The Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha- a central body of Singh Sabha Gurdwaras, has welcomed Leader of Opposition Mr. Rahul Gandhi’ for his endorsement of Sikhs’ assertion that they and all other minorities, have inalienable right to adhere to and protect their religious, linguistic and cultural rights in free India. We acknowledge Rahul Gandhi’s declaration at an Indians’ gathering in the USA that India represented multiple ideas and rejected the RSS ideology of ‘oneness of Idea of India’ which has been serving as bedrock of the Hindutva ideology since the early 20th century.
Political thinkers associated with Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha are of opinion that Rahul Gandhi, has opted for a right direction – so far missing in Indian politics —which would certainly put halt to the ongoing politics of hate, communalization and targeting of minorities to the extent of lynching. The Congress leader has rightly identified the decades old distortions in Indian politics as caste-hierarchy and religion-cultural conflicts which invariably manifested in violence and mis-governance.
Rahul Gandhi’s special mention to Sikhs’ freedom to wear turban and worship at Gurdwaras is an open recognition and support of the Sikhs’ distinct religious and cultural identity. Upholding Sikhs’ religious, cultural and linguistic rights, Rahul Gandhi, in a way openly rejected and criticized his party’s policies towards Sikhs and Punjab in the 1980s. Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha hopes that Rahul Gandhi will acknowledge the past with humility while committing to the constitutional values of inclusiveness and justice.
Signatories to the joint statement are: Prof. Sham Singh (President), Dr. Pyara Lal Garg (Former Registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences), Senior journalists Jaspal Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh (Global Sikh Council) and Rajwinder Singh Rahi.
Issued by: Khushhal Singh, General Secretary (Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha)
