“If
you want to destroy a society, destroy its history and
the society will get destroyed automatically.” –
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
“The
first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory.
Destroy its books, its culture, its history, Then have
somebody write new books, manufacture a new culture, invent
a new history. Before long the nation will begin to forget
what it is and what it was. The world around it will forget
even faster. The struggle of man against power is the
struggle of memory against forgetting.” –
Milan Kundera
Hindu fundamentalists have always taken a keen interest
in destroying Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism for centuries.
RSS’s “secret agenda”, (Published by
New Age, a weekly of Communist Party, dated 18th to 24th
June 2000) is one in which it was written “teach
false history, misguide minority communities, compel them
to chant “Om”, divide Dalit unity, keep converting
dalits, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists into Hindus.” There
were 34 such injunctions those were against the humanity,
mankind and were full of hatred.
So working on same lines of Hindu attacks on Sikhism,
these RSS, and VHP organizations have reached Punjab,
and Sikhism has come under a cloud due to certain effects
and influences of Hinduism. The root cause of this problem
is not Hindus only which are propagating that Sikhism
is Hinduism (i.e., Sikhs are Hindus) on the power of money
and politics, but Sikhs who have also started feeling
the effect. Same “Sikhism is Hinduism” is
taught in schools. Hence as a result, population of “Kesadhari
Sikhs” (those who wear turban), in Punjab is continuously
decreasing.
RSS & VHP have always shown that Sikh Gurus were followers
of Devi, Devta; Sangh (RSS) is Khalsa. By creating links
between Vishnu/Ram and Gurus, these organizations are
thinking that Sikhs will see these Hindu gods as their
own and pictures of Ram and Vishnu will find their way
into Gurdwaras. Adrienne Rich has rightly said “False
history gets made all day, any day; the truth of the new
is never on the news.”
Recently on the birthday anniversary of Bhagat Ravidas
Ji (24th Feb. 2008) Rozana Spokesman newspapers published
article that Bhagat Ravidas Ji was not familiar with Sikh
Gurus teachings and sakhis (tales) of Bhagat Ravidas Ji
were misquoted by author in a ridiculing manner.
The article erroneously states that no historical facts
are available about the life of Bhagat Ravidas Ji. It’s
ridiculous to give such statements, Bani (shaloks, teachings)
of Bhagat Ravidas is there in Guru Granth Sahib itself.
Since the time Akali Dal is ruling with BJP in Punjab,
the impact of Hinduism on Sikhism is also increasing.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) its offshoots like PRERNA,
Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, and Guru Granth Sahib Vichar Sanstha,
as under RSS name it was difficult for them to meet Sikh
leaders and to misguide them. And as a result of which
recently Jathedars are displayed in the pages of Prerna,
Sikh Jathedars are shown getting gifts depicting Hindu
Deities. RSS depicts Sikh Gurus as Hindu Deities, the
sacred Sikh Khanda and Ek Onkaar is shown along with
the Hindu OM in PRERNA functions. Jathedars are seen performing
kirtans in Hindu temples where idols of Ram, Hanuman &
other Hindu deities are presiding deities.
PRERNA attendees are sitting on chairs in the presence
of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which is not allowed & is
a violation of Guru Sikh Maryada. Jathedars were also
present there at this function but no objection was raised
by them. How can Jathedars, whom whole Sikh community
trusts and who represent the Sikhs attend such functions
where Sikhism is being ruined? Why these Jathedars didn’t
protest against putting Hindu deities near the Sikh Gurus,
sacred Sikh Khanda and Ek Onkaar along with the Hindu
OM?
Jathedars & many others are forgetting that:
1. Sikhs believe in One and only One God, whereas Hindus
worship quite a number of gods, goddesses, and deities.
2. The Hindu Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
is altogether rejected by Sikhs.
3. The worship of any carved statues, images or idols
is completely forbidden in Sikhism although it is allowed
in Hinduism.
4. The cow is not considered as a sacred animal by Sikhs;
hence it is not worshiped at all.
5. The supremacy of the Vedas, Gita and other Hindu scriptures
is not recognized or accepted in Sikhism. Sikhs have their
own holy book, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, compiled by
the fifth Guru himself.
6. Sikhism has rejected the caste system, and all men
and women are reckoned equal irrespective of their caste,
color or creed. Does Hinduism do all this?
7. Sikh traditions, customs, and ceremonies of death and
marriage are completely different from the Hindus.
These are just few differences. Sikhism is entirely a
different religion & this all of us have to keep in
mind. It is foolishness on Sikhs' part to be there in
the pro-RSS activities, as Jathedars are seen in PRERNA.
Anais Nin said “When we blindly adopt a religion,
a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons.
We cease to grow.” Myths if believed become true,
lie which is told 1000 times starts appearing as truth.
It’s high time for all of us to wake up against
these Hindutava preaching organizations. All Sikh Gurus
& Lord Buddha have said “You must not only discard
the shastras, you must deny their authority & you
should have courage to tell Hindus where they are wrong.”
But where are Sikhs leading to?
Those Jathedars are becoming puppets in the hands of these
Manuwadi people, who will cause distortions of Sikhism.
If such things continue, the day won’t be far away
when idols of Hindu deities will be seen in the “Darbar
Sahib” (Golden Temple).
