Op/Ed – Sarbjeet Singh Dhunda – A Brief Background

Op/Ed – Sarbjeet Singh Dhunda has been in the limelight for quite some time now.  Like one of the main controversial speakers of the decade – Gurbaksh Singh “Kala Afghana”, Dhunda too holds similar views on meditation of “Waheguru mantar”, authenticity of Sri Dasam Granth, Hemkunt Sahib, reincarnation and other Sikh beliefs.

Sarabjit Singh Dhunda is a native of village Dhunda near Tarn Taaran Sahib and received his religious education from the Gurmat Gyan Missionary College Ludhiana, starting in 1997.  Dhunda states that before his enrollment at the Gurmat Gyan Missionary College, he was living a life of an ignorant Sikh.  After his graduation, Dhunda, along with other students of his batch started touring Punjab and neighboring states as katha vachaks and organized small camps in villages and school.  They however failed to create much impact and until Dhunda was finally spotted by Delhi Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) led by Paramjit Singh Sarna, who has previously supported controversial speakers like Veer Bhupinder Singh, Prof. Darshan Singh and others.

Coming Into the Limelight

Dhunda started gaining popularity after he was installed to do katha daily from Gurdwara Bangla Sahib.  The live broadcast of daily programs allowed him to spread his ideology to the masses.  When he was just establishing himself, Dhunda spent much of his time talking about social issues and refrained from touching any controversial topics.

Sarbjeet Singh Dhunda was promoted heavily by the DSGMC and although no proof exists, many argue that Dhunda was supported by Congress in New Delhi (The Congress Party in Delhi is close to the Sarna brothers).  Associates of the DSGMC are responsible for organizing many of Dhunda’s international tours, including his on-going tour of California and recently held UK tour.

Paramjit Sarna can be seen sitting along with Senior Congress Leader Buta Singh and former Sikh, Ragi Darshan Singh.

Support by anti-Sikh Elements and Heretic Preachers

Paramjit Sarna is also responsible for supporting and fostering other controversial figures such as Gurbaksh ‘Kala Afghana’, Prof. Darshan Singh, Chamanjit ‘Singh’ Lal, Veer Bhupinder Singh and others.  Sarna’s background is known to Sikhs living worldwide.  He comes with a big support of many top-notch Congress leaders, including Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, Capt. Amarinder Singh and others.

Since his enrollment at the Gurmat Gyan Missionary College, Sarbjeet Singh Dhunda’s sangat has included many controversial figures including Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra (Santa De Kautak), Harjinder Singh Sabhra (kathakar), Gurbachan Singh Thailand, Inder Singh Ghagga and others.

Sarbjeet Singh Dhunda can be seen sitting next to Inder S. Ghagga and Gurbachan Singh Thailand

Controversial Views of Sarbjeet Singh Dhunda

Although at first glance, he may seem like a thought provoking and logical preacher, Dhunda is known to be a mischievous talker who rejects the key fundamentals of Sikhi.  Dhunda gives very clever responses when asked about controversies and often misquotes Gurbani to suit his agenda.  Just like other controversial speakers, Dhunda too has backtracked on his original stance of Jaap Sahib.  Although he initially tried to ‘expose’ Jaap Sahib, seeing the wrath of Sikh Sangat, he had to change his stance.

Dhunda tries to provide a modern ‘logical’ argument against spiritual state of being.  He has degraded respectful Gursikhs such as Baba Deep Singh by questioning if he really sacrificed his head and Bhai Taru Singh by challenging the occurrences of his martyrdom.

Some other views of Dhunda that have caused him to face fury of International Sangat include –
1)      Real naam Simran is truthful earning (kirt karni) and continuous recitation of Waheguru Jaap is manmat.
2)      Ishnaan of Sri Harmandir Sahib is not necessary
3)      Hemkunt Sahib should not be related to the life of Guru Gobind Singh Ji
4)      Sikh National Anthem “Deh Siva Bar Mohe lhai” was not written by Guru Gobind Singh Ji
5)      Refuses to accept authenticity of Sri Dasam Granth

As more people have become aware of Dhunda’s anti-Sikh parchar, more and more panthik stages including Gurdwara Sahib Fremont have cancelled programs while other gurdwaras such as Hayward have invited him instead.  Gurdwaras such as Hayward have refused to follow Panthik decisions in the past including an unwillingness to reserve tables and chairs for only those with medical conditions.

