Letter to the Editor – Are we really following the Gadri Babas principles and teachings?

by Kanwal Jit Singh Gill

Recently we have been reading a lot about Gadri Baba movement and programs being organised to pay homage to the great Shaheeds of Gadri Baba movement. But sometimes I wonder if the people who claim to be the big followers of Gadri Babas and organize various programs to pay homage to those great Shaheeds, really understand and follow the principles and cause of the stand taken by those great Shaheeds for which they sacrificed their lives? Because most of the time when I listen to those people talk about present day situation and problems, their stand and views seems to be away from the teachings of great Gadri Babas.

The way I understand the Gadri Babas had immigrated to western countries just like the present day immigrant community to improve their and family’s financial conditions. But in those days how the people in western countries were enjoying and leading a life of freedom. And they compared the western freedom life style with that of their own countrymen in India and how they were being treated as slaves and second class citizens by the British rulers of those days. That is when they decided to organised and fight to get that same type of freedom to their fellow countrymen and family members living in India in those days. That is when they got organised to start their fight for the freedom of the country. Some of them went to India and sacrificed their lives and some of them stayed back to continue their fight from here by writing about their cause and encouraging other community members to join the fight. The British Govt. considered the Gadri Babas as terrorists of those days and dealt them in a very tough manner by giving them death sentences or Kalapaani imprisonment. The British Govt. even used some of the Indians living in western countries to act as their agents and oppose the Gadri Baba movement. Many of these British agents mingled in with the movement and gave information about the movement to the British Govt. to get rewards. Such traitors of those days helped British Govt. catch the Gadri Babas when they arrived in India to fight for their cause. But our great Gadri Babas didn’t get scared, continued their fight and sacrificed their lives for their cause.

Now my question to these big followers of Gadri Babas is, What do you think the Gadri Babas would have done, had they been alive today? Wouldn’t the Gadri Babas raised voice and acted against the present day Govts. in India for misusing their powers and killing innocent persons? Wouldn’t the Gadri Babas raised voice against innocent killings of minorities and no justice being provided to the victim families? Wouldn’t the Gadri Babas raise voice against unfair and unequal justice and treatment being provided to the minorities in India? I think large majority of Gadri Babas belonging to minority and even others would have raised voice and acted against the innocent killings of minorities in India to demand justice for the victim families and punishment to the guilty.

Now these so called great followers of Gadri Babas, organizing all these programs and pretending to be the great followers of their great teachings and principles, should really question themselves. Are they really following the teachings and principles of the Gadri Babas? Have they ever raised voice against innocent killings or unfair and unequal justice system to the minorities etc. etc.? Have they ever demanded justice for the victim families and punishment to the guilty persons? If they haven’t done any such things then how can they call themselves to be the great followers of the Gadri Babas movement? One thing they should understand that Gadri Babas were considered as terrorists by the British Govt. and people who are following their footsteps are being considered as terrorists by the present day Govt. Now may be if the so called followers look at their real actions, they’ll find themselves to be close to the persons who were opposing the Gadri Babas movement in those times. Those persons used to oppose Gadri Babas movement, acting as Chamchas and agents of ruling British Govt. and giving them information about the Gadr Babas and were being given rewards by the Govt. for providing such information and opposing the Gadri Babas movement.

I hope these people will really re-evaluate their stand on present problems and innocent killings. And then decide are they really going to follow the teachings and principle of the Great Gadri Babas or follow the footsteps of persons who were opposing the Gadri Babas movement and principles.

NOTE: Kanwal Jit Singh Gill is based in Surrey, B.C. He may be reached at: kanwal_gill(at)hotmail(dot)com