Amritsar, October 5In a bizarre incident, agitated activists of the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee picked up two brothers from the shop of famous publishers Jeewan Singh Chattar Singh and Sons, near Golden Temple, and blackened their faces in full public view. They later dragged them to a room of the Akal Takht secretariat here this evening.
However, Baljit Singh and Prabhjit Singh were freed from the illegal detention in the Akal Takht room on the intervention of Giani Gurbachan Singh, head granthi of the Golden Temple, and senior police officers. The Jathedar of Akal Takht was reportedly on duty when the incident occurred.
The brothers are accused of selling 50 “birs” of Guru Granth Sahib to a Delhi-based Sikh couple. The activists of the committee followed the vehicle of the couple Surinder Singh and his wife up to Beas. They intercepted them and compelled them to return to Amritsar. The agitating Sikh activists alleged that the birs were stacked in the Delhi couple’s vehicle and they were wearing shoes. It is alleged that the couple wanted to sell the birs at a high price. It is alleged that both brothers were first beaten up in full public view and then in the room of Akal Takht. The heavy police force that reached the incident site could not intervene because of the surcharged religious sentiments.
A senior SGPC member and convener of the Akal Purkh Ki Fauj, Jaswinder Singh Advocate, justified the action of the committee. He said they won’t allow the police to take action against the Sikh activists. He said the matter had been brought to the notice of SGPC chief Jathedar Avtar Singh. The “direct action” was taken by the committee under the leadership of Amrik Singh of the Damdami Taksal.
SSP KVP Singh, who himself went to the SGPC office to defuse the situation, told The Tribune that the “matter would be resolved”. He said nobody had been arrested so far. He said the publishers had hurt the sentiments of the Sikhs by selling the birs against ‘maryada’, but the committee should not have taken law into its hand. Both brothers were taken to police station. “They have not been arrested”, he clarified.
Harbhajan Singh, father of both victims, alleged that the police stood a mute spectator when his sons were in illegal custody. “This is no Sikhism”, he said.
It may be mentioned here that on May 3, 2001, the five Sikh high priests had summoned Bhai Jeewan Singh and Chattar Singh and sons at Akal Takht on May 14 for publishing the holy Guru Granth Sahib in violation of the hukamnama (edict).
The hukamnama issued by the then Jathedar Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, on May 9, 1998, had directed that the SGPC had the sole right to print the ‘birs’ of holy Guru Granth Sahib as per the Sikh maryada in order to prevent “blasphemous” acts of private publishers.
However, despite repeated warnings, Bhai Jeewan Singh and Chattar Singh continued to violate the directives of Akal Takht and for this they were also declared ‘tankhayia’. The publishers had evaded their appearance at Akal Takht on one pretext or the other.
Again, on April 22 last year, the SGPC had directed the oldest publishers of Amritsar, Jeewan Singh Chattar Singh and Sons, and other publishers to stop the publication of Guru Granth Sahib as per the directives of Akal Takht eight years ago.
The SGPC had warned that a CD, which was in its possession, showed a publisher selling Guru Granth Sahib to a Muslim seer even though Akal Takht had banned performing “path” of Guru Granth Sahib at “samadhis”.
The “malpractice” of the publisher was also highlighted through a sting operation. The publisher was shown accusing the SGPC of having failed to supply good quality “birs” as per the demand of the Sikh “sangat”.
Hukamnama From Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj:
pourree
Pauree:
har jal thal meheeal bhurupoor dhoojaa naahi koe
The Lord pervades and permeates the water, the land and the sky; there is no other at all
har aap behi kurae niaao koorriaar subh maar kutoe
The Lord Himself sits upon His Throne and administers justice. He beats and drives out the false-hearted.
sachiaaraa dhaee vaddiaaee har dhurum niaao keeoue
The Lord bestows glorious greatness upon those who are truthful. He administers righteous justice.
subh har kee kuruhu ousuthath jin gureeb anaath raakh leeoue
So praise the Lord, everybody; He protects the poor and the lost souls.
jaikaar keeou dhurumeeaa kaa paapee ko ddundd dheeoue
He honors the righteous and punishes the sinners. 16
Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh.
After ignoring various Hukamnamay from Akaal Takht Sahib and doing nothing when summoned to apologize for the act, Chattar Sion and Jeevan Sion have finally got some small part of what they deserve.
How can someone with a dastaar on their head 'SELL' their Guru for a profit to person who they know is blatently going to disrespect Guru ji (through innocence or anti-Sikh thinking....)
Hopefully this will send a message to all other printers of Gurbani that if they aren't in line with the Rehit Maryada, and the police/law fails then Singh's will hesitantly re-enact the events of this day.
Big heart felt thank you to the Gursikh Sangat in Panjab, India who stood up and did what was needed.
This is a humble request to all Sangat - please do not print Gurbani in Gurmukhi font on your wedding cards, posters, Akhaand Paath invitations etc. When printing Gurbani in Gurmukhi font it's the exact same form that is found within Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji Maharaaj and Gutka Sahibs, that we treat with utmost respect - the Gurbani that Singhs have and will die for to maintain the respect of.
As an alternative simply write the english transliteration and translation
example:
jaikaar keeou dhurumeeaa kaa paapee ko ddundd dheeoue
He honors the righteous and punishes the sinners. 16
The reader will get the message and the Gurbani won't end up being touched by dirty hands, put on the floor and eventually thrown away with the household rubbish.
It's the responsibility of every Sikh to ensure that respect for Gurbani is maintained - it is no group of peoples duty to ensure this. If every Sikh reminded our own friends and families that when they contact printers, poster makers, leaflet designers etc they shouldn't print in Gurmukhi then maybe our Guru would ensure we are blessed with a Gursikh lifestyle.
