A Reason to Celebrate - But Not Together

March 26th, 2006 by admin

BCSikhYouth.com EditorialPunjabi Interactive

VANCOUVER, BC - Channel M’s Punjabi Interactive show, aired on Sunday, March 26th, and hosted by Hardeep Singh, featured the topic of the Community Unity following the recognition of the Punj Kakkaars and Vaisakhi by the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The two featured guests of the evening were MLA Jagrup Brar, who had worked to have the motion passed, and strangely, the excommunicated Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sahib “President” Balwant Gill. The two responded to questions from Hardeep Singh and listened to calls from the general community, including one in which a viewer called in to ask why representatives of Panthic gurdwaras had not attended. Hardeep Singh responded to the call saying that although Manjit Singh Dhami from Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar had previously accepted the invitation to attend the show, he later declined to speak in the same show as the other two guests.

Hardeep Singh’s primary focus of the show was to congratulate the community on the recognition and respect given to the Punj Kakkaars and Vaisakhi, in a land far from where the Sikh heritage originates. The motion was tabled originally by Brar on February 16, 2006 and moved on March 20, 2006, and approved unanimously (click here for the full text). The gist of the motion is simple recognition of the contributions of the Sikh community to Canadian society, and recognition of the signifiance of the Punj Kakkars. Many callers phoned to express their congratulations to the television viewers, host and his guests, and to praise the efforts of those who worked to have the motion approved.

The second aspect of Sunday’s Punjabi Interactive show centered on the division that occured between many Sikh organizations around the world, particularly in BC, as a result of the non-compliance with the langar or “tables and chairs” hukamnama passed at Sri Akaal Takhat Sahib eight years ago on April 20, 1998. Hardeep Singh lamented that although the recognition of the Punj Kakkaars and Vaisakhi was a positive event in recent local Sikh history, the shadows of the eight-year old conflict still linger over the entire community. Many callers expressed regret that so many Sikh leaders, granthis, gurdwara committee members, and presidents were incapable of performing their duties and their irresponsibility was proving detrimental to the overall growth and evolution of the community. On that topic, Balwant Gill, who has previously been caught twice for driving while drunk during his position of “President” at Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sahib, claimed that in his capacity he was willing to meet on any platform to resolve the divisions in the community and to discuss important issues with the “other parties.” Meanwhile, Jagrup Brar, explained his position as one of compliance with the collective decisions of the faith community, and asserted his willingness to assist in any community resolution if required.

It is important for panthic societies to show their strength in gurmat and to clarify the miscommunications and miseducation that has occured as a result of power-hunger, greed, apostacy, disrespect of Guru ji’s teachings, and arrogance in the past eight years. The money-minded and power-minded representatives of panthic and non-panthic gurdwaras alike, have all a share in the blame for the degradation of facilities to Sikh youth as a result of community division and political corruption. Now, for the sake of the next generation, it is important for panthic societies to again make efforts for peaceful negotiations to regain control of our sacred gurdwaras from anti-panthic groups, and to restore maryada and respect of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and the Khalsa Panth. It is now still possible with the grace of the Guru, to restore a wound in this community that, if not healed, could prove to be devastating for future generations of Sikhs in BC. If there is any worthy gurdwara representative out there, he/she should now make the effort to regain order and gurmat principles in our sacred gurdwara sahibs and rebuild our burnt bridges before we are mourning the 10th anniversary of the division of our community.

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Vaheguru ji ka khalsa,
Vaheguru ji ki fatheh !

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