Critical State Of Sikhs In North Punjab- Changing Faiths

[kharkusingh1996 235]

A Tale of Changing Faiths:

Amritsar, Punjab: Majha region of North Punjab (India) is a traditional Sikh-Akali belt. It has the history of protecting Sikhism and Harimandir Sahib from the onslaughts of the invading traders. Sikhs under Baba Gurbakash Singh, Baba Deep Singh and Baba Naudh Singh are known to have laid down their lives along with their fellow Sikhs showing heroic deeds against the invaders on Sri Harmandir Sahib. Every driver bows and stops at the Samadhi of Baba Naudh Singh on Amritsar-Tarantarn road.

Bowing my head too, I pointed to S. Balwant Singh (name changed):
Me: ‘This is the most revered place in my heart only next to Sri Harmandir Sahib since the Sikhs laid down their lives fighting to protect Sri Harmandir Sahib”.
Balwant: “Should have been certainly so”; his half-hearted answer perplexed me.
Me: I remarked, “You appear to be thinking otherwise!”
Balwant: “No, No not so as you think, but it is not the same now” His reply was equally surprising.

Me: “Why so?”

Balwant: “The places of sacrifices of the martyred Sikhs have now been converted into money-spinners by Babas…. Seven Dera like gurdwaras have come up within these six-seven kilometres within a span of three-four years.”
He said what he has been watching daily since all these Deras are very close to his Home.
Me: “How come this sudden build up?” I was feeling quite hurt.
Balwant: “Seeing one another benefitting, they sprang up. The most earnings are in Tahla Sahib. The most respected is the Dera Gillwali where even the most influential family of Punjab makes monthly visits, and people approach for getting their problems from administration solved.”

His reply led me to further enquiry:
Me: “Where is that Dera?”
He explained:
Balwant: “while coming from Sri Amritsar, you saw the widened double highway ending. The highway has been widened up to the place only where the VIPs have to come each month and not beyond.”

Me: I was quite intrigued by this. “Is the political influence being used for such like things?”.

Balwant: “Political influence ensures dominance of the ruling over the ruled.”
Me:“But that is no Raj-Dharma. Where is the democracy?”
He just laughed at my reply.
Balwant: “Do you know how dominance is maintained?” questioned the advocate sitting close by.
Me: “How”
Balwant: “Using religion, using police, using drugs to decimate.”
Me: “I do not think it could be so.”
Balwant: “It is so. I am fighting cases against the police officials who have been carrying orders of their bosses to file false cases against certain individuals. Even a CBI inquiry is ordered against one SHO.” The advocate said. ‘Even the senior officers posted in this area are of Punjab cadre. Central cadre officers are not being posted as they tried to arrest the trend of fast flow of drugs in the area. They had to be posted at the behest of the local political leaders who maintain this free flow. Most of the youth are now in the grip of drugs.”

Me: “Protecting crime? Leaders are supposed to get justice for the people and not to subdue them. Why do the people select them” I was rather vociferous.
Balwant: “Yes! They protect crime and suppress opposition. Keep the people ignorant and help Deras to develop their influence.” He was clear in his answer.
“How come they protect and suppress opposition?” I wanted to know.

Balwant: “In this area drugs and local brand of liquor is a lucrative business. It is all flourishing under the patronage of local political leaders. You would have seen a story on Aaj Tak recently where large scale liquor distillation was going under the nose and knowledge of the local MLA. The SHO was helpless since he was refrained from taking any action against these criminals. As was said earlier, those who oppose these leaders are found behind the bars even on false cases. Even it is in the knowledge of the High Court that these false cases are being filed often. Most dastardly cases are of peddling drugs which are generally leveled against the most serious opponent and specially the political opponents. People are put behind bars and no one is allowed to help them. This is the same area where maximum eliminations in fake encounters took place during the militancy days. People have started taking injustice as their fate.”

