Letters to Editor

Clarify On Question of Nationalism and the Sikh Raj [Letter to the Editor]

December 23, 2016 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

Letter to the Editor:

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

I listened to the recent talk you posted on the Sikh Siyasat website with Bhai Ajmer Singh ji and a few questions came to my mind.

One of the prominent things that came through the talk was that at the present moment Sikhs should not be engaging in electoral politics and the armed struggle is also not conducive at this moment. He suggested two options for Sikhs at the present moment, one to prepare themselves from a literary and academic point of view and more importantly to re engage with the true religious aspects of Sikhi. I tend to strongly agree with this. But my question is more basic. What should be the goal ? At the end of the talk he suggested that at some point in the future when the right time comes Sikhs should be ready take advantage. I am presuming he meant that , they should be ready to forge a separate nation. I have also listened to his recent talks about nationalism and have also been observing the recent upswing in Nationalistic fervour here in the US and also around the western world. Nationalism by definition survives and thrives by assuming and propagating the superiority of one nation and its citizens over the others. Sikhi on the other assumes and actually demands of any one who claims to follow Guru Sahib’s teachings that all humans are created equal and there can be no separation in how we treat others based on caste , creed , colour, religion or Nation. Doesn’t the goal of creating a separate nation and then by definition following all the policies of statecraft to build and maintain that nation puts Sikhs in direct conflict that basic tenant of Sikhi. Doesn’t it appear that just like the concept of electoral democracy as conceived in the west during the 18th and 19th century, the concept of nationalism and by extension nation as conceived by the west is incompatible with Sikh thought as conceived by Guru Sahib. Should Sikhs be thinking of a different definition of a Nation which does not force its citizens to treat citizens of other nations as separate, different or even inferior than themselves?

Please disregard my thoughts if they cause any hurt or pain.

Best regards,

Hardeep Singh

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WATCH RELATED VIDEO: Talk With Bhai Ajmer Singh on Current Situation of Sikh Panth, Electoral Politics & Armed Struggle

 

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ALSO WATCH: Lecture of Bhai Ajmer Singh on NATIONALISM:

 

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Related Topics: Nationalism in Contemporary Context, Sikh Author and Political Analyst Bhai Ajmer Singh, Sikh Nationalism

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