ago, before that it was Congress party in power at the state level. Traditionally, Punjab does a yoo-yoo between Congress and Akali-BJP combine, where incumbents often loose power. There is a ruthless power play at the core being acted out.
2) There is no religion in the world that rein in everyone in their fold – Catholics and Vatican – If they cannot do it, no one can – Last week, Pope Benedict had to apologize about their “over lordship” and utterances twice (a few days later through Vatican spokepersons) in Brazil.
3) Indian subcontinent has thousands of years of homegrown versions of their religions and practices. I was talking to anthropologist who specialized in diversity of faith from village to village scale in India few years ago, and he was amazed by differences seen even within 100 miles. I agree with Harbeer in his analysis.
4) I do know much about this Dera leader. However, a large (majority) percentage of leaders in India have multiple cases against them – bribery, sexual harassment, and what not. Some are true, some are totally bogus. There is no telling unless one knows the real details, and their veracity. It seems Deras in general are seeing resurgence.
5) SGPC is full of thugs and crooks too. They are more concerned about loosing their vote bank – via Akali Dal. Talking of Akali Dal, there are about half a dozen factions that sometimes are trying to hack themselves in true sense of the word.
I meant: I do not know much about this Dera leader
Shekhar Gupta sees shades of 1978 and the Bhindranwale episode in the current crisis. But I guess we are still v far from anything of that magnitude.
Growing up I spent 8 years in the biggest city of Gujarat in the eighties. Dead cow on a temple, is EXACTLY how most of the riots started.
Being a non-practicing Sikhni, I’m always struck by how often the identity of religion and its beliefs are defended through men burning effigies, violence, riots to avenge insults, and the more subtle admonishments by the granthi in the gurudwara to pull a slipping dupatta on your head, holding your palms in the correct position to receive parshad and so on. In my limited knowledge, weren’t all the Gurus ordinary men who were enlightened and placed the entire body of teachings in a text for us to follow? SO how does it matter that a joker gets up and does a school play on the Guru Granth Sahib? Atleast he played the part to the hilt. Yes, the joker has serious problems if he has molestation and murder charges against himself and his dera and in fact THAT’S the reason we should be burning his effigy or hauling him to the nearest police station.
By the way, I am a first time blogger (a virgin, can you believe that in this day and age) and so be gentle and kind so that I may drum up enought courage to return and pontificate with you distinguished individuals on my favorite blog.
And that is the true beauty of the Hindu culture. Unfortunately even amongst Hindus there are some fanatic “nationalists” and others who are giving the wider majority a really bad name. Like that whole outrage over that academic Ganesh book.
What? You’re saying 90% of India was Buddhist for more than 600 years?
You did great pp! Stick around, wise words.
Red snapper:You did great pp! Stick around, wise words.
I am humbled by your praise….phew…
Word up! Can they get a IIT or IIM in the dirty dirty Poonjab or what?
GB @ 19,
I don’t think it can be said that it has re-emerged. The only time that I have read that it was virtually eliminated among the Sikhs was during the time of the living Gurus, which ended in 1708. The re-emergence may have began soon thereafter, definitely by the 1800s. Also, it would be easy to revive such thought when the majority are uneducated and are surrounded by a much larger hindu community. It wasn’t until 1966 that the Sikhs were in a majority in Punjab after Haryana and Himachal were carved out.
Also, the reason the DSS situation is a problem is due to how easily people can be manipulated in Punjab and India generally. This is primarily due to a lack of education. Someone can come along and emulate the initiation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh and in essence compare himself to Guru Gobind Singh and people will believe it. Take a look at this account of what took place and you can see the this is far bigger than dressing as Guru Gobind Singh. This is an attempt to sway people into DDS allegiance by connecting the dots with Sikhism. Does it deserve a violent response? No. How about kickin them out like the Akal Takht has demanded? I don’t think so. But an apology should be forthright.
Here is the possible letter written by the girl that Amardeep is talking about detailing monthly rape and virtual imprisonment by the DSS Guru. I don’t know the validity of the letter, but take it for what you may.
