Punjab Assembly polls 2017- Part XII (Implications of Sarbat Khalsa 2015)

I felt a bit upset when I found myself in a position of inability to attend one of the most important politico-religious events near my city. Thanks to internet that I registered my presence online and heard all the 13 resolutions passed loud and clear which are as follows:

ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਨਜ਼ਦੀਕ ਪਿੰਡ ਚੱਬਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਰਬੱਤ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੱਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕਤਰ ਹੋਈ ਸੰਗਤ ਦੀ ਹਾਜ਼ਰੀ ਵਿੱਚ 13 ਮਤੇ ਪਾਸ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ ਹਨ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ:
1-ਮੌਜੂਦਾ ਤਖਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਪੰਜਾਂ ਤਖਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਜਥੇਦਾਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਲਾਂਭੇ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
(Four out of Five current Jathedars be removed.)

2-ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖਤ ਦੇ ਜਥੇਦਾਰ ਜਗਤਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਹਵਾਰਾ ਨੂੰ ਬਣਾਇਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਕਾਰਜਕਾਰੀ ਜਥੇਦਾਰ ਧਿਆਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਮੰਡ ਨੂੰ ਲਾਇਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਅਮਰੀਕ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਜਨਾਲਾ ਤਖਤ ਕੇਸਗੜ੍ਹ ਅਤੇ ਬਲਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਾਦੂਦਾਲ ਨੂੰ ਦਮਦਮਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦਾ ਜਥੇਦਾਰ ਲਾਇਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
(Jagtar Singh Hawara be apointed as Jathedar of Akal Takht and in his absence Dhian Singh Mand to be appointed the acting Jathedar. Amrik Singh Ajnala and Baljit Singh Daduwaal be appointed the jathedars of Kesgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib.)

3-ਕੇ ਪੀ ਐਸ ਗਿੱਲ ਅਤੇ ਕੇ ਐਸ ਬਰਾੜ ਨੂੰ ਤਨਖਾਹੀਆ ਕਰਾਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਵੰਬਰ 20 ਤੱਕ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖਤ ਤੇ ਪੇਸ਼ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਸਪਸ਼ਟੀਕਰਨ ਮੰਗਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
(KPS Gill and KS Brar be declared "tankhaiyas" and must plead their clarification before Akal Takht before 20 Nov 2015)

4-ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦੀ ਸਰਵਉਚਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂਸਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਬਣਾਈ ਰੱਖਣ ਲਈ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਰਾਇ ਨਾਲ ਗੰਭੀਰ ਯਤਨ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾਣ।
(Sikh diaspora must make sincere efforts to maintain the supremacy and sovereignty of Akal Takht Sahib. )

5-ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਦਲ ਤੋਂ ਤੋਂ ਫਖਰੇ ਕੌਮ, ਪੰਥ ਰਤਨ ਵਾਪਿਸ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਮੱਕੜ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ਰੋਮਣੀ ਸੇਵਕ ਦਾ ਐਵਾਰਡ ਵਾਪਿਸ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
(CM Parkash Singh Badal be scrapped of "Panth Rattan" and Avtar Singh Makkar be scrapped of "Shiromani Sewak" decorations.)

6-ਵਰਲਡ ਸਿੱਖ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਂਟ ਦਾ ਗਠਨ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਐਲਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਲਈ 30 ਨਵੰਬਰ ਤੱਕ ਖਰੜੇ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਸਾਂਝੀ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਦਾ ਐਲਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ।
(Global Sikh Parliament be formed and a committee to make for its arrangements be announced before 30 Nov 2015.)

7-ਸਮੂਹ ਸਗਤਾਂ, ਗੰ੍ਰਥੀ ਸਿੰਘਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਕਮੇਟੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦੀ ਬੇਅਦਬੀ ਲਈ ਸੁਚੇਤ ਰਹਿਣ ਦਾ ਸੱਦਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਬੇਅਦਬੀ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਿਖੀ ਰਵਾਇਤਾਂ ਮੁਤਾਬਿਕ ਸਜ਼ਾਵਾਂ ਦੇਣ ਦਾ ਐਲਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
(All the sikh diaspora be cautious about the sacrilege incidents of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and traitors be punished as per sikh tenants.)

8-ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਤਾਕੀਦ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਪੂਰੀ ਕਰ ਚੁੱਕੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਕੈਦੀ ਜੇਲ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਰਿਹਾਅ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾਣ, ਸੂਰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਦਾ ਜੇਕਰ ਕੋਈ ਨੁਕਸਾਨ ਹੋਇਆ ਤਾਂ ਇਸ ਦੇ ਜ਼ਿੰਮੇਵਾਰੀ ਸਰਕਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਹੋਵੇਗੀ |
(Government be directed to release all sikh political prisoners and government will be responsible for the consequences in case of any harm to Surat Singh Khalsa.)

9-ਸ਼ਰੋਮਣੀ ਗੁਰਦਵਾਰਾ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਦੀ ਨਵੀਂ ਚੋਣ ਕਰਵਾਕੇ ਜਮਹੂਰੀਅਤ ਬਹਾਲ ਕਰਵਾਓਣ ਦਾ ਸੱ ਦਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
(SGPC's re-election must be done in order to restore its democratic charater.)

