Selected Editorials - The Sikh Bulletin

Dr. Gurbakhash Singh Gill was one of those 21 members. He was now not a reformer but a member of
the establishment. Although the reports were that Calcutta had ordered secrecy in its deliberations but we
found out that most vocal opponent of us was Dr. Gill. It will come as no surprise to us if we found out
that it was he who suggested to shut us down, because as soon as I returned from Chandigarh I found that
a three year lease was signed for a rival Gurdwara while I was still in Chandigarh. Before the year was
out this Gurdwara had split into two because the only thing they had in common was opposition to us. In
the face of three Gurdwaras where there was one we shut the reform Gurdwara in April 2005.
When there is no leadership to inspire, sangat does not like change.
Hardev Singh Shergill
*****
EDITORIAL
MARTIN LUTHER HE IS NOT
[Editorial from March-April 2010 Sikh Bulletin]
Martin Luther was born in Germany 14 years after the birth of Guru Nanak and died 7 years after
Guru’s passing. His father wanted him to become an attorney after he completed his M.A. degree. But he
preferred to become a priest instead. At age 27 he traveled to Rome, the highest seat of Catholic Church.
There, instead of religious discourses and activities he witnessed rampant corruption. He witnessed sinful
transgressions forgiven in exchange for money. He witnessed religious offices and positions being sold.
Utterly disgusted and disappointed he returned to his native Germany and started preaching true
Christianity. At the age of 34 he pinned to the Church door his famous 95 theses and demanded answers
from the Pope. Pope summoned him to Rome. But his companions and well wishers, knowing that he will
not get justice from the Pope, did not allow him to proceed to Rome. He kept on preaching. Pope accused
him of 41 violations. He burned them in the presence of multitude of intellectuals, doctors and his
students. Pope excommunicated him. His books were burnt. He was thrown in Jail. In the prison
Protestant Church was born. Christianity split into two. At this time Catholic Church is under siege in
the courts of U.S.A. and Europe for the moral degradation of its clergy and the number of its adherents is
on the decline. The number of the faithful in protestant churches is on the increase.
Does this sound familiar Is the situation described above in 15 th Century Europe not repeating itself in
today’s Panjab and Sikh Community A few months back there was a golden opportunity for our own
Martin Luther to come forward, Darshan Singh Khalsa, at one time himself Akal Takhat Jathedar.
But Martin Luther he did not become; just as almost ten years ago when I invited him to join us in the
movement for reformation in Sikhi, he chose to stay out. To his credit, inspire of his upbringing in the
environment of Nanaksar and his lifelong adherence to the corrupt practices that have crept into Sikhism,
including the acceptance of Dasam Granth as the writings of Guru Gobind Singh, a transformation did
come in him with regard to Dasam Granth about ten years ago upon reading Gurbakhsh Singh Kala
Afghana’s critique of Bachittar Natak.
More recently he has been more forth coming in his criticism of Dasam Granth and thus ran afoul of those
who are pushing Dasam Granth as the rival Granth in order to dilute the message of Guru Nanak by
splitting the community; among them Atty. D. S. Gill, Atty. G. S. Lamba, Akhand Kirtani Jatha and
Damdami Taksal.
Unlike Martin Luther, Darshan Singh Khalsa did respond to the summons of the Jathedar (Sikh ‘Pope’)
by appearing at Akal Takhat before what would have been a kangaroo court anyway. That was his first
mistake. Obviously he did not have companions and well wishers of the same caliber as did Martin
56