Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on the 101st anniversary of the restoration of Dalit Sikhs’ rights held on Tuesday attacked the Christian missionaries for running a ‘forced conversions campaign’ in the border areas of Punjab.
Singh who is the head priest of the Sikh community’s highest temporal seat said, “Christian missionaries have been running a campaign in the border belt for forced conversions over the past few years. Innocent people are being cheated or lured to convert. We have received many such reports.”
‘Dalit Sikhs are discriminated against’
Reacting to the Jathedar’s statement on forced religious conversions, Dr Kashmir Singh who heads the Dalits and Minorities Organisation Punjab, gave several reasons explaining what makes the Dalit Sikhs susceptible for conversions.
“There are many reasons behind such conversions. One reason is the discrimination that Dalits face in villages. There is also illiteracy and poverty among Dalits, which make them easy targets. They are told that conversion would help them settle in foreign countries,” he said.
‘We need SGPC preachers from the Dalit community’
Kashmir Singh opined that to counter the menace of missionaries in the Dalit Sikh community, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) should include the Dalit community.
“The missionaries approach Dalits at their homes to convince them. There is no such effort from the SGPC. We need SGPC preachers from the Dalit community, and more Dalit representation in the SGPC and its institutions to stop such conversions,” added the head of Dalits and Minorities Organisation.
He further urged the SGPC to appoint Dalit Sikhs in key positions in SGPC. He said, “Strict orders to be issued from Akal Takht against any discrimination. They (Dalit Sikhs) should also receive free education in all educational and professional institutions under the SGPC.”
Jathedar urges people to support SGPC in new campaign
Giani Harpreet Singh who hails from the Dalit Sikh community urged people to support SGPC in its ‘Ghar Ghar Andar Dharamsaal’ campaign launched to counter Christian missionaries.
“Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has started a campaign ‘Ghar Ghar Andar Dharamshal’ to counter forced conversions, which is a dangerous attack on the Sikh religion,” he added.
‘Forced conversion cannot be justified’
The Jathedar further asserted the need for strengthening SGPC’s campaign in which Sikh preachers have been visiting villages to distribute literature on Sikhism.
“Religion is a matter of spirituality. Forced conversion or luring someone can never be justified….SGPC campaign should be run all over India. Right now, we have been focusing on the areas that are more affected,” the Jathedar assured.
Anniversary of the restoration of Dalit Sikhs’ right
It is only on October 12, 1920, that the Dalit Sikhs’ were given uninterrupted entry and offering of ‘Karah Prasad’ at Golden Temple and Akal Takht. That event is believed to have played a key role in the formation of the SGPC.
The 101st anniversary of the event was observed on Tuesday.
