COVENTRY, UK—Earlier today, a scuffle broke out at Gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash Coventry after the stage secretary, Malkit Singh Bal, questioned the UK Damdami Taksal for putting the Sahibzaade and its own Jathedars in parallel.
“I do not wish to speak [on this matter], however I have to bring it up. I wish to know why [the UK Damdami Taksal] puts Baba Thakur Singh at the same level as the Sahibzaadas of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. One is the family of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Guru who gave up everything for the Panth. They are putting Baba Thakur Singh in parallel to them.”
Secretary Bal was speaking about a recent program held at Gurdwara Gur Nanak Parkash in Coventry to commemorate the passing away of Baba Thakur Singh Ji, the 15th jathedar of the Damdami Taksal. Bal mentioned that “the program was being organized to remember Baba Thakur Singh Ji, however, it had no mention of the Shaheed Sahibzaade.” On the contrary, the poster, as well as the posts on Facebook mention the program as “Sahibzaade Shaheedi Smagam & Barsi Baba Thakur Singh 2016 UK”.
However, following this, Bal questioned, “What has Baba Thakur Singh Ji done for the Panth? For 20 years, he continued to mislead the Sangat.” Bal was referring to Baba Thakur Singh Ji’s claim that Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale never achieved martyrdom in 1984. This is why Baba Thakur Singh remained as the “acting-Jathedar” in absence of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji.
Bal’s comments irked some of the youth who were present at the Gurdwara. They went to the front podium and tried to stop the secretary from speaking. Soon after, the whole situation turned tense and police was called into the Gurdwara. Several cops entered the Gurdwara with bare heads and shoes to escort the stage secretary out.
Following the incident, UK Sikhs have been asked to refrain from indulging in controversial matters. Extremism and hatred is on the all time high within Sikhs across UK and internationally. Very recently, the Jago Wale Jatha and UK based supporters of Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma held a program in Birmingham where they passed a resolution that anyone who questions the Damdami Taksal would have to face severe consequences. Jago Wale Jatha have been banned by several Gurdwaras across Europe for radicalizing Sikh youth.
Mandeep Singh, a Gursikh from UK posted on Facebook, “This should’ve been dealt with more maturely. Should’ve just taken the mic off him and asked him to go to the side. The biggest beadbi was the police coming in with no head covering and shoes on into Darbar Sahib! Plus all the image of Singhs being tarnished with yet another fight going on in front of aam sangat with children present. The man could’ve been dealt with afterwards. Just remove the mic that was all that needed to be done.”
In response to the view posted by Harsimran Jit Singh, one of the youth who stood up to quiet the stage secretary, Ranjit Seehra, said, “Sounded like a rhetorical question unless there was mischievous thoughts in the air already. Sad sad situation when this happens.”
Video clip from the incident –
Vahiguroo Jio Guru Nanak Dev Jio kirpa dya Jio_/\_
We sikhs like many sections of humanity, are a pathetic bunch. We have visually n practically disconnected from Sikh ethics. Sikh ethics are about action to change our individual lives and collective lives around us – sarbat da bhalla. We have reduced the living, active wisdom of the Guru Granth Sahib into book worship. We spend 25,000 UK pounds to pay for a golden palki for the Guru Granth Sahib at Anandpur Sahib, but we cannot put the ideals of Sikhi into social practise. It is all formalism and ritualistic n show n fanfare. Sikhs practise caste, they lie, they do immigration fraud, they are dodgy builders, dodgy landlords, sex abusers – just like the rest of the human mix. They conceal all this behind their Sunday worship. They do everything in this global jagat da tamasha. Sikhs are emotionally n mentally insecure. They fight over pathetic tedious things. Yet, why don’t they fight for women’s rights, fight against caste, fight for animal rights, for nature rights. No! Instead, the pathetic, warped sikhs with their fanciful, self-glorifying religion, fight instead for meaningless things like who looked at the Guru Granth Sahib in the wrong way. Why did speak out of turn to our favourite baba. We have turned the Guru Granth into a commodified object, which we idol worship to fulfill our perverse religious self-satisfaction. That is the truth of it. We are disconnected from authentic sikhi! We are Hindus in Sikh disguise. Please go back to Hinduism. You will be happier n more at home. Leave sikhi alone. It doesn’t need dysfunctional humans. It needs spirit n action!
