TARN TARAN, Punjab—Beadbi of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj, the very notion of which should be non-existent, very sadly continues to be in Panthik headlines. On 1 December 2014, the latest incident in a list of tragic attacks committed upon Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji took place at village Jodhpur in the Taran Taaran district of Punjab, a plot believed to have been organised and conducted by followers of the Noormehal-based cult, ‘Divya Jyoti Jagarti Sansthan.’ This occurred in the same locality where only a few weeks earlier unarmed peacefully protesting Sikhs were fired upon during a clash with the followers of the “freezer Guru” Ashutosh, whose dead body has been kept in a freezer since 29 January 2014.
The atrocious attack on Guru Sahib Ji has understandably caused outrage and unbearable pain amongst Sikhs worldwide. Panthik Parcharak Baba Ranjit Singh Khalsa Dhadrianwale who strenuously condemned this recent burning of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as a despicable act of murder and a challenge to the Sikh nation by vile miscreants, has said that whilst the suspects of the attack will enjoy protection from the authorities, Sikhs are left in a position with no strong leadership who has access to the nations resources and power to move forward towards a long-term solution to such issues. Sikhs in the diaspora who feel Panthik pain perhaps believe there is little they can do in the short-term to influence events in Punjab, whilst the majority of Punjabi’s in towns and villages remain oblivious to such tragic incidents.
Arranged by respected personalities of the Panth, there is a programme at village Jodhpur on 12 December 2014 and Baba Ranjit Singh Khalsa has appealed to the many thousands attending the Gurmat Parchar Diwaans this week that whoever can attend should endeavour to take part on the day to show support and solidarity.
However, speaking at the Diwaan held in Kakrala Kalan on 10 December 2014, they discussed these issues at length to focus on creating awareness within the masses and the possible solutions that the general folk can realistically be a part of.
All are rightfully complaining that the leaders in Punjab are not taking any progressive steps to prevent issues such as Beadbi of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and neither are they giving any sensible direction to the people. Whilst this is true and widely believed to the case within Panthik circles, it is however our fault that when it comes to electing those who control our powerful institutions like the SGPC, the masses fail to vote for Panthik leadership that can indeed use the resources of the Khalsa Panth for the betterment of the nation. When it comes to the election time, again and again the votes are given in their favour. Then after-the-event, we are left to express our anger by speeches, gatherings and discussions between ourselves.
So what can be done by the masses? Baba Ranjit Singh Khalsa advises the mid-term ultimate solution is for the people to give the power and resources of the Khalsa Panth to those with Panthik interests by electing the right leadership to run our institutions. Any Panthik leader that may make the decision to stand for election should not be criticised or demoralised, but an endeavour to achieve the goal should and can be made if each and every Sikh uses their vote in favour of only those who have the single purpose to propagate the Sikh agenda based on the knowledge within Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, without affiliation to any other political agenda whatsoever.
Those like the SGPC or the Jathedars, who are in positions of power to talk with governments, can indeed advocate the Sikh cause through the right channels. Whether it be the propagation of the just demands being made by Bhai Gurbaksh Singh Ji Khalsa, or issues such as preventing Beadbi, the ultimate solution to these issues is for the Punjabi Sikhs to wake-up and establish Panthik leadership to have majority control of the nations institutions.
When Baba Ranjit Singh Khalsa recently went to visit Bhai Gurbaskh Singh Ji and ask in what way they can help, it was Bhai Sahib’s request that Baba Ranjit Singh Khalsa go and spread the message to the masses, to create awareness on the ground-level and ask the people to support Bhai Sahib’s cause.
In a similar way, whether it be Sikhs in India or in other countries around the world, if each one were to discuss these issues with every single one of their many friends and families living within Punjab, simply requesting them to vote for only Panthik leadership that will pro-actively prevent issues such as Beadbi of our living Guru and vote for no other, then for those Sikhs to also make similar requests to their contacts within Punjab, very quickly awareness will be created on the ground-level, threatening those in power to either act fast and take action, or to lose power totally.
First time I hear him talk something good.