10-ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੱਖਰੇ ਸਰਵ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਨਿਤ ਕੈਲੰਡਰ ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਹੈ।
(Sikhs need their own calendar.)

11-ਹਰਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਨੂੰ ਵੈਟੀਕਨ ਸਿਟੀ ਦਾ ਦਰਜਾ ਮਿਲੇ ਅਤੇ ਦਰਬਾਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਸਮੂਹ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਮੁਲਕ ਦਾ ਕਾਨੂੰਨ ਲਾਗੂ ਨਾ ਹੋਵੇ।
(Vatican like status for Golden Temple Complex and no law of any country be applicable therein.)

12-ਇੱਕਠ 26 ਜਨਵਰੀ 1986 ਨੂੰ ਹੋਏ ਸਰਬਤ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਦੇ ਮਤਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਹਿਮਤੀ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ।
(Standing by all the resolutions passed in Sarbat Khalsa 1986)

13-ਜਾਤਾਂ ਤੇ ਅਧਾਰਿਤ ਗੁਰਦਵਾਰੇ ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਮਸ਼ਾਨਘਾਟ ਖਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਯਤਨ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾਣ |
(Attempts be made to eliminate caste-based Gurudwaras and crematoriums.)

For more details visit: www.sarbatkhalsa2015.org

Though "Sarbat Khalsa" was held away from Golden Temple complex but it got a massive response. Even the mainstream media admits that the congregation crossed one lakh mark but as per social media sources the gathering was above 3 lakh people despite strong resistance from the administration.

Now coming to the resolutions I can bet that around 7-8 resolutions are so well thought-out and balanced that no intellectual in the world can dare to challenge them and even a non-sikh or a non-political or a non-religious person would show acceptance to them. But fact of the matter is that this congregation sent alarm bells to many factions of the society including SAD (Badal), Militant Hindu organizations etc. But the fact that needs to be highlighted here is that this gathering was only pro-sikh, it wasn't anti-Hindu, anti-Muslim, anti-Christian or any other community.

Now the main point of contention about the resolutions passed are their implementation at the panthic level and their acceptance by the common sikhs. The implementation of these resolutions would be done by sheer force that the radicals draw through their collectivity without any rational-legal authority e.g. The Jathedars appointed by Sarbat Khalsa can take charge only through sheer force and do not have any legal right to do it directly. On the other hand Jagtar Singh Hawara who has been accused of master-minding former CM Beant Singh's assassination is behind bars. The worst victim of these orthodox resolutions are likely to be Indian sikhs. Because those who seek Khalistan know that the unrest that would be created at ground zero won't effect them in any way if they're sitting in their cosy abodes somewhere in USA, UK, Canada or Australia. Rather I have a deal for them, if they can be flexible about choosing the venue of Sarbat Khalsa, they can show similar flexibility in carving out the territory of their Homeland Khalsitan.

As an Indian sikh, I do not want Punjab or India to be the center of Khalistani political activism and cannot afford to make it the center of blood-shed and massacre. NRI sikhs are more than welcome to make their countries as the center of Khalistani activities but they're not likely to do so because they don't want to spoil their tags of being responsible Americans or Canadians but any sikh who is a patriotic Indian itches them so much in their eyes. What is wrong if they choose the state of Alaska as territory of Khalistan and start a struggle against the American government for realizing their dream homeland and leave alone India and Pakistan to carve out erstwhile Punjab and label it as "Khalistan". Another issue that is worth raising here is that if Sikhs are considered to be a community without borders, scattered across the globe, co-existing with the majority communities of different countries then why is it that Sikhs settled in Christian countries can openly celebrate Christmas with pride, Sikhs settled in Islamic countries can celebrate Eid with zest and enthusiasm but when it comes to sikhs settled in India celebrating Navratras, Dushehra or Shiv Raatri, it's a cause of huge-huge concern for the sikh radicals and they feel threatened to be culturally assimilated by Hindus, the majority community of India.

With utmost respect to the sikh tenants and the resolutions passed at Sarbat Kahalsa, I feel that the peace and harmony of Punjab is under threat not directly by sikh radicals only but by those mischievous elements who know when to capitalize on the situations for their personal gains. They may or may not be a part of the government. There isn't much difference between people running the government and people like Jagtar Singh Hawara as the former use the tool of assassination secretly for personal gains but the latter used it openly for a bigger community cause. Unfortunately, in this battle of elephants, common people like us are like those insects crawling on the ground who may or may not get crushed depending on their luck and whatever happens in the politico-religious space, we just have one tool called "Adjustment/ Adaptation" to deal with it.

Now looking at the larger picture of Nationalism, I want to ask all those war veterans fighting for One Rank One Pension (OROP), what has patriotism and spirit of sacrifice for your country paid you back with ?? I also want to send a clear-cut message to the grand old political party which has emerged as the biggest situational beneficiary of the Bihar polls, "Indians have not forgotten 2G spectrum and Coal scams." Political crisis in Punjab doesn't mean that if Punjabis want to get rid of Badals, they'll have to resort to Congress in 2017. Bihar poll results have brought a landmark end to the personality-politics in the country and Congress would require much more than Captain's dynamic personality to win over Punjab in 2017.

I personally feel that AAP needs to find a right alliance partner to address panthic issues, it must consider PPP, SAD (Amritsar/ United/ 1920/ Panch Pardhani) for the same and keep its options open.