And someone please get rid of Prakash Singh Badal. He is as corrupt as an African dictator, but one that’s sitting on a serious cash cow.
Akali Dal is burning the bed that they made for themselves. Akali Dal has been using religion to rally Sikhs around them for years. Now, they are angry that other religious organisations are exerting political influence? Akali Dal along with BJP may not have opened the door to religious influence in politics, but they have been taking advantage of religion in politics for decades. What right do they have now to attack rival organizations for using a religious figure? Where were they when Advani was taking his “rath yatra” whipping up religious sentiments for political gains? And what right do they have to use violence against an organisation for using a trick that they themselves have perfected?
33
Cash cow indeed!!! Prakash Singh Badal has declared his personal worth to be 900 million US dollars. This from a man whose parents used to give Rs. 25,000 per month to run his house in Chandigarh in the early 1980s. (My uncle who retired from the Punjab Excise and Taxation dept…another extremely corrupt organization…said that Badal’s personal finances were common knowledge in the dept).
Sonya
Ooops…
I meant rupees and not dollars…living in the US confuses me sometimes. I have frequently called rupees dollars in India and vice versa.
sp
I was waiting to see how long it will take Sepia Mutiny to post anything on this issue. I actually visited this Dera once back in early 1990s (probably in 5th grade) because I was just curious to know why our neighbors follow this sect. I had also looked at their Satsang Shabad books (I remember it very vividly). From what I have seen I will say DDS is not offshoot of Sikhism. Yes, one will see that lot of DDS followers do wear turban and keep their hair uncut (Uncut hair does not make anybody Sikh). I agree with Punjabi Assassin’s analysis of matter. Personally, I think it is very difficult to make mockery of Sikh religion or any religion. Sometimes people are so ignorant that they feel threatened from such actions. Anybody who understands philosophy of Sikhism will not take actions of DDS’s chief seriously. For me the most offending parts of this whole controversy are: DSS followers beating Sikh men with lathis, young Sikh men coming out in streets with talwaars and asking everybody to shut their shops, and political aspect of this issue. Probably, Sikhs who burned is DDS effigy should have asked to Akal Takat to get this guy to clarify his actions and apologize to Sikhs. DDS followers were wrong to beat Sikhs for burning DDS chief’s effigy (around the world, people every day burn political leaders’ effigy – no one is beating them up). Later, Sikhs youth were wrong to come into streets with their swords. Lesson here is not to mix politics and religion.
This is absolutely no different than people complaining about missionaries, conversions etc other than the fact that it was a religion that is relatively young and an even younger spin-off or bastardization or whatever you choose to call it.
If people have an issue with an emergence of new religious/spiritual beliefs, set up your own proselytizaton movement, or buy people off, whatever works to your advantage.
Or if you still believe in state protection of religions, lobby the government, make everyone have a declared religion (or non-religion) from birth, and chop off their head if they deviate it from it 😉
Looks like Sikhs are in crisis. After shouting caste caste at Hindus it seems as though they are bleeding much worse.This looks like full-fledged Dalit revolt.90 percebt of religious donations in state are going to deras. 80 percent of Sikh males have chopped their hair! Will the fanatics use this as a rallying cry for Khalistan? You betcha. They will even blame Hindus, who are not involved at all.
At least better sense seems to prevailing. Keep the politics out and let the religious folks work it out among themselves.
All work to lower Punjab temperature, Dera chief blinks.
On a different note, the reaction of hindu right wing to the whole issue is illuminating and comic. VHP’s statement : Dera have links with Maoists
I read some article in the ToI about the Khalistani movement, sort of gaining some steam, with this episode. I’ll try to post the link, when/if I find it again.
Slogans for Khalistan will surely be raised, whether they gain traction will be largely based on what the government will do. The problem the government will have is to keep law and order, and not seem to be siding with the DSS. The Nirankari agitation in 1978 was the spark that started many good and bad things. When the Punjab police began to be viewed as giving state protection to those who blasphamize the Sikh tradition, the notion that Sikhs will never be free to practice their faith gained traction.
