Courting controversy

The Sikh-Nirankari controversy has come alive again. The Hukamnama edict, issued by the Akal Takht 20 years ago directing the Sikhs to boy...

The Sikh-Nirankari controversy has come alive again. The Hukamnama edict, issued by the Akal Takht 20 years ago directing the Sikhs to boycott the Nirankaris, has begun to cause ripples in the politico-religious waters of the State with none other than Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra charged with violating it.

The Hukamnama had been issued by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs for prayer and politics, on June 10, 1978, in the aftermath of the Sikh-Nirankari clash in Amritsar on April 13, 1978, in which 13 Sikhs were killed. The genesis of terrorism in Punjab is traced to this bloody confrontation which brought Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale to limelight.The Nirankaris had then allegedly adopted an aggressive anti-Sikh posture. A confrontation had been building up between the Sikh organisations and the Nirankaris for quiet some time then. And it was the confrontation which culminated in the clash.

Ironically, the person who wasresponsible for the assassination of Nirankari chief Baba Gurbachan Singh in 1980, now heads the Akal Takht. Bhai Ranjit Singh was appointed to this high seat while serving the jail-term for this murder and it was Tohra who had been instrumental in his elevation. The Jathedar is appointed by the SGPC in consultation with eminent Sikh organisations. The Humaknama is issued under the seal of the Akal Takht chief.

Tohra has been charged with interacting with the Nirankaris in Patiala to seek votes in the last Lok Sabha elections for his protege, Prem Singh Chandumajra. The issue has now been raked up by Amrinder Singh, the Congress candidate and scion of the former royal family of Patiala, who lost the election. He has referred the matter to the Akal Takht pleading for the withdrawal of the Hukamanama and closing this sad chapter which led to years of bloody confrontation in the state.

The issue is gathering currency with some Akali ministers also contributing to the groundswell for reopening of the entirematter in the changed scenario to settle things amicably with the Nirankaris. The Hukamnama had dubbed the Nirankaris as anti-Sikh.

8220;It is high time that the confrontation is put to an end and a dialogue opened to pave the way for the withdrawal of the Hukamnama, provided the Nirankaris accept the conditions laid down by the Akal Takht8221;, said an Akali Minister.

But then it is a larger issue which would call for a dialogue and debate at various levels. The Nirankaris had thrown hints about ending the confrontation when the Sikh leaders had approached the government for remitting the remaining sentence of Bhai Ranjit Singh. A section within the Akali Dal feels that what happened at Patiala, if at all it was intentional, could be part of the moves to end the confrontation. However, sources close to Tohra deny any such moves.

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Tohra has stated publicly that he would explain his conduct in case he was summoned by the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht. 8220;Tohra would set an example in how a leaderappears at the supreme seat as a humble Sikh,8221; said one of his close associates. The debate rages, though in muffled tones, among the Sikh leaders on whether Tohra had violated the Hukamnama by appealing to the Nirankaris to vote for the Akali candidate or not. Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian, a Sikh scholar, is of the view that appealing for votes does not constitute violation of the Hukamnama. But since the Hukanmama had called for confronting the Nirankaris at every level, a section of the Akalis considers it as a violation.

It is alleged that Tohra had two meetings with the Nirankaris. However, sources close to Tohra deny this charge. Chandumajra, who entered the Lok Sabha from Patiala, is on record having described the allegations levelled by Amrinder Singh as baseless.

The Patiala Lok Sabha seat is considered to be the fiefdom of Tohra and as such, it was not just the issue of seeking votes for his protege. It was his personal hold which was at stake and the ground appeared to be slippery.The Akalis won this seat on the basis of the votes polled mainly in Lehragaga and Sunam Assembly segments which form part of the Sangrur district. The Akalis lost in Patiala district as such. Losing the election would have been a serious setback to this senior Akali leader whose status is ranked with Parkash Singh Badal, if not higher. Thus, seeking the votes of the Nirankaris was political compulsion of the senior Sikh leader.

8220;One should differentiate between social and political interaction. In this case, the interaction was political8221;, said Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, former IAS officer and Chairman, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, while maintaining that he was not trying to defend Tohra.

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While commenting on the interaction with the Nirankaris, another senior leader referred to the Akali ministers interacting with some senior bureaucrats who happen to be Nirankaris. Tohra has a penchant for creating situations and then wriggling out of them and never for once has he, in entire political career, beencaught on the wrong foot. He is too astute a political player.

The edict
The edict is issued under the seal of the Akal Takht by five members of the Sikh clergy which include chief of this supreme temporal seat. The following is the operative part of the edict:

8220;Issued under the seal of the Akal Takht, every Sikh man and woman is hereby directed to oppose in every possible way this sect which is anti-religion and enemy of the mankind and it should not be allowed to proliferate in the society and the world at large. There should be no relation of roti and beti with those Sikhs who have joined this so-called Nirankari sect, including their head Gurbachan Singh, and there should be no interaction of any type with them.8221;