It is humanly impossible to accept the threat of extinction to Sikhism. Without delving into the glorious history and angelic principles of the Sikh religion, the present position is that after leaving Nankana Sahib, Punja Sahib, and most religious places, including the capital of Khalsa Raj Lahore, Sikh leaders decided to join India without a written agreement from the then Congress leadership. This decision was made despite being part of the Congress leadership, which suffered millions of deaths and loss of property. The Sikhs believed Congress leaders only to be betrayed even after amalgamation of Shiromani Akali Dal twice in 1948 and 1956 respectively.

The majority of Sikh leadership was power-hungry and remained with Congress. The remaining Sikh leaders started political agitations, from language to statehood, seeking more power for states under the Anandpur Sahib resolution, and even advocating for an independent state of Khalistan, using Gurdwara funds and premises under various leaders. To gain within the Sikh community, they did not hesitate to blame and marginalize others. These agitations resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent people, loss of property, and kept Punjab in a state of turmoil.

The Sikh leadership, known as Akali, eventually gained political power in Punjab from 1967 onwards many times and also became partners in the central government on multiple occasions. However, the loser in these agitations was peace and prosperity in Punjab, coupled with the loss of the image of Sikhs as angels of Guru Nanak, who were perceived as extremists, anti-national, or atankwadi or terrorist or extremist not only in India but abroad also. Every Sikh living in India suffers from this stigma without any fault of their own.

Sikh Guru Sahiban organized preaching and propagation through Manjis, Masands, Nirmale, and Udasis. This took Sikhism to every part of the country and abroad. However, after the demise of Maharaja Runjeet Singh, Britishers took over the control of Gurdwaras. What to talk of propagation, they started converting Sikhs to Christianity starting with Maharaja Duleep Singh. The 1920 to 1925 Gurdwara Sudhar lehar after sacrificing a number of Sikh and loss of property gave chance to Sikh to manage their own religious places and use donations for community cause.

The research, education, and propagation of Sikhism should have been the agenda, but leaders decided differently and joined Congress for politics and freedom struggle. The preaching of the Sikh tenets to even Sikhs was totally ignored. Gurdwaras, concept of community meeting, service, and preaching centers were converted into mere places of ritual (banned by Guru Sahib) or platforms for leadership within the community or politics. Instead of being places of learning, equality, meditation, and service.

In the absence of any guidance or unity, the Gurdwaras at the village level also failed to promote the values of making villagers as one family as preached by Guru. The Gurdwara Parbandhak committees lacked plans to take the Sikh religion to every part of their respective states, other parts of the country, and the universe. They even divided Sikhs on political lines instead of uniting them being Sikh brotherhood.

While comparing one religion to another is impossible, one can learn from others. It is possible to criticize other religions, but one should also acknowledge the dedication of their preachers, their lifestyle, knowledge, discipline, and humility. In Sikhism, every religious service, from Pathi to Akhand Path, kirtan, Ardas, Dhadi, katha, and even marriage and cremation ceremonies, has become a means of earning money. Having lost the golden principles of Nirmal Path, Sikhs are now respected only for their free kitchen and service to society, which is actually ingrained in their blood and DNA by Gurus.

Sikh educational institutions are not among the best and are not widespread in Punjab and other places. Without standard education, Sikhs are excluded from bureaucracy and the judiciary, the two essential pillars of democracy, even in Punjab, but to talk of other parts of the country. Due to mismanagement and loss of reputation, even the Sikh community has lost interest in these educational institutions.

A review of voting patterns from 1951-52 to 1972, and even 1977, reveals that the Sikh Akali party was unable to form a government in Punjab state or establish itself as a recognized power in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. However, after Operation Blue Star, Wood Rose, Black Thunder, and the killing of thousands of Sikhs, as well as the insult and discrimination they faced, Sikhs joined hands to defeat the Congress in Punjab decisively and bring the Akalis to power .Nevertheless, after giving them a chance under different leaders, the majority of Sikhs have distanced themselves from the Akalis, as they failed to heal the wounds inflicted by being part of politically motivated agitations or simply being Sikh. Due to their failure in resolving community issues and allegedly joining anti-Sikh forces since 2017, the Akalis are no longer the leading opposition party in Punjab.

The latest Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandak committee elections have made it clear that, in a state with over 15 lakh Sikhs, only about 3.50 lakh voters registered, and about 2.46 lakh voted. The leadership, who were in charge under various governments, were wiped out due to disenchantment. Cases of misuse of Gurdwara funds for personal gain have been reported in social media and papers.

In Punjab, the situation is no better, with a state having 1.60 crore Sikh population, but only less than 30 lakh voters registered. The leadership of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandak committee must explain what happened to the remaining 1.30 crore plus Sikhs. Have they converted to other religions, or are they not interested in Gurdwaras? They have been in control of Gurdwara funds for over 100 years and now owe an explanation to the new generation.

The state of affairs in Delhi, with regards to the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, is concerning. A significant majority of Sikhs show little interest in becoming voters, which is alarming. These committees, which oversee historical Gurdwaras numbering around 500 in India, don't represent the thousands of other Gurdwaras across the country ¹.

Interestingly, the proposal for an All India Gurdwara Act, which was first introduced in 1956, was put on hold in 1998-99 by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. The reason behind this decision was the potential influence of Sikhs from outside Punjab on Gurdwara management, which could have threatened the control of Punjab's Sikh leadership.

Moreover, those who left Punjab between 1982 onwards for greener pastures abroad, using political asylum as a pretext, have not contributed to spreading the Sikh religion. Instead, their primary objective has been to blame the Indian government and promote hatred. No person would be attracted to this kind of projection of a religion of Angels. Their contribution to Punjab's development is also not visible.

The failure of Sikh religious and political leadership after 1839 AD, when Shere Punjab breathed his last, is clearly responsible for the present situation. The intelligentsia and capable Sikhs have lost interest and are not even contacted or consulted. The situation demands that Sikh achievers come forward to save the religion from further damage.

In this situation, the first effort should be to save the Sikh religion. This can be achieved by promoting education, distancing oneself from avoidable agitations, and improving relations with the government of India and the majority community to seek their help in reviving the Sikh religion before it is too late.

Furthermore, to achieve this, it is essential to establish a unified platform for Sikh organizations and institutions to collaborate and work towards a common goal. This platform should have Sikh brotherhood much away from politics. They can facilitate dialogue, coordination, and collective action among Sikh groups, enabling them to pool their resources, expertise, and influence to promote the Sikh religion and address the challenges facing the community.

Additionally, there is a need to revitalize Sikh educational institutions, promote standard education, and encourage Sikhs to participate in bureaucracy and the judiciary. This can help restore the community's reputation and rebuild trust in its institutions. Ultimately, the revival of Sikhism requires a collective effort from the Sikh community, its leaders, and organizations. It demands a willingness to adapt, evolve, and work together towards this holy mission.

Iqbal Singh Lalpura

Chairman - National Commission for Minorities

Government of India