Dhunda often speaks against ‘karam kaand’ and puts down ‘sant babas’ to gain support from wider sangat, but he is scheduled to speak at Gurdwara Sahib Selma (Sikh Center of Pacific Coast), which is much under Hindutva influence.  The committee of the same Gurdwara is known to have invited a Hindu priest to lay down the foundation stone of the new Gurdwara building. The same committee celebrates the ‘barsi’ of Raja Nabh Kamal while Dhunda himself is against celebrating barsis.

12 COMMENTS

  1. I have listened to Sarbjit Singh Dhunda a few times. I find nothing objectionable in his discourses. He is doing more good than those who act as holier than thou and have made it their life long mission to criticize others.

  2. The Fremont Gurdwara is no exception and managed by “MASANDS” and has all kind of corruption. At present time it is real impossible to find Sikh in Gurdwara but only thugs. Sikh born to protect other not to destroy others but Sikh is shooting its own foot. Every Sikh is degrading its own communities Worldwide. Sikh religious Gurdwara/Temples are involved in Drug and Human Smuggling. Please do not blame others for our own mistakes and try to cover under Sikh religion umbrella. Sikhs are destroying each other and do not have time to take care of community issues and correct the new generation members.
    Sikh thugs are unable to earn honest living, looting congregation funds and blaming each other. From east to west, north to south all Gurdwara managements has no ethic and moral, do not follow Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Philosophy, hence we cannot expect any good in the future.

    • Dear dhalliwal ji,we appreciate ur honest opinion of a true sikh,and our observations matchs same as yours,now a days our religion which is sikhism has become a profitable business,greed has taken over the honesty and humanity from all gurdwaras. From Pali and gurdip grewal.

  3. Are we missing the point by fighting with eachother and not external forces? Go to Google and search the word ‘Hindu.’ Look at the first paragraph of the wikipedia page for Hindu. Is no one editing it? I have contacted so many people to try editing it, but we are too busy with these stories. Look at the Kuldeep Brar wikipedia page. We have many external forces against us, such as RSS, Congress Party, Badal, Missionaries, and even Christian Missionaries. Let’s tackle them all at once.

  4. Dear Op/Ed,

    Thank you so much for giving some background to Messrs Dhunda , Kala & Ghagga.

    It will be interesting to hear the view of Dr. Sangat Singh [ Indian Author] on this subject.

    Could Badal in Punjab and Sarna in Delhi be supported by THE CONGRESS Party of Brahmical blend ???.

    There are always two sides to a coin .

    It will be very interesting if sikh24.come can print one full un-adulterated speech of Mr.Dhunda.

    Future Sikh generation of the world should be given true facts to make up their own mind.

    “Sikh Kaum” has been betrayed time and time again in History.

    • there aren’t two sides to a coin when it comes to dhunda, his statements can in no way be taken out of context or MISCONSTRUEed by anyone but him. Sikh24 have done a great deal of good by plucking out his blasphemous statements and not to confuse the readers. Dhunda can spin his lie of webs all he wants, but ppl of sikh24 and other organizations will expose them all.

  5. Why r you people trying to suppress truth by by false propaganda against each and everyone who tries to educate people with true sprit of sikhism and u r trying to give it political angle by relating them with congress but by your views it looks like u people r working in hand and gloves with party which has and is ruining punjab and sikhism with affliation of fanatic hindu group which had always tried to infuse hindu rituals in sikhism throuh different sources since the birth of khalsa panth. And the points u have arised above r all have essence of infiltration of rituals which does not fall in line of preaching of shri gurgranth sahib and guru nanak dev jee so parcharak lile sarabjit singh and others have every right to bring it up infront of sangat and have to have vichar on them.

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