TURLOCK, California, USA—About two years ago, Turlock’s grand and marvelous looking Gurdwara was witness to a brutal fight. A video of the fighting in the Gurdwara’s parking lot went viral and since then, the Gurdwara has been known as the “belt” gurdwara. While in 2013, a belt was used as a weapon, the Gurdwara is now again in the limelight as a violent standoff has taken place. This time involving pepper spray, musical instruments and wooden-sticks—incorrectly reported by local news media as Kirpans, or Sikh articles of Faith. The reason behind the dispute remains the same, unwillingness of two factions to work together.
“Since 20 years, the control of the Gurdwara’s management has remained with a committee that’s often labelled as ‘moderates’. The Turlock Gurdwara was initially operating in a small building, however as the Gurdwara expanded, so did its sangat. Over time, as people who were more active and religious became regular attendees, disagreements began at the gurdwara,” said J. Singh, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons.
While speaking with Sikh24, J. Singh, who is a regular member of the Gurdwara Sahib, said, “Before 2012, there weren’t any bylaws, the Gurdwara was very much under control of one committee. However in January 2012, due to growing demand to adopt official bylaws and appoint official committee members, the ‘moderate’ committee held a meeting under false pretenses and appointed 7 of its own members as a new committee to run the Gurdwara.”
“Although this was a big issue in 2012, Sangat tried to work together,” he added. “Our Gurdwara was growing, and despite differences with the committee, we saw new youth coming to the Gurdwara regularly. A new granthi Singh was hired, he taught keertan and had very positive influence on the youth. Due to his growing influence, he was however laid off, despite pleas by the sangat to keep him.”
Sikh24 asked J. Singh if he remembered the 2013 issue.
JSingh: “Yes I remember June 2013 very well. The dispute was over the Granthi Singh. After this issue, a new committee took over control of the Gurdwara Sahib. Supporters of the old committee decided to stop coming as they felt the gurdwara will fail without their financial support.
In court cases, the new committee was able to stay in charge, but it was incorrectly stamped.”
Sikh24: So what really happened that led to the brawl this past weekend?
Following is JSingh’s statement of the how things turned voilent --
On January 4, the new group asked to be in charge because of the court order. The old committee said if you have the correct order by Friday, you can control the Gurdwara. The notice was delivered on Wednesday.
The new committee assumed everything was resolved but several supporters of the old committee showed up on Sunday and decided to take control of cutting receipts and taking donations. They did this with the old court order from last year which was overturned.
The new committee secretary, Gurjeet Singh Chahal, was making an announcement, however the old committee supporters put dozens of women in front and kept doing Simran loudly in order to drown out any announcements from the new committee. Bhai Bachittar Singh was put on to do katha, and again the old committee tried to drown him out. So he joined in the simran. The new committee told him to read Anand Sahib and end the program after doing simran for a few minutes, in order to keep the peace.
The old committee then tried to have a woman make announcements, but the podium microphone was not working. So she tried to grab the mic from the stage and pushed people out of the way. A lady supporter of the new committee tried to stop her. At this point more women and men got up to fight.
The women supporters of the old committee were prepared to start a fight and were armed with pepper spray and mace in large numbers. They shot the spray at the new committee supporters, including women and children. This turned the incident violent. Singhs from the new committee stepped in the middle to stop the fighting.
Sikh24 also reached out to another contact in Turlock. M. Kaur (name not disclosed due to security concerns). Kaur’s family has been attending the Gurdwara for almost 20 years. She was born in Turlock and has seen the sangat, Gurdwara, and its issues grow in the past few years. Following is her account of what happened over the weekend –
A lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding is behind the growing tensions between the two committees. I want to clarify that the old committee had the old legal paperwork to say they had power on Sunday. That’s why they tried to take receipts and make money.
The woman that is seen trying to speak is the one that really ignited it. The old committee did not want new committee to let it stop peacefully.Also, it’s important to know that some old committee members are still on the new committee.Recently, the gurdwara has been going in the direction of gurmat. I have to admit that with the new committee, things were improving and this is why a lot of local sangat, even non-religious, do support the new committee.Contrary to media reports, there was no fighting with swords or kirpans yesterday.
Sandeep Singh, a supporter of the new committee says he stepped in to help stop the fighting, “One hundred people were attacking ten people and I just wanted to stop it.” He was immediately pepper sprayed and turned back.
There was only one Singh with a decorative talwar sword picked up from guru Sahib’s throne only to force people to back away at the sight. He swung it in the air above his head so that nobody would be hurt. He immediately was pepper sprayed and went in the back room and put the sword away.
