'Definition of Sikh' versus Sikh Leadership and SGPC

 The 'Definition of Sikh' in view of the HC full bench to deliberate on 'definition of Sikh', the expressed opinions and letters published, the Sikh Leadership and Shromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to answer and defend whether Sikh religious and personal matters that should be handled solely and independently by Akal Takhat Sahib and the panth alone or Is it  correct to say that the Sikh Leadership and SGPC failed for promoting values of the Sikh religion at a larger level as these issues continue to occur overtime?

From the teachings and the experience acquired by the grace of God, I define ‘Sikh’ and ‘the central idea of the teachings of sacred scripture, the Adi Granth’ respectively as under: 

'Definition of Sikh'-“Sikh is a symbol of insight of human perfection; the optimistic nature of human ought to be reflections of Sikh Gurus and purely based on the teachings of sacred scripture, the Adi Granth of the fifth largest world religion”. The central idea of the teachings of sacred scripture, ‘the Adi Granth’ is: “To have less hunger and curiosity of sex, anger, snare, greed and pride, the more is the peace of mind. As the peace of mind is directly proportional to hunger and curiosity of sex, anger, snare, greed and pride”. Submission by Balbir Singh Sooch, Advocate, Ludhiana; emailed for information of all concerned on Sep 13, 2008 12:54 AM for further consideration and necessary action.     http://picalily.com/sikhvicharmanch

Submission by
Balbir Singh Sooch, Advocate, Ludhiana
September 14, 2008  9:12 AM
www.sikhvicharmanch.com

...................................

Definition of Sikh

HC full bench to deliberate on 'definition of Sikh'

From the teachings and the experience acquired by the grace of God, I define ‘Sikh’ and ‘the central idea of the teachings of sacred scripture, the Adi Granth’ respectively as under: 

“Sikh is a symbol of insight of human perfection, the optimistic nature of human ought to be reflections of Sikh Gurus and purely based on the teachings of  sacred scripture, the Adi Granth of the fifth largest world religion”. 

The central idea is: “To have less hunger and curiosity of sex, anger, snare, greed and pride, the more is the peace of mind. As the peace of mind is directly proportional to hunger and curiosity of sex, anger, snare, greed and pride”. 

Submission by
Balbir Singh Sooch, Advocate, Ludhiana
September 13, 2008 12:54 AM
www.sikhvicharmanch.com

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Full-Bench-to-decide-on-petitions-challenging-Sikh-Gurdwara-Act/360028/ 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/HC_full_bench_to_deliberate_on_definition_of_Sikh_/rssarticleshow/3469153.cms

Reactions after Reactions

Please see subsequent message also. Thanks,

 From: Gurmit Singh GurmitSingh01@bigpond.com
To: learning-zone@yahoogroups.com
CC: Judge Mewa Singh USA <singhjudge@yahoo.com>,
Advocate Balbir Singh Sooch svmanch@gmail.com and others

Subject: HC Full Bench to deliberate on 'definition of Sikh'

Date: Sep 12, 2008 4:57 PM 

Respected Sikh Cyber Members are well aware that Article 25 of the Constitution of India deals with "Right to freedom of Religion". Under this Article, two explanations are provided i.e. 

Explanation I - The wearing and carrying of Kirpans shall be deemed to be included in the profession of the Sikh religion.

 Explanation II - In sub-clause (b) of clause (2); the reference to Hindus shall be construed as including  a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religion; and the reference to Hindu  religious  institutions shall be construed accordingly. But there seems to be no legal defintion of "Hindu" religion and as such High Court or Supreme Court should first define Hindu religion? Perhaps, best course would be amend the Constitution of India by incorporating the Definitions of major religions i.e. Hindu, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Jainism, Judism, Parsee and Sikh, etc. However, Definition of a Sikh is well defined in The Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925, as amended. 

Gurmit Singh (Sydney - Australia) 

8a. HC full bench to deliberate on 'definition of Sikh'

Posted by: "Nirmal Singh" enveen@yahoo.com  

Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:12 pm (PDT)

Legal challenges like this may not bode well for Sikhs, more so if they push us further into narrowing contours of Sikh identity to keep the phantom of Hindu take over of SGPC under false pretences. 

My sense also is that Sikh leadership seems on a path to make Sikhs into a minority in Punjab so that they can avail of the reservations in the SGPC colleges. 

At the same time we are trying to bring back vanjaras and sikligars into the fold. The percentage of observant keshdharis is rapidly declining though that of amritdharis may not be affected so far.