I am reading all the comments and wondering what is wrong with us as I mentioned above all we sikhs have to do is follow what Guru Gobind Singh ji told us , he told us to follow Guru Granth Sahib ji and nothing else . If we do that and are vigilant then all these saints and baba’s can do us no harm.
What has Baba Thakur Singh has anything to do with Sahebzade?
The speaker spoke the truth what was the dhen of Takar Singh? for 20 years he lied in reference to the kurbani of Baba Jarnail Singh Khalsa he put a qoum which would have risen from 1984 like a fireball in to one which was waiting for Baba Jarnail Singh to come back and lead a dharam yudh morcha this never happened.
20 years later after the lies of Takar Singh Sri Akal Takht Sahib which is supreme Sikh authority and damdami taksal all factions declared Baba Jarnail Singh Ji was indeed Shaheed in 1984,so why do these hand full of hooligans who are brainwashed since birth run to protect a dead man who lied to the Khalsa and insulted Baba Jarnail Singh Jis kurbani.
These hooligans are only a handful in UK but are the biggest bullies its time more people stood up against them
By ‘meditating’ you don’t get ‘closer to Him’. It by ‘truthful living’ actively, purposefully and practically that we get closer to the nameless, asexual, source of life and existence. All religions – including modern-looking big building ‘sikhi’, money making ‘sikhi’, which is constructed and deformed by current day ‘sikhs’ – are intrinsically based on rituals, mechanical worship, holy men, book worship, ‘houses of god’, etc. Guru Nanak did not start or create a ‘religion’. He revealed a pre-existing inclusive truthful way of living based on justice, kindness, caring and sharing across life -nature, animals and humans. Most ‘sikhs’ fulfill their ‘sikhi’ through their private, personalised ‘prayers’ and ‘meditation’. Typical, religious escapism; rather than the active, practical ethical living demonstrated by the ten gurus. ‘Meditation’ is not going to change the world! Positive action is!
What actually really made me laugh about this article was:
“The biggest beadbi was the police coming in with no head covering and shoes on into Darbar Sahib!”
Sikhs themselves insult the presence and very teachings of their Guru with their own foolish behaviours and have no respect for their Guru and you want others to do your part of respecting for you?
Its like if you want your friends to respect your parents you first learn to respect your own parents infront of others and when your alone with them.
You can blame RSS or anyone else.. but when will you look at yourself and say .. “Hey, am I a good Sikh of my Guru? Am I spreading love, compassion, and seva? Am I meditating and doing amrit vela paat and via these methods communicating with My Guru?Am I working hard honestly and faithfully? Am I honouring all women and being a good person or at least trying to be?”.
Please, turbans and beards don’t make a Sikh.. important for external reasons but this extreme behaviour shows we are very far away from actually being Sikhs but have mastered the look.. ONLY.
Too much of this now. Stop it please, its a shame. Guru Gobind Singh Ji sacrificed everything for us cause He said we are His childern.. how are we respecting that faith He had in us? By fighting infront of Him?
Not just now but this rubbish happens a lot.
I have much to say but wouldn’t be heard so I rather meditate and get closer to Him while most find ways to get a way from Him.
Karmi Apo Apni.
This problem of the Sikhs all religious communities have it. All religions have temple disputes and political machinations. There is saying, “Less important the problem more emotional the people get.” View the religion as entertainment only, such emotions not needed.
And become hypocrites like you, ‘Atheist Hindu’, who without the moral constraints of spiritual enlightenment can call for and enjoy the rape and murder of innocent people you consider the ‘other’.
Atheist Hindus welcome criticisms of M Singh, so we may improve the behavior. Sikhs also must accept when Western Police even say Sikhs doing bad things even Western Police are RSS Agents also. All seekers of truth and justice may be also RSS, we welcome all come join us.
Sharon Kaur what on earth are you on about?
It is the RSS who creates these problems.
@surinder kaur
If you know your history when Baba Jarnail Singh was about to be the head of DDT he actually said for Baba Thakur Singh to be the head.
Have we forgot the Sakhi, when Guru Jees leaves chakaur sahib. Someone tried to cover baba Ajit Singhs Kesh and Guru Gobind stopped them and said if you cant cover all my Singhs then dont cover Ajit Singhs.
