NEW DELHI, JANUARY 8: The Minorities Commission has conveyed its concern to the Prime Minister over the ``anti-Sikh'' remarks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders. The RSS brass has been called on January 16 for its first encounter with the Commission. According to sources, the outfit's attack on Sikhs, Muslims and Christians will be discussed.The Commission's Vice Chairman, Tarlochan Singh, who says the RSS's attempt to amalgamate the Hindu and Sikh religions could pose a ``serious threat'' to peace in Punjab, recently held a meeting with Atal Behari Vajpayee on the issue. He had earlier written a letter to him saying RSS chief K S Sudarshan was silent on the subject and had not withdrawn his inflammatory statements.The letter to the PM says an ``uncalled for'' controversy has been generated by the RSS statements that the Sikhs were a part of Hindu religion. ``The hardliners amongst the Sikhs were lying low after peace prevailed in Punjab. Now these groups have got an agenda and are going on organising meetings and protests in the state and have also been accusing Prakash Singh Badal and Gurcharan Singh Tohra of keeping silent on the issue,'' Tarlochan Singh said.The Minorities Commission despatched a second letter to Sudarshan on New Year's Day, asking him to take ``immediate action'' to defuse the issue. It read: ``During all these months, the problem has not been solved, but due to other statements the problem has been aggravated. The Sikh minority community leaders have been issuing statements alleging that there is some conspiracy going on and there is a threat to the community's identity. Even the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, who occupies the highest religious seat, has taken notice of these statements.''Its first letter to Sudarshan as early as on April 11 stated: ``It is reported that it is being publicly said that the Sikhs are a part of the Hindu religion. Such pronouncements are interpreted by the Sikhs as (being) hostile to the Sikh religion and identity.'' There has been no reply from the RSS to any of the missives from the Minorities Commission.Tarlochan Singh says all members of the Commission are unanimous on initiating this action and claims that the RSS leaders have agreed with him verbally but its chief had not responded. ``Everyone is aware of what happened in Punjab in the eighties and nobody should try and create bad blood again,'' Tarlochan Singh warned. ``Sudarshan should withdraw the statement he made earlier and recognise that Sikhism is a separate religion and Sikhs a separate identity. After all, the whole controversy began with the first statement made by Sudarshan himself.''It was on June 30 that Sudarshan joined issue with right-wing Sikh organisations and asserted that Sikhism was a panth of Hinduism. He had added that after accusing the RSS of being anti-Muslim and anti-Christian, some ``forces'' had launched a propaganda to dub the RSS as anti-Sikh.Soon the Akalis go into the act and began voicing concern about how the RSS was preparing the ground for the BJP to emerge as an alternative to the Akali leadership in Punjab.Tarlochan Singh says it is now imperative for the Minorities Commission to step in and therefore the invitation to RSS leaders for a meeting on January 16.