Narrowing the definition of a Sikh to the minimum of observant keshdhari and norm of amritdhari through a public litigious process that plays out in the media will potentially hurt Sikhs, irrespective of their observance level. 

I would request our other mambers to look into how the other faiths have defined their identity in the Indian laws and cite any instance where the religious leadership is seeking to exclude from their pantheon people on the basis of externalities traditionally associated with their faith observance.

My purpose is not to encourage giving up of the bana but to avoid making it a subject of public adjudication.

Respectfully,

Nirmal Singh

 From: Gurmit Singh GurmitSingh01@bigpond.com

To: Sikh Vichar Manch svmanch@gmail.com

CC: SGPC President info@sgpc.net and others

Subject: HC Full Bench to deliberate on 'definition of Sikh'

Date: Sep 14, 2008 12:26 PM 

Please see subsequent message also. Thanks,

Respected Sikh Cyber Members,

As we all know SGPC is governed by The Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925. Therefore, I am again repeating from said Act (GLZ may have already) - How such students mentioned in the message below could qualify the following that I...... son of.....Age........Residence............. hereby declare that I -
(a) am a Keshadhari Sikh;
(b) do not trim or shave my beard or Keshas;
(c) do not smoke or use kutha (Halal) meat, in any form;
(d) do not take alcoholic drinks; and
(e) am not a *Patit.

Signature/Thumb Mark**

* Patit means a person, who being Keshadhari Sikh trims or shaves his beard or Keshas or who after taking Amrit commits anyone or more of the four Kurahits. Although, it is not my intention to judge any person but when we read above definition or definition of Sehajdhari Sikh in the same Act, I can say that persons like Mangal Dhillon, Gurdas Mann, Gold Medalist Bindra, Dr. Harbans Lal and the like do not fall within the definition of a "Sikh". But they are free to read Gurbaani, attend Sikh Congregations, take part in Internet discussions.

Gurmit Singh (Sydney - Australia)

11c. Re: HC Full Bench to deliberate on 'definition of Sikh'

Posted by: "Mandeep Singh Bajwa" msbajwa@airtelmail.in mandeep_bajwa

Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:16 am (PDT)

In the matter at hand it is definitely not an internal matter of the Sikh community. Some Sikh students have been denied admission to minority run educational institutions against the quote reserved for the Sikh community.

The authorities have withheld admission to these students on the plea that they cannot be regarded as Sikhs since they trim their beards or pluck their eyebrows. A writ petition filed in the High Court by these aggrieved students has led to the present situation. Important issues regarding education, minority rights and the individual right to profess religion are at stake here.

Mandeep Singh Bajwa

Chandigarh, India

11d. Re: HC Full Bench to deliberate on 'definition of Sikh'

Posted by: "lsingh4" lsingh4@yahoo.com lsingh4

Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:43 pm (PDT)

Since the institutes are run by sikhs they have every right to enforce their code. Aspirants have no rights to challenge them if they transgressed basic rehat of sikhism.

Inder Singh, CA, USA  

Who is and could be a 'Sikh'!

The definition of a 'Sikh'
Balbir Singh Sooch*  

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) general house formed a sub-committee to finalise the definition of a 'Sikh' and it means there is a scope to know who is and could be a 'Sikh'!

What could be the definition of a Sehajdhari, patit (apostate) and a Gursikh (baptised Sikh) in the context of a warrior, political, historical and philosophic perspectives under the different situations and circumstances? 

Could the Sikh politicians of the present day be identified according to Bhai Daya Singh's Rehatnamas as Dhande Di Sikhi (those who become Sikhs for commercial motives) and Bhekh Di Sikhi (those who accept Sikhism formally to imitate Sikhs for material gains and to exploit Sikhism for their ignoble ends)?

How to fix eligibility for 'Sikh quota' in the SGPC-run educational institutes, including medical and engineering colleges?

Are those not eligible for 'Sikh quota', should permanently to be considered as non-Sikhs for casting their votes to the Sikh politicians and be debarred from performing the religious ceremonies?

Is it the time to conclude that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) miserably failed to preach within its community including for other reasons and there is no deserving candidate for the 'Sikh quota' leaving a few exceptions except Sikhs belonging to Dhande Di Sikhi (those who become Sikhs for commercial motives) and Bhekh Di Sikhi (those who accept Sikhism formally to imitate Sikhs for material gains and to exploit Sikhism for their ignoble ends)?