The State will have to keep the peace in a non-political way (is it even possible?). There just needs to be a couple of incidents of DSS folks allowed to act in mockery of the Sikh Faith under police protection for the Government to once again become the enemy.
This is not to say that the police protection of blasphemous behavior will be real; all that matters is that it is perceived that way. Those that want to take advantage of that, will do so.
The Dera sects are just cults of personality that use a lot of established Sikh imagery and symbols to push their agendas among the Sikh masses. It’s not hard to fool people who barely know what their own religion is about. Obviously these sects are filling a need of some sort, but that’s analagous to psychic hotlines and tarot card readers filling a vacuum in America…it’s still crap. There are a lot of social and spiritual problems that the Sikh leadership is not addressing, but these sects will not effectively address them either.
What’s more worrying is the political dimension…this isn’t just a bunch of sects trying to battle it out with mainstream Sikhism. THE CONGRESS PARTY IS INVOLVED. That should explain a lot of it. And the parallels to what happened in the late 70s with the Nirankari movement (another sect, whose conflicts with mainstream Sikhs were one facet of what sparked off the whole Khalistan issue) are striking. The Congress Party’s role in that conflict is well known too. In short, the situation on the ground today seems A LOT like what the prevailing mood and circumstances in the years immediately preceding militancy in the late 70s and early 80s was like…this does not bode well, and I hope everyone involved uses previous events as a guide, and not repeat history. Although the current crop of Sikh youth is very different in many ways than the Sikh youth of the 70s/80s, and may not be able to do anything effectively one way or the other.
“It’s not hard to fool people who barely know what their own religion is about.”
Are you sure they’re being conned, the majority of people who support these deras?
Here’s an interesting article on the deras, and their rise:
By: Saurabh Kapoor
In the dead of the night, a blind man carrying a lantern bumped into another visually impaired gentleman clutching a lantern. Dazed by the incident the bloke shouted at his perpetrator: “Are you blind or something, even with all this light you can’t see me.â€
“YOU must be blind. Can’t you see this lantern in my hand,†retorted the other, anguished at the ignorance of his fellow being.
This is precisely what is happening in Punjab these days. Herds of senseless blind men accusing each other of being sightless and flashing their respective lanterns have held the state to ransom.
Sikh sentiments have been hurt by Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh, who apparently copied the tenth guru of the Sikhs- Guru Gobind Singh- and tried to administer amrit(nectar) to his followers a la the last guru.
Hurt religious sentiments are just a garb under which vested interests are trying to forward their case. All this is happening with the Akalis at the helm who now swear by “Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyatâ€.
In fact, Punjabiyat is just an idea that Mr Everyman uses to lull himself into believing that all is well with the world in Punjab. The idea is romantic and on the flip side far removed from the reality on the ground. Punjab is not all that Bhangra-happy as it appears to be. There are divisions among communities and within communities.
BJP by its recent showing in the Punjab elections can safely be called the party representing the Hindus in the state at present. They surprised even themselves by their good showing in urban Punjab, mostly dominated by Hindus. There was over 70% voter turnout in the urban areas, a marked improvement from the usual turnout of around 50%.
Now relish this: BJP’s first reaction to the dera stand-off was a phone call form senior party leader Arun Jaitley to CM Parkash Singh Badal asking him that Hindu-Sikh unity should not be a casualty in the crisis. The next move was distancing itself from Badal government’s efforts, or the lack of it, to control the situation. A clear admission of the anxieties of minority Hindus in a state that now claims to have reached a closure with terrorism and prides itself on being an inclusive society based on the tenets of Sikhism, Sufism et al.
The Sikhs themselves are a divided house. How can, otherwise, a God-fearing Sikh ever explain existence of separate Gurudwaras for Dalits Sikhs? How can a true follower of the ten Gurus, who would disallow sangat(religious congregation) before pangat (community meal) to all their followers, recognize the fact that caste divisions exist in their religion and accept reservations to Dalit Sikhs?