Another Singh had a chimta (long shaker/musical instrument) which he swung to keep the pepper sprayers back. The local English news media looped this shaky video of him swinging the chimta to make it look as if a large battle took place. Many headlines stated that kirpans (articles of faith) were drawn and used as weapons, while paired with this video. This is not the case, in fact, new committee supporters can be seen using musical instruments, hands, shawls, veils (chunnis), and fists to keep the pepper sprayers back. Old women and men, along with new committee members then pleaded with both sides to calm down and stop the fight.
It was at this point that the police entered the main hall with shoes on. Videos from supporters of the old committee have audio where they are saying things such as “look at the violence created by the new committee.”
Sandeep Singh said, “Everyone is criticizing us saying that this gurdwara is bad or we are all trouble makers, but we Sikhs talk about justice in India, but we don’t even give each other justice here. We don’t put the blame where it’s due on who started the fight.”
Stop giving monetary donations, then see how many committee members remain, they will run so fast you won’t even have time to blink. Stop giving money! Give groceries, give clothes for granthis, donate your time to wash dishes, clean etc., offer to help pay utility bill, but Do Not Pay Cash or write checks.
Before anyone comments that it wasn’t a Kirpan but a musical instrument (long shaker) the point I am making is that to the outside world this is immaterial as they have gone with the (mislead as it maybe) angle that ‘one SIkh picked up a sword’ during the violent disturbances in the Gurdwara. The Indian Hinduvta Sarkari will be rubbing its chubby hands in glee at being presented with yet another ‘own goal’ to paint Sikhs in western countries as being violent even in their places of worship which makes it that much easier for them to plant seeds of doubt (about raising objections and queries) into the minds of leaders in those western countries when Gurdwaras are systematically desecrated here in Punjab.
Whether it is new committee or old committee it makes no difference as both are interested in control of a Gurdwara where desecration has effectively taken place not just with fighting / shouting etc in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (who instead of being respected as our living eternal Guru was treated no more than some book as there is no way that if it was a human Guru sitting there that any of this shameful altercation would have taken place) but also done immeasurable damage to the image of the Sikh kaum for people (especially Americans who are largely ignorant of Sikhs and predisposed to think of them as radical Muslims anyway) who are not Sikhs. This Gurdwara needs to close down, have its assets sold and proceeds entirely donated to local charitable causes (not Sikh related so no committee members can benefit) with as much publicity as possible with the committee members apologising and explaining to any media outlets who have reported violence that they are to blame and unworthy to host Sri Guru Granth Sahib in their presence. This will of course be very difficult for the innocent Sangat bystanders who will be forced to practice Sikhi in their own homes or travel to another Gurdwara which is not disgracing the kaum but I imagine after one year of this when everyone has had time to think on their actions and the damage those actions have done they might be in a position to start a new Gurdwara from scratch again with the necessary humility and dedication such a place deserves. A Kirpan is not supposed to be just brandished and waved around like that – it is a sacred weapon of last resort that can ONLY be drawn when when reason will not prevail and every rational attempt to prevent a threat to life has been exhausted. The seriousness of this intent is revealed in the fact that a Kirpan’s blade once drawn from its sheath must taste blood – either that of the attacker or that of the Sikh defender himself who has seen fit to draw it – before it can then be put back into its sheath. We would not have had that worldwide besti tamasha at Harminder Sahib with SGPC goons and other idiots in beards and turbans (I don’t call any of them Sikhs) brandishing their Kirpans for the whole world to mock on the internet.
Lady was on one mic that was working properly, then why she ran to get another mic. you are talking bullshit about a human being that is part of this gurdwara for more than 30 years and done many good things for this gurughar. If you have proof of what saying or writing give it to sikh24.com or stop talking nonsense. Court has ordered Stay on judgement pending appeal. The other party has to respect Court. The solution is that put some neutral people in charge and hold the elections. El Gore has popular vote but Bush wins Presidency. El Gore respected Court decision.
