The six prisoners in question include Bhai, Lal Singh,
who was lodged in Patiala's Nabha jail, Bhai Waryam Singh lodged in a
Uttar Pardesh jail in a different case, Gurdeep Singh, lodged in a
Karnataka jail in a TADA case and Gurmeet Singh, Lakhwinder
Singh and Shamsher Singh who were all are lodged in Burail jail at
Chandigarh after their life conviction in the Beant Singh assassination
case.
However, the Sikh Organisation of Prisoners Welfare
(SOPW), a charity supporting these and other detainees, recently
announced Gurmeet Singh had been ordered to return to Burail Jail. Both
Gurmeet and his family were reported as ‘being distrust’.
For Gurmeet and his family the past month has ‘been something of a
rollercoaster ride: from the ecstatic feeling of being reunited with his
family after eighteen years, to returning home for the first time since
he lost his father, to the heartbreaking moment
when he had to say goodbye to the short lived freedom he had tasted’.
Given the inability of the Jathedars to keep their
promise to take actions to ensure the permanent release of the six
prisoners released on payroll, the SOPW issues a warning. ‘Over the last
couple of months, many promises have been made, many
people have made a name for themselves, many photo’s have been taken
and many Sikh’s emotions have been played with. However, none of the
leaders, ruling parties, religious bodies or influential people have
carried out their promises. When the tv camera’s
and media people packed up and left Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali, our
so called leaders returned to their own worlds where they neither hear,
nor say, nor do.’
Bhai Gurbax Singh was/is a very sincere and inspirational
gurumukh. However, I have to say many of the hangers on who posed for
pictures with him really have little concern for, justice, political
prisoners or the Khalsa Panth. The Sant Samaj
in particular are Badal's poodles and they will not do anything that he
or the corrupt political class do not sanction. The reality is that our
dharam is gulam; on the one hand we have the likes of K.P.S Gill,
Sumedh Singh Saini, K.S Brar and Congress and
BJP politicians who will gladly kill ordinary Guru Sikhs. And on the
other we have the 1000's of Masands and Baba's - and I include those
that claim to be Panthic - who say one thing but do another.
Their true colours were recently exposed during the
clashes at Patna Sahib - go against their command or desire and the
serene sant quickly turns into a gunda. Look at what happens when any
big baba passes away; even before the Baba has had his
antam ardass the chelas begin to square up to each other and civil war
ensues, each vying for the 'gadhi'. This is also why for every samparda,
there are many factions and pretenders claiming to be the true
custodians of the dynasty. And, like gangsters and
criminal politicians, the baba's have their own personal militia's
brandishing automatic weapons. Why if they are one with waheguru do they
fear death? If they have such spiritual powers (Brahm Gian) why would
anybody want to attack them? Of course the reality
is that they fear attacks from the other gangster Baba's often over
land and monetary disputes. Or in the case of Nihangs, they operate
protection rackets.
Sant Jarnail Singh ji had very little time for these
pakandhis. He was a man of ordinary people of al faiths and none. He was
not interested in personal possessions or fame. His power was in his
simple devotion to the pure teachings and example
of our Guru's, which was to live a spiritual, frugal life but also to
fight oppression. That is why the Masands, Baba's and Corrupt Akali
Politicians conspired to kill him. The same forces, had the eye of the
media not been there, that would have disposed
of Bhai Gurbax Singh. Indeed, Bhai Gurbax Singh in his discourses at
Ambh Sahib often referred to these fifth columnists in the Sangat - he
would say there are peole here who have come to support me but there are
also those that want to kill him.
They have little regard for Sikhi and all they can offer
is ritualised practices - smagams to fill their coffers and keep the
masses from realising the true causes of their misery. Yes, most of
their chelas are people suffering from various physical,
mental or economic troubles. And instead of seeking out professional
support, which they probably can't afford, they go for the cheap Baba
version. And as far as economic problems are concerned, rather than
gamble their money on the promises of some Baba's
ardas (equivalent of a bookie), they should really be asking why they
are in poverty? And the answer is simple; it is the system and not
waheguru. It is the greed of the rulers and their resident baba's. And
once this is realised, then it becomes obvious,
the only solution is to create common cause with other poor people to
overthrow the system. And we have many examples from the Gurus pointing
us tpowards such a strategy. For example, read Rattan Singh Banghu who
said "gareeb ka mooh, guru ki golak". The sakhi
of Guru nanak Ji and Bhai Lalo provides another examination.
And so as doubt and pessimism seems to be replacing the
euphoria and optimism surrounding ending of Bhai Gurbax Singh Khalsa’s
hunder strike, people that have a genuine concern for justice for
prisoners who made huge sacrifices to confront the
fascist dictatorship in Panjab during the decade after 1984 resulting
in the death of 1000’s of innocent people, Sikh and non-Sikh at the
hands of state terrorism, need to think carefully. Today, there is a
need for a new leadership of which Gurbax Singh Khalsa
in one shining example. This is a leadership whose hall mark is
justice, equality and inclusivity. It is a leadership that is opposed to
sectarianism and is seeking to confront all those that do and have
abused power, not least the many so called jathedars
and Sants that demand loyalty of the Sikh masses without reciprocating
that very same loyalty.
Dr Gurnam Singh, UK
28th January 2014
