AMRITSAR SAHIB (KP)—Prior to submitting a ratified affidavit explaining the definition of the term ‘Sehajdhari’, the Shiromani Committee was forced to organize a meeting with several Sikhi based organizations. Affiliates of the Sant Samaj were present at the meeting as they had previously taken a strong stand against the initial affidavit submitted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
The meeting of the Sikh conclave was held at Guru Nanak Niwas and was presided over by SGPC President Avtar Makkar. After the conclusion of the meeting, Makkar told the press that all the present Sikh leaders had agreed with the ratified affidavit. He also alleged that the newly ratified affidavit is in total accordance with the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925.
Avtar Makkar told the press that according to Section 2 (10 A) of the 1925 Act, a Sehajdhari is a person that complies with Sikh ceremonies and beliefs in his daily life. Such a person is barred from consuming tobacco and halal meat, he or she must not be an apostate (patit) and must be able to recite the mool mantar.
Special emphasis was paid to defining the term apostate, as in accordance with the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925 the term apostate was defined as a keshadari person that cuts, shaves or trims any hair on his or her body or an Amritthari that commits any of the four cardinal sins (bajjer kurehit). The clarified definition of the term apostate has now mandated that all Sikhs, whether amritthari or sehajdhari keep fully uncut hair.
Avtar Makkar had come under fire from Sikh organizations after the initial affidavit was submitted with the High Court. Sikh organizations, with a special role played by the Sant Samaj, submitted an ultimatum demanding an amendment to the affidavit. An enquiry was also sought in regards to the mistake initially made on the affidavit that gave room to Sehajdharis to cut hair. Makkar told the press that the whole matter will be investigated in detail.
As requested by several Sikh organizations, the newly drafted affidavit does not however clearly define halaal or kutha meat and leaves it as an ambiguous remark just as the footnote that appears in the Akal Takhat Sahib Rehit Maryada. Surprisingly, the Sant Samaj leadership and other Sikh leaders allowed the affidavit to be submitted without asking for this term to be clearly defined even though it has long cast doubts within the minds of many Sikhs.
On the other side, several Sikh organizations have still continued to share anguish with the SGPC over the initial affidavit. Bhai Kanwalpal Singh of Dal Khalsa used strong words when he termed the recent SGPC organized meeting as a meeting of the ‘yes-man’—meaning that the SGPC only invited persons that could be easily manipulated. Khalsa Action Committee spokesperson Bhai Mohkam Singh also termed the recent meeting as a mere joke.
Manjit Singh Calcutta also did not seem to share any appreciation for the SGPC. He said it was unfortunate that the SGPC was fulfilling its moral duties by carrying out useless formalities. He alleged that since the original affidavit was found to be misleading, the SGPC should have immediately submitted an amendment without delaying too long.
Paramjit Sarna, formerly of the Delhi Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee, also lashed out at Avtar Makkar for plotting a sinister move. He said that the initial affidavit was submitted to please the Swamsevak Sang and other pro-RSS organizations. He said that no body had the right to question the definition of the term Sikh as it has been clearly defined by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Baba Harnaam Singh Dhumma who was present at the Guru Nanak Niwas meeting had also alleged that the use of the term ‘Sehajdhari’ was wrong as no such term was used by the Sikh Gurus.