Sikhi is a continuous process towards attaining perfection as practiced by the Sikh Gurus practically within the Sikhism but not for stagnicolous to be defined in a tight partition to permanently isolate the others from Sikhism.

"From the teachings and the experience acquired by the grace of God, I suggest defining 'Sikh' and 'the central idea of the teachings of sacred scripture, the Adi Granth' respectively as under:
'Definition of Sikh'-"Sikh is a symbol of insight of human perfection; the optimistic nature of human ought to be reflections of Sikh Gurus and purely based on the teachings of sacred scripture, the Adi Granth of the fifth largest world religion". The central idea of the teachings of sacred scripture, 'the Adi Granth' is: "To have less hunger and curiosity of sex, anger, snare, greed and pride, the more is the peace of mind. As the peace of mind is directly proportional to hunger and curiosity of sex, anger, snare, greed and pride". Submission also made on September 13, 2008 12:54"

*Chief and Spokesperson,

Sikh Vichar Manch, Ludhiana

November 23, 2008

www.sikhvicharmanch.com

http://www.sikhvicharmanch.com/Religiou%20Politics-Definition%20of%20Sikh.htm

-----Original Message-----As Above.......

From: Sikh Vichar Manch [mailto:svmanch@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 3:45 AM
To: World Sikh Council; Advocate Jaswinder Singh SGPC; Advocate Jaspal Singh etc
Subject: THE DEFINITION OF A ‘SIKH’ 

Reaction and Reply in detail-THE DEFINITION OF A 'SIKH' 

Respected Sikh Cyber Members,
Kindly have a look at the attachment, which SGPC and its officials may wish to take into account while acting under the influence of SAD's Punjabi Party, BJP/RSS, Deravaad and the various other cults/sects. Thanks,

Gurmit Singh (Sydney - Australia)

To: Sikh Vichar Manch svmanch@gmail.com and others.  
Date: Nov 23, 2008 4:36 PM
Subject: RE: THE DEFINITION OF A 'SIKH'
Mailed-by: bigpond.com

      < siqgur pRswid]   

By the Grace of Almighty God, the Supreme True Entity

WHO ARE SIKHS? 

The persons, who faithfully believe in – 

1. Almighty God, ever-existent Supreme Spiritual True Entity;
    
2. Teachings of Ten Sikh Gurus (Spiritual Enlighteners) from 
   Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh – (1469 to 1708 CE);

3. Sikhs’ Sacred Scripture – Guru Granth Sahib incorporating

Gurbaani, the Revealed Divine Word (Hymns); 

4. To keep uncut hair, beard, moustaches and having Turban for 
   Singh males and headscarf for Kaur females;
     
5. Amrit Initiation Ceremony, (Sikh way of baptism) bequeathed by

Guru Gobind Singh on 30^th March 1699 CE; 

6. Observance of equality without any distinction of caste, class,

colour, creed, gender, profession, race, region or status; 

7. Do not owe allegiance to any other religion;
     
8. Have no illusion that God resides only in Muslim’s Mecca;
     
9. Have nothing to do either with the worship of Idols like Hindus
   or their caste system being divided into four rigid categories viz.

Brahmin, Khatri, Vaish and Shudar; 

10. Almighty God, the True Lord is every where, and takes care
      of all, without any exclusive favour or bias;    

11.  Sikhs do not believe in Incarnation, transmigration, heaven or hell,

ritual - fasting or pilgrimages, miracles or myth, etc 

12. Sikhs are the followers of Sikh Religion, which is an independent

Religion, like any other religion: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism,

Islam/Muslim; Judaism. World Population of Sikhs is “25” millions; 

13. Three are the top-most noble principles for Sikhs: (1) Naam Japo –

ever remain attuned with God by following Divine Command, (2)

Kiret Karo – earn livelihood with hard work and by honest means

and (3) Vand Schako – share earnings with other deserving needy

persons. Always pray to the Almighty God for the well being of all.
 

14. Sikhs, (1) should not dishonour the Hair; (2) should not commit 

Adultery; (3) should neither take alcoholic drinks or smoke nor

to consume any dangerous narcotic drug and (4) should not eat

Kosher/Halal meat. 

15. The Sikhs' Place of Congregation is called “Gurduara Sahib”. Besides

learning the Teachings of Sikh religion, it also provides free food and

shelter to the needy persons. It is open to all without any distinction. 

[Please note that “Sikhs” are neither Hindus nor Muslims] Contact us:

SIKH KHALSA MISSION INC. (AUSTRALIA): Tel. 61 – 2 – 9837 2787