It was quite shocking. To clarify further, I questioned:
Me:“What is the effect of the Deras?”
Balwant: “Deras lure the ignorant and fill the coffer. Instead of teaching Sikhism, they propagate personality cult, showing Dera heads as supreme. They also propagate Hindu ritualism like breaking coco-nuts and tying red thread (molly). Frankly, they have damaged the Sikhism beyond redemption.”
Me: ‘Beyond redemption! What do you mean?’”
Balwant: Pointing to his servant he said: “This boy has become Chrisitian recently. Do you know why when his father is Nihang?”
Me: “Christian? How is it?” I enquired. I wanted to know from the person direct.

I called the boy, named Nima (name changed) and questioned,
Me: “Are you a convert to Christianity?”
Nima: “Yes!” He reluctantly said. However he came out slowly since he had been listening to us intently and knew the base of the discussion.”
“Not me alone. Most of the poor and the unemployed youth are becoming Christians. Most of the youth got their hair cut already and have become apostate. Public in general have curtailed going to Gurdwaras and even deras now as they know their truth. They find new Churches as the better places to go. All aound these deras we have new churches: Varpal, Nikka Chabba, Balachak; all these villages are having new churches within these 6-7 kilometres. A large Number of Churches sprung up recently in the entire border belt of Tarantaran and Gurdaspur areas and people are converting to Christianity en masse.”
Me: “You said your father is a Nihang, a devout Sikh. Why did you convert to Christianity?”
Nima: “Why? We are not inhuman as they treat us. They give us no favour. They give no jobs to us but still want us to obey them like slaves. Why should we. They want the youth be drugged and destroyed. They have no human life considerations. The pastors treat us very humanly and sympathetically. They treat us equal and as important as anyone else. They help us in need. You will soon seen most of the downtrodden converting en masse if these leaders and dera people go on treating us like this.”

I was shocked at the anger the boy had against the higher castes, deras and the ruling combine.

More shocking was the trend of conversions. I could not sleep well in the night and was woken up by the blaring of the speakers at about 3 AM from 3-4 deras cum gurdwaras. Amidst them I could listen to the sound “Ameen” from pastor of the church nearby and thought of Giani Gurdit Singh, Gurmukh Singh and Jawahar Singh of the Singh Sabha Movement at the conversion of four Sikh Youth. The number now has become so large now without any of Gurdit Singh’s standing up now! As I was being shown those seven Dera type gurdwaras, finding heaps of Coconuts around, I felt that it certainly needs a “Sikh Sudhar movement” or “Sikhi Bachao Lehar’ to save the new generation from going astray.

[lsingh 752]

A true reflection of the state of Sikhi in Punjab. I have also witnessed what is mentioned. A grass root movement is so needed, something like Basics of Sikhe in very village and town in Punjab. The combined rise of Brahminvaad and other religions has squeezed the Sikh religion.

[Cisco_Singh 568]

These are all facets of the "faceless war" , watch RajoanaTV YouTube episodes for more details, tactics used by the establishment to undermine Sikhi in Punjab one of them being the funding, support and police protection if fake babas and deras. Another tactic is the flooding of drugs and alcohol into Punjab to create a population of addicts who lose all of their ethics, principles and spirit. Much like the Americans did to the red Indians many of their reservations suffer from chronic alcoholism etc, they have lost all of their fighting spirit.

[lsingh 752]

The report mentions that the Drugs , Deras, Cults and Christians are most prevalent where the movement was strongest. Even the children of Nihangs are becoming Christians the report states. More than a coincidence don't you think?

[Guest Jacfsing2]

The report mentions that the Drugs , Deras, Cults and Christians are most prevalent where the movement was strongest. Even the children of Nihangs are becoming Christians the report states. More than a coincidence don't you think?

The reason I think is they were bribed to be Christian, missionaries bribe the poorest people they can find to gain #'s, you don't hear rich people converting into Christianity in these countries, just the poor.

[Parminderkaur69 1]

How stupid comments fr0m people. Brahminism is long gone but the Sikhs here are obsessed. You need to think more about losing sikh girls to muslims in UK and Canada and hispanic mexican men in US. In India it is conversion by Christian groups. I currently live in Italy and read here that Vatican has special task forces for various India locations and one for Punjab targeting Sikhs. Also US Evanagelicals have special groups dedicated and funded to convert Sikhs. So silly men on this forum need to properly focus.

