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Date 15 DEC. 2007
SANASAR SIKH CONVENTION
1. As published in the latest Newsletter published by the International Sikh Confederation (ISC) dated 15 Nov. 2007, a delegation of the ISC visited Sultanpur Lodhi and Khadoor Sahib recently. The purpose was to gauge and assimilate the good work being done in various social spheres by Babaji Balbir Singh Seechewal and Babaji Kar Sewa Wale Sewa Singh, Babaji Seechewal is an enlightened environmentalist who has vast experience in launching projects such as cleaning of rivers, improving the landscape by planting chosen trees, helping villages in various health schemes, disposal of sewage and reaping better crops with organic manure as a bye product of sewage disposal. The results were visible on the ground and we were totally impressed by the ability and dedication of Babaji Seechewal.
2. The visit to Khadoor Sahib revealed to us the Charismatic following that Babaji Sewa Singh inspired. Village after village was volunteering to work day and night to help him cleanse the surroundings, plant trees in hundreds and take part in organised construction so as to improve the utility of the complex for hundreds of visitors / pilgrims paying obeisance at the Gurudwara and the exhibition Hall. He has top scientist such as Dr. Raghbir Singh Bains and a group of educationist and administrators as his advisors. He is running very effectively a School and College for rural students. Discipline and religious teaching go side by side with standard curriculum. Stress is laid on sports and body building activities. In spite of all this Babaji feels that there is much work to be done and is open to suggestions from professionals.
ISC IS INSPIRED – DRUMS UP A PROJECT
3. With the backdrop of these two visits the ISC team was fired up to launch a project whereby Punjab, the homeland of the Sikhs, could be rid of a few major maladies that had incapacitated a majority of our adults (young and old) and also our major social and religious institutions. We analyzed these major maladies as: - (a) Consumption of liquor and addiction to drugs is so rampant that if we don’t act now, we may cross the line of redemption.
(b) Female foeticide has caused a dangerous imbalance in female versus male ratio. Some statistics place the present female population at about 70 percent of the male population. It is deteriorating further and the results are disastrous.
(c) Caste Divide: Our Gurus preached the equality of all human kind. They set personal examples by choosing their disciples from all existing casts and ushered in a completely castless society. The wheel has now turned full circle and even our Gurudwaras in some villages and towns of Punjab are caste-based. We must ruthlessly eradicate this weakness and revert to the teaching of our Gurus and the Granth Sahib.
(d) Sikh Identity: In the very home land of the Sikhs, our identity is fast vanishing. Guru Gobind Singh gave us an identity to be truly proud of; wherein a turbaned Sikh with unshorn hair came to be recognized as the brave warrior who was ever ready to stand up for human rights and was universally recognized as the savior of the downtrodden. Today our youth – both boys and girls – have brazenly shed this identity, partly, due to weak parental tutelage and the flimsy attraction to the world of fashion and debauchery. We need to revive the role of parents, especially mothers, to motivate their children to be proud of their heritage and identity. We also need to turnout highly educated granthis who inspire Sikh youth by convincing sermons and high personal example. They must answer all queries and remove all doubts by an educated and convincing response.
(e) Suicide by farmers and also care of children who are orphans or have no guardians. Here we must strike at the root of this problem by ensuring that prices of farm products are commiserate with prices of inputs. Public and private sector must both be pressed into service to make available improved implements, water supply and top quality seeds at subsidized cost.
(f) Parentless Children need our special attention with regard to healthy upbringing, good education and choice of professions for respectable sustenance. We Sikhs should be proud to proclaim that in our society there is no child who wants for the basic needs and comforts of a respectable existence. All our religious and social institutions must be pressed into service by the highest organs of Sikh Society such as the SGPC, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Sant Samaj, NGO’s, Deras, Khalsa Schools/Colleges and of course our Government.
MOBILIZATION OF SANTS AND MAHAPURSHES
4. In a momentous decision three major Sikh organisations came together to unitedly call a Sansar Sikh Convention to tackle these five issues, Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha and the Institute of Sikh Studies joined the International Sikh Confederation in launching a movement whereby all Sant Babas, Dera Heads and Sikh organisations, already working in this sphere, be brought together to basically work out a Common Minimum Programme to tackle these five issues in earnest. Letters were sent out by the ISC by post after consultation with Sant Baba Lakhbir Singh Ji Balongiwale, who played a key role in identifying the target audience. Babaji volunteered all help to make it a success.
THE CONVENTION
5. Saturday 15th Dec. 2007 witnessed a massive gathering of the invitees at our location in Plot No. 1, Sector 28 A Chandigarh – the home of Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha and the ISC. The Sun shone bright on the pandal set up in the spacious grounds. The pandal was soon full and the event took off with a shabad by the trainees of the Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha.
6. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vadanti ji Sahib had arrived and was seated on the dias. Giani Harinder Singh welcomed him and the august audience. Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian, manning the duties of stage management, called on Dr. Kharak Singh to outline the aims and objectives of the convention. He did this in a very learned and lucid style. He convinced the audience about our sincerity in tackling all issues and exhorted by Sants, Dera heads and major Sikh organisations to spearhead this movement. Jathedar Akal Takht Sahib was then presented a saropa and requested to inaugurate the convention. He endorsed the need for the Convention and also the need to reform Sikh society. He strongly endorsed our views on waging a war on the use of drugs, eliminate female foeticide and care for orphan children and preserve Sikh identity. He was happy to see the response to this noble call by the three major Sikh Organisations and prayed for a very successful outcome after the day’s parleys. Jathedar Sahib patiently sat through the day’s proceedings where in all took part enthusiastically.
7. Bibi Harjinder Kaur, Mayor Chandigarh and Chairperson Chandigarh Nari Munch set the pace by speaking on female foeticide. Dr. Charan Kamal Singh, Secrestary General Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, Sardar Narinder Bir Singh, Dr. Jagjit Singh, Sardar Inderjit Singh Jaijee, Convener Movement against state Repression outlined their views on each specific issue which set the pace for the renowned speakers who took the stage subsequently. Babaji Lakhbir Singh Balongiwale spoke forcefully on all issues and motivated the audience by personal example in already having launched efforts to tackle these issues. The following speakers also addressed the gathering: -
(a) Baba Mohan Singh Baranwale.
(b) Baba Darshan Singh Randhawa
(c) General Ravinder Singh Chatwal, Gurudwara Sahib, Baru.
(d) Baba Gurdev Singh, Nanaksarwale.
(e) Sant Kapoor Singh Babe kez
(f) Baba Jarnail Singh, Rara Sahib
(g) Sardar Kashmir Singh of Dam Dami Taksal
(h) Dr. Raghbir Singh Bains
(i) Baba Budh Singh, Dhahan Kaleran Wale
(j) Sant Hardeep Singh Budewal
(k) Sardar Jasbir Singh Sewa Panthi, Patiala
(l) Justice Manjit Singh Mangat from UK
(m) Sardar Shamsher Singh USA
(n) Sardar Parminder Singh Parmar from Canada
(o) S. Gursharn Singh Narula from Holland
(p) Bibi Simran Kaur from UK
8.At the end of day long discussions Lt. Gen. Kartar Singh of ISC summed up the proceeding by presenting the following Resolution which was unanimously approved by the august body “After a whole day of presentations and discussions arranged by three major Sikh Organisations – Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, International Sikh Confederation and Institute of Sikh Studies – with the support from Sant Mahapurshes and Heads of Deras in Punjab, have decided to declare war on drugs, female foeticide, discrimination regarding caste and creed and farmers suicide. The Convention also considered ways to preserve and enhance Sikh Identity and care for orphans and neglected children.”
This August Body thereafter unanimously passes the following Resolution: -
“Drug addiction has assumed serious proportions in Punjab. We need to launch a coordinated effort in the areas of influence of Mahapurshes gathered here today. We need to talk to Sikh gatherings in various Gurudwaras in our rural and urban areas and stress the evil effects of drugs. Youth should be particularly targeted. The gathering also decided to open efficiently run De-addiction Centres in their respective localities in co-ordination with NGO’s present in the area.
We need to send trained preachers to Schools and Colleges to prevent our youth from addiction to drugs. We must pressure our Government not to establish anymore liquor shops. All private sales of liquor and drugs must by law be closed down.
The menace of female foeticide too needs to be incorporated in the above effort. Any case detected should be advertised and reported for strict action.
The August gathering also denounced distinction of caste and creed in Sikh society especially in our Gurudwaras as the Sikh Gurus were for a casteless and classless society.
A concerted effort will be made by means of monthly regular parchars in village and city Gurudwaras to protect Sikh identity. Sikh Youth will be persuaded to follow Sikh tenets in totality.
Orphans and destitute Sikh children must be taken care of by our NGO’s and Gurudwaras. Their education must be fully supported and ensured. We request all Sikh Organisations to join this effort whole heartedly.
The August body calls on the three Sikh Organisations who organised this Convention to fully co-ordinate efforts in this regard in each district of Punjab. They should regularly visit and monitor work being done in villages to tackle these five evils. Full help must be ensured to our effort by the SGPC and the Punjab Government. Maximum Sikh NRI’s the world over must be invited to join us in this noble cause of lifting Punjab and Sikhs to high levels of Sikhism.
Finally the gathering whole heartedly praises the effort of the Organisers in launching a united effort in these five vital spheres. These efforts must be pursued relentlessly.”
9. S. Gurdev Singh, President Sikh Education Society and Patron, Institute of Sikh Studies then thanked one and all for their having graced this historic convention. He felt that a major and concrete step had been taken to launch a co-ordinated effort to tackle current maladies in Sikh societies. He lauded the hard work put in by the organisers who had been amply rewarded by the successful outcome. He was optimistic that all three organisations would now put in continued efforts to follow up and implement all suggestions put forth in this Convention.
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