Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
Fundamentalism and the Sikh Religious Tradition by T.N. Madan
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wealth of water <strong>and</strong> hydel power, a power which every o<strong>the</strong>r state in India enjoyed under<br />
<strong>the</strong> Constitution, etc.<br />
The above being <strong>the</strong> socio-economic position, it was natural for <strong>the</strong> Punjab to<br />
dem<strong>and</strong> constitutional solutions, <strong>and</strong> that <strong>the</strong> settled territorial demarcation should not be<br />
disturbed. No one could assert that <strong>the</strong>se dem<strong>and</strong>s were not constitutional <strong>and</strong> legitimate,<br />
or that <strong>the</strong>re was anything unreasonable, fundamentalist or separatist about <strong>the</strong>m. Yet, it<br />
is a fact of Punjab history that none of those dem<strong>and</strong>s have been met or placed before <strong>the</strong><br />
Supreme Court, nor has <strong>the</strong> settled demarcation been allowed to remain intact. There<br />
could be no Punjab problem, if <strong>the</strong> constitutional path had been followed <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Centre.<br />
Accordingly one wonders what could be <strong>the</strong> course open to Punjab, except to<br />
take to <strong>the</strong> path of negotiation <strong>and</strong> peaceful agitation from 1966 onwards. It is well<br />
known that <strong>the</strong> Dharma Yudh morcha of 1982 was started <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Akalis only when <strong>the</strong><br />
Prime Minister, Indira G<strong>and</strong>hi, on <strong>the</strong> one h<strong>and</strong>, invited <strong>the</strong> Akalis to have a talk with her,<br />
<strong>and</strong> on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r h<strong>and</strong>, before <strong>the</strong> date of <strong>the</strong> meeting, got <strong>the</strong> water agreement concluded<br />
among <strong>the</strong> three Congress Chief Ministers in December 1981, <strong>and</strong> got <strong>the</strong> waters case,<br />
filed <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Akali Ministry, withdrawn from <strong>the</strong> Supreme Court. She decided to<br />
inaugurate <strong>the</strong> digging of <strong>the</strong> disputed SYL Canal, <strong>and</strong> virtually banged <strong>the</strong> door of<br />
negotiation against <strong>the</strong> Akalis, leaving <strong>the</strong>m hardly any option but to start <strong>the</strong> peaceful<br />
agitation.<br />
Next is <strong>the</strong> question of law <strong>and</strong> order <strong>and</strong> introduction <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Congress of<br />
Bhidranwale in <strong>the</strong> Punjab politics. <strong>Madan</strong> concedes this fact. The evident object was to<br />
create a schism among <strong>the</strong> Akalis <strong>and</strong> break <strong>the</strong> unanimity of <strong>the</strong>ir dem<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> agitation.<br />
At places, <strong>Madan</strong>, it appears, has resorted to making wrong statements. For example, he<br />
states that <strong>the</strong> group that went to <strong>the</strong> meeting of <strong>the</strong> Nirankaris in 1978, was led <strong>by</strong><br />
Bhindranwala. It is a known fact that he was criticised for not doing so <strong>and</strong> remaining<br />
aloof. Bhindranwala continued to support <strong>the</strong> Congress <strong>and</strong> its political c<strong>and</strong>idates, even<br />
while he opposed <strong>the</strong> Nirankaris for <strong>the</strong>ir attack on <strong>Sikh</strong>ism. It is also incorrect that<br />
Nirankaris have made any additions to Guru Granth; infact, <strong>the</strong> Nirankaris, on <strong>the</strong>ir own<br />
admission, are not a <strong>Sikh</strong> sect, nor do <strong>the</strong>y believe in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong> principles or <strong>the</strong> Guruship<br />
of Guru Granth Sahib.<br />
It is that whereas <strong>the</strong> Congress cannot deny its responsibility for introducing<br />
Bhindranwala in Akali politics, <strong>the</strong> Akalis led <strong>by</strong> Longowal, continued to be nonviolent<br />
throughout in <strong>the</strong>ir agitation. Now, a few words about Bhindranwala. There are some<br />
incontrovertible facts about him. First, that he never raised any issue o<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>the</strong> four<br />
dem<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> matters that had been initially <strong>and</strong> principally raised <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Akalis. The<br />
second, that <strong>the</strong> reason for his popularity among <strong>the</strong> masses was that it appeared to <strong>the</strong>m<br />
that Bhindranwala would not let <strong>the</strong>m down regarding <strong>the</strong>ir dem<strong>and</strong>s concerning river<br />
waters, hydel power <strong>and</strong> recruitment to <strong>the</strong> Defence services, which for <strong>the</strong>m were crucial<br />
for <strong>the</strong>ir very living <strong>and</strong> future, <strong>and</strong> which, <strong>the</strong>y felt somehow, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r Akali leaders<br />
could, out of political expediency, barter away. As <strong>the</strong> Longowal Accord later showed,<br />
this actually happened, after <strong>the</strong> death of Bhindranwala.<br />
Here three o<strong>the</strong>r facts have also to be borne in mind. <strong>Madan</strong> states that<br />
Bhindranwala was a violent character <strong>and</strong> had been charged twice for murder. He was<br />
arrested only once <strong>and</strong> that after <strong>the</strong> murders both of <strong>the</strong> Nirankari Baba <strong>and</strong> Shri Jagat<br />
Narain. After detailed investigations <strong>and</strong> interrogations, he was declared innocent <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Home Minister made a statement in <strong>the</strong> Parliament to this effect." This makes it plain that