[Ranjeet01 3,841]

If brahamvadi is helping deras and christianity to make inroads, it would be a dangerous game. Deras will soften the people to Christianity. Christians would be better funded and more organised than the tinpot deras. Hypothetically a Christian Punjab would threaten the integrity of India as they would look to break away and much more than Khalistani would get a lot of support from the West.

If breaking down Sikhi is all important for the powerbrokers in Delhi, it would be the most stupid move they would make.

There would be no more sword arm of India to protect Hindus (as a lot of Hindus think), the subcontinent will be carve up between Christians and Muslims as Hindutva/RSS is all talk and then there will be civil war between two abrahamic tribes in the traditional Dharmic lands.

For all you Hindu lurkers out there on this website when there are no more Sikhs left, is your Shiva Sena/VHP/RSS/BJP going to save you shouting slogans of "Bharat Mata ki Jai!" or will you make a choice between "Alleluyah praise the lord" and "Allah hu Akbar"

[JSinghnz 1,216]

All talk but who will take action to stem this rot. Really sad state of affairs in Punjab.

[Ranjeet01 3,841]

All talk but who will take action to stem this rot. Really sad state of affairs in Punjab.

What happens in Punjab will affect the rest of India. For all the so called cunning and wilyness of the brahmin, they have proven to be the most short-sighted of all.

Like I said before, the assets of the foreign NGO's that support the missionary activities need to be frozen. Cut out their funding, then the indian missionaries will be like headless chickens.Where are the baniyas with all their money handling skills when we need them?

[scali 303]

These events and more about future of Sikh panth were told by Baba Nand Singh ji.

[Jonny101 4,466]

These events and more about future of Sikh panth were told by Baba Nand Singh ji.

Mahapursh know things before they occur. So accurately Baba Jee saw what was going to happen.

[Guest Jacfsing2]

Not that big of a deal, the land Jesus was born has become Muslim, I think it's just a stage of growth for the faith, Vaheguru would never let Sikhi end.

[lsingh 752]

What is disheartening is the Sants , Babas, Sikh organisations in Punjab do not show much concern about the situation. Personal interest over the Panth .

[jkvlondon 6,859]

What is disheartening is the Sants , Babas, Sikh organisations in Punjab do not show much concern about the situation. Personal interest over the Panth .

Maybe it's Waheguru ji's ishara to stop relying on others and listen to him and become pooran Gursikhs in our own right , self-reliant , totally owning our own mistakes rather than looking to blame others for our lack Bhagat Puran Singh ji didn't do what he did by expecting koi sant or baba will start the work , why do we ? see the need, fill the need. don't wait on others learn and share Sikhi ourselves in our homes in our neighbourhoods ... spread Waheguru's love and word

[TheFancyBanana 753]

Stop blaming other people. We need to make a change. There will be no Singh Sabha in Punjab that will bring Sikhi back. It is up to us, those in the west. The diaspora is influential and well established, it has the money, the power, the ability to make a change. This could be the generation, besides the Gurus, who can make the biggest impact on the future of Sikhi. Don't rely on other people. Don't sit there posting X Baba said this would happen. Do something about it. Work on your own Sikhi. Don't rely on some sants interpration of bani. Go look at Guru Ji yourself, listen to your Guru, then live what he tells you. Spread the word through your actions.

The Sikh institutions have failed our people. Once people of all backgrounds were flocking to join Sikhi. Low castes saw Sikhi as something that would help destroy inequality. Sikhi empowered people to fight tyranny and injustice. Now it seems as if our institutions are doing the oppressing. Many low castes feel isolated by our leaders. Please, those with money, intellectual skills, help movements. Create schools or hospitals in your area. Encourage Sikhi parchar in your area. Inspire people by living the Guru's word.

Singh Sabha wasn't just a political movement. It was an intellectual movement. This is what we need, we need parchar, we need research. We need to encourage debate in the panth. If someone has an opposing view on a topic, debate them. Don't start name calling, calling them an athiest or try to call them a non-Sikh. This isn't how anything grows. We need more discussion and debate on bani.