Rahul Gandhi’s Comments in America: True or Malicious?

Rahul Gandhi’s Comments in America: True or Malicious? Ram Puniyani On a recent visit to the United States of America, Rahul Gandhi (RG) had many interactions with the audiences. In one such meeting he asked one of the Sikhs sitting in the audience as to what his name is. He was talking about two poles of politics in India, hinting at the narrow sectarian politics becoming more assertive and aggressive in India. He told the audience that in India, "The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India or he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear a 'kada' in India. Or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to a gurdwara. That's what the fight is about. And not just for him, for all religions," the Congress leader had said. Clearly the example of Sikhs was incidental and he was hinting at a broader trend of intimidation of religious minorities in India. Some Sikh and other leaders from BJP pounced on RG putting on him usual anti-national type labels, calling him divisive among others. The simple point of religious and cultural rights and practices of diverse sections of society was deliberately undermined in these criticisms. This occasion, yet again was used by the BJP to further attack RG, who has been a recipient of vitriol from BJP. RG in a tweet clarified his understanding of the vision of India, "As usual, the BJP is resorting to lies. They are desperate to silence me because they cannot stand the truth. But I will always speak up for the values that define India: our unity in diversity, equality, and love," Unmindful of the spirit of RG, Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in an article in Indian Express wrote that the only time Sikhs went through a crisis was the decade of 1980s, hinting to ethnic cleansing of Sikhs, in many places in the country, particularly in Delhi in 1984. He called RG’s attitude was like that of MA Jinnah, who was out to divide the country. He had not registered that it was the BJP Government which totally ignored the demands of farmers, many of them Sikhs for months before the anti farmer bills were withdrawn. Meanwhile the Sikhs participating in this massive protest were labeled as Khalistanis. As far a 1984 ethnic cleansing is concerned those leading the pogrom can never be pardoned. The Indian National Congress’s Manmohan Singh, who was Prime Minister for a decade, has apologized for the same and one expects that the guilty of the violence will be brought to book, as soon as possible. The lapse of decades in not punishing the guilty of 1984 crimes is highly condemnable. It is never realized that RSS-BJP did not come to protect the Sikh community which was being brutalized. On the contrary Shamsul Islam, major scholar on rise of fundamentalism in India, points out that RSS also colluded in this ghastly pogrom, “A crucial proof of this criminal collusion in the massacre of Sikhs is a document circulated by Nana Deshmukh, a prominent ideologue of the RSS (now deceased). Titled as ‘Moments of Soul Searching’ it was circulated by Deshmukh on November 8, 1984. (Added, it was also published in George Fernandes edited Hindi Magazine, Pratipask) This should help in unmasking a number of criminals involved in the massacre and rape of ordinary innocent Sikhs who had nothing to do with the killing of Indira Gandhi. This document may also throw light on where the cadres came from, who methodically organized the killing of Sikhs. Nana Deshmukh is seen outlining the justification of the massacre of the Sikh community in 1984.” On these comments against RG there is one more angle. Some Sikh Groups are seeing it as welcome recognition of their Sikh identity. K.Sudarshan. ex-RSS chief, in a statement, had said that Sikhism is a Panth (Sect) of Hinduism and that Khalsa was created to protect Hindus from Islam. In 2019 Mohan Bhawat said that India is a Hindu Nation. There was a strong protest against both these statements. These outpourings also show the RSS mindset. One knows that Sikhism is not just a sect but a religion in its own right; it has its founder, Guru Nanak Devji. Who said, Na Hum Hindu Na Hum Musalmman. (I am neither a Hindu nor a Muslim). Editorials in prominent Punjabi newspapers like Punjabi Tribune and Nawa Zamana criticized the statement of Bhagwat in strong terms. While the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) which is a constituent of the NDA and has been an ally of BJP also gave strong reaction to the statement of Mr. Bhagwat. Giani Harpreet Singh, the acting Jathedar (head priest) of Akal Takht said that he believes the RSS’s actions will create divisions in the country. “The statements being made by RSS leaders are not in the country’s interests…” Contrary to the utterances that Sikhism is part of Hinduism, there is a book by Kahan Singh, ‘Hum Hindu Nahin’. (We are not Hindus) If we see Sikhism’s traditions, there is rich syncretism. The foundation of the Golden temple was laid by Miyan Mir. Baba Farid and other Sufi saints are respected along with Bhakti Saints like Kabir Raidas. Guru Granth Saheb, the Guru of Sikhs, has writings not only of Sikh Gurus but also of Sufi and Bhakti Saints. Its main focus is to shift away from the rigidities imposed by Maulanas and Brahminical teachings of caste and gender inequality. The religions originating from the Sub continent, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism all preach the equality of people and in a way are away from the caste and gender hierarchies. Many Sikh leaders try to join BJP merely for the sake of power, unmindful of the contradiction between humane values of Sikhism and the orthodoxies of Brahmism. As Ambedkar pointed out Brahmanism is the most dominant tendency within Hinduism. This is what led him to renounce Hinduism and embrace Buddhism. Sikhism as such flourished during the so called Muslim period of Indian History. Seeing the strong reaction of many Sikh organizations, now RSS is conceding that Sikhism is an independent religion. RG’s statement in no way is divisive and represents the values of Indian Constitution.