Coming from a Sikh family and my Nani always teaching the good about Sikhism and teaching me Path(the prayer) from young and always taught me well about Sikhism. She taught me how it all started and the beautiful stories of our Gurus and the little sahibzaades who sacrificed and kept strong because Mata Gujri instilled good Sikh values in them. It’s amazing how the purity of our Sikh faith has fallen into the hands of these political figures who make Sikhism look so terrifying ….this religion is not about dividing into pieces and committees ….once that happens it’s not Sikhi. From Guru Nanak to Guru gobind Singh ji all of them have only taught to treat everyone equal ….to naam japo…..being in tuned to the guru ….real Sikhism is being in love with God and singing his praises ….remembering the gurus and thanking them for showing us the path and creating a way to focus on the guru …. A gurudwara is not the place for violence. Stop dividing the religion and embrace the teachings of our gurus. Our gurudwaras are not a place for fame show money and greed it’s a place to help each other and come together to sing the praises of our Das Gurus. We come there to bow down and thank them for letting us be alive. Let the Guru Granth Sahib run the Gurudwara not a person who is indulged in ruining the image of Sikhism. That’s not what our Gurus taught us. Waheguru ji ka Khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh!
The guy holding the chimta was swinging at ladies and children n men you gonna say no that’s not true check the video out that says it all. That guy is Joraz right hand man and the fool with the sword is his left hand man. And you want to say they were trying to get ppl back really. That same man with the Sword is banned from other gurdwaras umm why ??? And the lady in the yellow chunni JASVIR KAUR SANDHU pushed the other lady and started it all no one else but they started this brawl. Jasvir Kaur Sandhu fraudulently collecting state disablity for over a year for a hurt arm n shoulder really she wasn’t in too much pain pushing the lady was she!! These ppl are the good committee. Attacking girls in the bathroom is such an honorable thing right. This kind of media that doesn’t know everything but writes false articles without actually reading the court orders doesn’t need to be writing at all!!!!!
sure when court give there decsion after 2 and half year loosing party should not appeal respect court orders like you said but no they want to delay this three more year so they can stay in power and use gurudwara money to benifit for them self i hope you understand this is not there own property this gurudwara belongs to turlock sadh sangat
Fighting in the prescence maharaja ji is completely out of order and wrong
I don’t care about committee issues the fact that this happens in the diwan hall is ridiculous
Take your stupid issues outside and sort them
To clear your confusion on some portions, let me explain a few things. If the so called man that hit the musical instrument was trying to defend himself he would not use a weapon to escape a spray that hits the eye. A musical instrument can not prevent that. I give you credit in the portion where it is respectful for men and women to sit on opposing sides; but just a few days back there is a video that shows the newer committee sitting together as man and women, then why criticize the old. In order to clearly convey an incident you need information from both parties. You can not assume things; that is wrong. Please watch the video when the man hits the instrument the people directly infront of him have nothing in their hands. As for the lady speaking, it is freedom of speech. She is to say whatever she feels. She did not start the fight, the fight was inevitable as it has esclated over the past yesrs. A women speaking does not ignite a fight.
The lady that attempted to take the mic was trying to speak because the group that had lost power in court two weeks prior was making a mockery in there. She was attempting to calm things down. Before she could do that the wife of the leader of the committee that lost power attacked her. That started everything. The leader of the old committee hasn’t worked in years. He relied on gurdwara funds for the last couple of years. A complete misappropriation of funds. This man can’t handle losing the one thing that gave him a semblance of power. The old group had the keys which they were supposed to hand over prior and had all of the security cameras shut off. This whole thing was planned by them. Maybe the lady shouldn’t have grabbed the mic, but she has a right to speak just as everyone else does. She shouldn’t have been attacked for doing so. I don’t like the narrative you’re trying to spin here.
New committee supporter was trying to speak. It was the old committee were making a mockery of the sangat. A New committee supporter tried to take the mic and speak to stop it. An old committee supporter came up and attacked her during that which started everything. She is the wife of the leader of the committee that has had power the last couple of years. That man hasn’t worked a real job in who knows how many years. He was using gurdwara funds for himself. Your source has things all mixed up. The lady trying to speak is a supporter of the committee that just regained power. The group that lost power also tried to incite things at the hospital later.
Read the actual court decision, it can be found thru Stanislaus count records. Those in control were ruled against, they have a stay in place(appeal). The original decision has not removed, just placed on hold. The judge will still decide if the original will be reversed. That’s the unbiased facts.
People are elected should be allowed to run establishment, rather than courts or violence.
Exactly. Read the decision, the court decided to have elections within several months, but the current leaders who don’t seem to wish to give up control and power to a vote are just delaying things by appealing. Just my opinion. Let the sangat vote please. Also, I agree this article is one sided and biased, please read the court order/ruling that is from an impartial judge who heard from both sides. The only reason current leaders are in control is because of a stay(appeal) order, not because any prior decision has been overturned.