• Respect of Guru Granth Sahib during printing or transport not required
  
• Jaap Sahib called unnecessary
  
• Chaupai Sahib called Kanjar Kavita
  
• No Need for Akhand Paths, Sahij Paths, or Panthic Ardaas

Chandigarh, Punjab (KP) - It seems Joginder Sawney, the ex-communicated editor of the Spokesman, is at it again. For the past several weeks, the editorials and columns in this controversial daily have accelerated attacks on the fundamentals of Sikhi, including Nitnem Banis, Ardaas, and even basic respect for Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Last week, when sewadars (volunteers) of the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee rounded up associates of the Chattar Singh Jiwan Singh Publishing firm for disrespecting the Holy Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and violating Sri Akal Takht Sahib’s HukamaNamas, Joginder Sawney quickly published an editorial criticizing the actions of the sewadars.

No Need for extra Respect :  Joginder Sawney

While the Satkar Committee sewadars' brave actions were applauded by Panthic organizations, Joginder Sawney, showed his real face in this blasphemous editorial criticizing the Satkar Committee as individuals from the ‘stone age’, and openly stated that the Holy Saroops of Guru Granth Sahib Ji did not require any special respect (satkar) during publishing, bindings, and transportation (the editor rudely refers to this as 'dhoa dhoa-ee') .  The ex-communicated Sawney further stated that Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s saroops only required respect when a saroop is parkash in the presence of Sangat; otherwise no special respect is required.

(Sept 8th: A Mockery of Respect)

The editor went on and compared Guru Granth Sahib Ji to the Christian Bible and the Islamic Koran and concluded that if Christians and Muslims were allowed to carry around their holy books, why were there restrictions being put on Sikhs, clearly hinting that Sikhs should be able to carry the Holy Saroops of Guru Granth Sahib Ji like an ordinary book. The editor also degrades the chaur and palki as a sign of reverence, stating their 'staged' use in respecting the 'Shabd Guru' often becomes a point of mockery by other religions.

Jaap Sahib called unnecessary, Chaupai Sahib called Kanjar Kavita

(Sept 31st: Jaap Sahib unnecesarily being promoted,  and inference that Chaupai Sahib is Kanjar Kavita)

Spokesman has openly ridiculed the sacred Bani of Jaap Sahib, written by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. In the September 31st supplemental issue of the Spokeman known as "Bahurangee", a column by Harlaj Singh stated that "Jaap Sahib" is unnecessarily being promoted as "Amrit di Bani" (Bani that is read during the Amrit-Sanchar) and indirectly states that the ‘lowly Kanjar Kavita’ (poetry of prostitutes) , hinting at Chaupai Sahib, is being pushed into the mouth of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It also stated that those who think that without Jaap Sahib there can be no Amrit are just uttering ‘bakwaas’ (gibberish).

(Sept 31st: Sikhi and Amrit without Jaap Sahib)

No Need for Akhand Paths, Sahej Paths, or Panthic Ardaas

A set of articles published in the Spokesman on November 8th and November 9th promoted the fact that during an antim sanskar of an elderly Sikh lady from Jammu, no Akhand Path, Sehaj Path, or Kirtan was performed as the final rites before the cremation. The articled labeled the practice of reciting Akhand Path and Sehaj Path as bipparvaad and ‘totta-rattan’. This pair of disparaging articles also flaunted that a new type of ardaas was performed in accordance to ‘Tat-Gurmat.’ This ardaas had the entire first stanza of the Panthic Ardaas (Prittham Bhagauti Simar Kai) along with the entire section mentioning the 4 Sahibzadas, 5 Piraras, Sikh Takhts, Jhanday, Bungays removed. The ardaas was started from "Nimaniay day Man, Nitania day Taan…" and the author deemed the preceding parts unnecessary.

(Oct 8th and 9th : Paath, Kirtan, Nitname = Brahmani Vichaar and Tota Rattan)

Local Reaction from the Jammu Sangat

Panthic Weekly correspondents contacted local GurSikh sewadars in Jammu who were familiar with the Jammu incident. The sewadars stated that when the local Sangat and Sikh organizations realized that the family was breaching and distorting Panthic Maryada they were severely scorned for their un-Sikh behavior. According to a local GurSikh, the family members of the deceased were at one time practicing Sikhs, but have now become sidetracked under the influence of ex-communicated heretic Gurbaksh Kala-Afghana, and no longer practiced Gurmat.

Due to their anti-Panthic behavior, this family has been virtually cut-off and isolated from the rest of the Jammu Sikh community who wants nothing to do with them. Local Sikh organizations stressed that even though this was an isolated case, there is a lot of resentment against Kala-Afghana and the Spokesman due to this latest incident. They vowed not to allow the "twisted mis-parchar of these naastics" in their area.

Panthic Weekly readers may recall that Kala-Afghana was besieged by Panthic organizations during his last visit to Jammu several years ago, forcing him to go into hiding.