In Guru jees eyes we are the same as the sahibzada.
It seems the speaker tried to taunt the sangat and it backfired and it was him being escorted out of the darbar.
This Malkit Bal I know him personally his view on Sikhi is warped. He does not believe that Baba Deep Singh fought with their head on hand.
Its the same Malkit Bal who called the police in December becaude he ttied to force stop a programme.
It was Malkit Bal who caused the police to come again this Sunday. But sangat should know the police told Malkit to leave the Gurdwara as he was antagonising local sangat.
Gurfateh it’s easy to point fingers and argue amongst ourselves. I think people should go away and find there pyar for mahraj and aim to understand sikhi. This pyar for mahraj will ultimately help answer alot of our questions. It’s amazing what one can learn when we study what Guru anita teaches us earlier there’s an aspathdi in sukhmani sahib which clearly explain the characteristics of bhram gya Nissan and their purpose in our lives. Correct me if I’m wrong but Baba ji left third human form the same time we remember the shaheedi our our four beloved sahibzaade.
Our ultimate goal is to reunite with mahraj how can one do that if we start questioning trivial things which can be answered if we connect with mahraj through the seva reading and understanding gurbir and our sangat. ?
Sikhs should be careful, after 1984 the Indian government ia deviding & using our historical institutions to attack the sikh principals & weaken sikhs worldwide. They have devided Damdami Taksal & Akali dal. Damdami Taksal & Akali Dal should find Gursikh leaders so that shaan of Damdami Taksal & Akali Dal can be reestablished.
The Speaker should have been allowed to ask questions but the Gurdwaras are run by people as businesses and if one asks a question then the ultimate call the police. I agree with the speaker what has Baba Thakur Singh and any other babe has anything to do with Sahebzade Shaheedis it should be about the Guru Ji’s Sahebzade and no baba comes close even to Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale. I agree they prefer lavish big buidings to compete with other Gurdwaras and no attention is paid to what our Guru Ji has tort us. Complete non-sense these so called committees do what they like ….
If you read the article the speaker is part of the running of the Gurdwara.
Also have we forgotten the sakhi when leaving Chakaur sahib Guru Pita tells us there is no difference between his sahibzada and the khalsa.
The comment’s about Sant Jarnail Singh. You are aware before becoming the head of DDT Sant Jee said he is not honoured enough for this seva it should be baba Thakur Singh jee.
Do you know hwo served the panth fter 84 Baba Thakur singh jee did. Feeding, clothing proving housinh and medicine for the shaeed families.
S. Jagdeesh Singh, You have accurately described the situation of our Gurudwara’s . The only way we can get back on track is if we become true sikhs and that is very easy to do . Just follow the order of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Guru ji ordered all sikhs to follow Guru Granth Sahib ji and nothing else. The sad part is people who preach this are thrown out of the religion.
Why are Sikhs not allowed to ask fair and reasonable questions in the gurdwara? Why are groups of people like in the above incident, resorting to force to stop freedom of speech? These group of individuals could have answered a legitimate question, couldn’t they. But, instead, they resort to complete force and shut down. I asked a question in the same gurdwara some years ago about why so many Guru Granth Sahib bits were on display in the Darbar Hall in closed, glass box like mini rooms. I was physically thrown out. In 2013 my father passed away. The funeral smagam was held at this gurdwara. I was not permitted at the funeral smagam to speak about my father; whereas other persons were. The plain fact is, our gurdwara are totally misrun. Force, control, censorship is running amok. The phrase ‘taliban sikhs’; is appearing more and more pertinent. UK Gurdwaras, by the way, have been turned into sham, dead-end buildings; in the control of these thuggish elements. UK Gurdwaras are no long gurdwaras. All things unsikh like are going on. These money-making institutions have been turned into ritualistic, social clubs. They provide no social service to the needy. They are over glorified, money driven, lavish, big, imposing buildings. They are insular places, serving the purpose of those who control them and spew out there own mangled propaganda. Sikhs is being misrepresented and undermined from within by these imposter ‘sikhs’, who are doing more that is akin to the agenda of Hinduism, Brahmin-Hindu, Badalism and Indianism and the monstrous Indian state.