Harijan Sikhs or the Mazhabi Sikhs in Punjab form more than 30% of the state’s population. 80% of them stay in villages. So villages in Punjab are predominantly Dalit but are controlled by affluent Jat Sikhs. In sooth, the economy, politics, culture of the state is dominated by this powerful landowning class- the Jat Sikhs.
This is one of the major reasons behind mushrooming of around 9,000 deras in the state. Over two-third of the state’s population visits these deras. With their back against the wall the marginalized searched for separate cultural space in Punjab. It all started as a battle for self-respect and now the Sikh clergy see it as a threat to their religion. They are a threat because they are asserting themselves politically, something the upper caste Sikhs can’t stand.
In recent times these deras put together have been used as a politico-religious tool by the Congress to counter SGPC support to the Akali Dal. (DSS with its 40 lakh followers supported Congress in the recent elections and helped it bag around 12 seats in Aklai dominated Malwa region.)
But calling for the closure of these deras is not a workable solution. The problem is not the existence of these deras but the reasons behind their inception and the support they enjoy.
Social boycott is not the answer, in fact, it’s a pointer towards the real problem and that is the explosive divisions in Punjabi society; the deep-rooted social, economic and caste inequalities.
Few years ago there was another insult to Guru Gobind Singh that had infuriated the Jat Sikhs in Punjab. In the sleepy village of Bhail in Taran Taran district, the Mazhabi Sikhs took out a procession to mark the birthday of the 10th Guru.
Traditionally the procession had been taken out by Jat Gurudwaras, four of them in the area taking turns to do so. But when Mazhabi Sikhs, who had built a Gurudwara of their own in the village, collected Rs 10,000 and expressed desire to take out a procession from their mud-floored Gurudwara, the Jats were outraged. It was an open challenge to the supremacy of Jat zamidars.
The procession went ahead in defiance and retaliation followed soon. Armed with sticks the Jats prevented the Mazhabis from entering their fields for three days.
60-year-old Hazara Singh was prevented from cremating his 22-year old daughter Binder at the village cremation ground. A dejected Hazara dumped the body into the river around 5 kms away from his village lugging it with two sacks of mud.
More cremations were denied and the Mazabis were asked to build a separate cremation ground.
A similar call for social boycott of the Dalits was given by the Jat Sikhs of Talhan near Jalandhar in 2003. Dalit Sikhs sought representation in the management of the Gurudwara at Talhan but were refused the same by local Sikh clergy. Clashes followed the decision and curfew had to be imposed to control the situation.
People outside don’t identify Punjab with such incidents. To a simple mind these tales don’t happen in the prosperous land of five rivers. The truth is that the manifestation of caste division in the Punjab society is Brahmanical. It is incredible though that a society where Brahmins have been immensely marginalized and are even a subject of ridicule, still retains its Brahmnical character.
The Jats have always tried to culturally, socially, economically and politically marginalize the rest in Punjab. The movies, songs glorify them and not a Punjabi. Sikh politicians represent them and guard their interests in the name of the entire Sikh community.
But times in Punjab are changing and boy! They are changing fast.
The Daltis in Punjab are looking for total emancipation. Immigration gave them economic independence and social status back home and now deras that earlier gave them spiritual solace are giving them political boldness.
Someone who otherwise would have worked for less than Rs 100 per day as a farm labourer in Punjab now earns over a lakh per month after immigrating illegally and looks a Jat, known for their stiff upper lips, in the eye when he meets him abroad or in his village.
Deras now hold sway over huge chunk of Punjab population and also pocket a much of the offerings in the state. This has made them precious for politicians in the state who come running for support turning these religious assemblies in political pressure groups.
b>So, is Sikhi under threat? Yes, it is. There is a threat for sure but it is from within. The Sikh society is as casteist as the Hindu society. Sikhs cannot just wish away this reality by shouting from roof-tops that Sikhi is in danger, where the only danger that exists is to the interest of the affluent landowners of Punjab.
