by Harnaak Singh

We continue with the analysis of the Presentation by Autar Singh at the MGC EGM.  

As in previous parts, Autar’s presentation has been split into spoken parts and each part analysed.  What he says is in summarised in black text and the comments in brown/red text.  Please refer to the video slides which relate to the text below.  

In this part we address the Autar’s use of the word “COMPROMISE” for SRM and what it really means .

IS THE SRM A COMPROMISE? 

And Sikh Rehat Maryada is the unifying factor.  It is a compromise.

What COMPROMISE is Autar talking about?  He does not understand the meaning of compromise OR is trying to mislead the Sangat.

The SRM is a COMMON BASE not a COMPROMISE.  

A COMPROMISE is NEVER really a UNIFYING FACTOR.

Why? Let us understand the difference between common base and compromise.

Let us consider three groups.  The first group follows A, B, C and D.  The second group follows A, B and C while the third group follows A, B and D.

The common base for the three groups is A and B.  That is all groups accept A and B and there will be no issues.  Any of the groups can follow more than the common base, for example, the second group additionally follows C.

A compromise is if the groups are forced to follow A and C.  Then there will be a problem with group TWO who will be forced to follow C.  

Thus C will be a contentious issue with group TWO.  The contentious issue is a crack in so called “unity” which will eventually fail.

Now let us take a real example.  Consider Rehras as an example.  The SRM stipulating the common base content of Rehras is clearly spelt out in SRM Chapter 3 Article IV (b) (English version SRM dated August 1994).  

The extract from the SRM is listed below. (put figure extract from SRM)

b) Sodar Rehras comprising the following compositions:-

(i) nine hymns of the Guru Granth Sahib, occurring in the holy book after the Japuji Sahib the first of which begins with “Sodar” and the last of which ends with “saran pare ki rakho sarma”,

(ii) The Benti Chaupai of the tenth Guru (beginning “hamri karo hath dai rachha” and ending with “dusht dokh te leho bachai”,

(iii) the Sawayya beginning with the words “pae gahe jab te tumre”,

(iv) the Dohira beginning with the words “sagal duar kau chhad kai”,

(v) the first five and the last pauris (stanzas) of Anand Sahib and

(vi) the Mundavvani and the Slok Mahla 5 beginning “tera kita jato nahi” 

Every Sikh/Panthic Groups (e.g Taksals etc) have been following this common base and before mid-2016 nobody had any problems reading/reciting this common base.  MOST HAVE BEEN RECITING MORE THAN THIS COMMON BASE without any problems.   

PROBLEMS started to crop up with the DISTORTED MISLEADING INTERPRETATION by Autar and MGC whereby they ban Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Banee.  

Thus the common base up to mid-2016 has been now become their point of contention. This is perceived as compromise by Autar, MGC and cohorts because they do not agree to Chaupai (which is the composition of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in Dasam Granth Charitro Pakhayan).  

So, FOR THEM this is a COMPROMISE, while for everyone else this is the COMMON BASE.

Note that here we only looked at Rehras.  By BANNING Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Banee, there are many more COMPROMISES Autar, MGC and cohorts have created in the SRM.  We will detail these at another time.

In this part we have seen how Autar is using the word COMPROMISE to MISLEAD everybody for their agenda of eventually ELIMINATING Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Banee from the Sikh Panth. 

We will continue in the next part “DOES SRM BAN GURU GOBIND SINGH JI’s BANEE?”