Why so insecure?? Part 1

'To wear a tilak (vermilion) on the forehead and to dress up like Ravana and dance with a woman publicly is highly disgusting. The act was shown on several TV channels and the Sikh community can never tolerate such behavior, Harbhajan's act has hurt the sentiments of Sikh community and he should come out with an apology,''

The images of famous Sikh personalities performing Hindu rituals, shown in national newspapers and television channels, raise the hackles of prominent Sikh Clergies. For the major dailies and other media, they are the symbol of the Secular India, a prominently Hindu nation being run by a Sikh Prime Minister, who respects the culture and religious beliefs of the majority by performing Aarti at Ram Lila on the eve of Dussehra. For an orthodox Hindu being led by the likes of VHP and Shiv Sena, it is the substantiation of their celebrated propaganda that "Sikhism is not a separate religion or belief but an extension of Hindu Ideology". For the Sikh religious leaders, ones serving Akal Takht, it is a nightmare, they see it as a threat to their independent religious status, and are afraid of being perceived as a part of the main religious philosophy of the country. For the majority of Sikhs and Hindus all across the world, it is something they don't really care about.

So, why is it that the same action leads to starkly different reactions in different camps? So, what has happened that the most progressive and courageous sect of the country has become so insecure about its identity, its culture and its perceived image. Is it an external factor such as 1984 and its aftermath, or is it an internal issue that majority of Sikh youth wants to shun his "Gursikhi saroop" and doesn't really care about wearing a turban or is it that the majority of Sikh girls demand in their matrimonial advertisements that they want to marry a clean shaven Sikh?

Well, there can be a number of factors attributed. One of them is pride. Sikh, a name once synonymous with a meticulously hardworking and marvelously courageous, high spirit has been, over a period of time, reduced to the status of a "joker" in Indian Media Industry. The Bollywood industry, the creator and adherent of biggest stereotypes, intentionally or unintentionally has wreaked biggest harm to Sikh image than any other single factor. No matter, what the age, background or education of the character is, if it a turbaned fellow, be rest assured that the following scene would be a depiction of silly act, marked by the giggles, claps and whistles in a movie theatre. The intelligentsia of the country very rationally points out, why are the Sikh Leaders so insecure? Well, I will not blame them, if they have to fight a losing battle everyday to instill the Sikh pride in new generation, which is being the target of sadist sense of humor of the secular Indian Media.

The sense of insecurity is worsened by the sorry state of affairs of Indian Judiciary. Politicians like Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, and R.K. Anand, are nominated as candidates for Indian Parliament for constituencies in and around Delhi, the same areas where they had allegedly instigated crowd to kill innocent Indian Sikh citizens in anti Sikh riots. Worse still, some of them even win the elections, and are nominated as Union Minister of State for overseas Indian affairs. Who is voting for them and on what credentials are they coming to power? So, should a common Sikh only worry about a handful of politicians or senas, or be intimidated by the law abiding citizenry of the constituency, who votes these people to power, in the largest democracy of the world.

However, it is up to the reader to decide, who should trust his or her rationality and conscience regarding understanding that why the leaders of religion, which preaches "Sarbat Da Bhalla" (O God! Endow us with ever rising spirit, and provide for the wellness of entire human race), are being insecure and demanding apology from a harmless "Ravana" dance act of a cricketer.