More than eyesight, Punjabis today need commonsense to see the writing on the wall. But then again, there are none so blind than those who will not see.
Is Akalis tie up with BJP a factor in the rise of the dera ?(i have heard the followers are mainly ‘backward’ castes).
Obviously these sects are filling a need of some sort, but that’s analagous to psychic hotlines and tarot card readers filling a vacuum in America…it’s still crap.
I see shades here of the Ahmadi versus non-Ahmadi Muslim debate.
Amitabh, what do you think of these lines from the article KV quotes:
Seems to me that there is more of an underlying dynamic than just tarot card readers and psychic hotlines behind the growth of these deras, although as always in India the spiritual reflection and guidance that people crave is always there. The need for a cultural space of their own away from the chauvinism they sense and a form of worship they feel alienated from. If lower caste Sikhs are turning away from traditional institutions, there has to be a deeper introspection amongst Sikhs as to why that is, apart from just dismissing them all as offering the equivalent of a loopy tarot card reader (a human need which can be served by ‘established’ religions like Sikhism, Islam or Hinduism as much as a sect), or being, en masse, heretics conspiring to destroy the Sikh religion.
Where would we be without the B word? Ironies abound. Punjab is birthplace of the Arya Samaj, a reformist movement tha rejected jati-based divisions, and distributed the sacred thread to every man and woman, high or low, as a mark of inclusion, inviting everyone to join the the true and noble – the Arya (that’s what it means BTW). Dayanand Sarasvati also angered every religious community including the Sikhs, with his writings that condemned ritual in Hinduism (or Sanatan Dharam as he dubbed it) and in otehr faiths. And today it is an adherent of that community – Swami Agnivesh – who is mediating between the Sikhs and the DSS. In those dark days of terror it was not rare for a terrorist group to claim to have exterminated “Brahminical and bania” oppressors every time they gunned down some Hindu official – the usual suspects accused of oppression ranged from Radio Station directors to bureaucrats in the department of agriculture. Shall we stop dragging in brahmins and their ‘ism into this issue, when they have had little or anything to do with the present troubles? Exclusive and doctrinal systems of belief are all sound and fury about the right way to believe, and worship, and condemning anyone who does not even if that person stays outside the fold. Why blame brahmins and their ‘ism for the hidebound notions of extremists?
There is enough precedent in India secularism to deal with this crisis. Firstly as a matter of law and order, any sort of violence over religious differences is to be put down through firm and judicious action. Secondly the state should not privilege the religious beliefs of any one group over that of another. If the DSS wants to call itself whatever it wants to the state has no role in it whatsoever. Can the Indian state take sides in the tussle between Ahmadiyas, Shias, and Sunnis as it does in Pakistan, declaring Ahmadiyas non-Muslim? Or can it take sides in the disputes between Protestants, Pentecoastals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics, and Orthodox confessions? I am surprised we have any doubts about this. Who gets to define a religion is up to the adherents of the religion and not the state.
What will we see next? The Guru Granth Sahib can be found in the home of many Hindus from Punjab and Sindh. Sindhi Hindus observe Baisakhi, and Gurparb. There are still Hindu families that continue to bring up one of their sons as a Sikh in keeping with long-standing custom. Are we going to outlaw all these traditions? Tomorrow when I visit the gurdwara wearing not a pagdi (I am not Sikh) but a simple cap, is a doctrinalist going to throw me out because I am in violation of maryada? There is the touching story about the time Guru Nanak dined with a rich businessman and poor farmer. When the guru held the rich man’s roti in his hands and broke it out fell drops of blood. When he took the poor man’s crusty bread and squeezed it it drpipped to most fragrant kheer. In our obsession with being rigidly in line with some imagined custom are we forgetting the essence of the teachings of the Guru?
so that’s what Brahmnical means, any sort of casteist oppression irrespective of who the perpetrates it. Time to revise dictionaries.