Kaljug Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Fateh. Proud Sikhs who were previously of the Dalit caste. The Sikhs in the article talk about how they gained pride and respect after becoming Sikhs but how there is discrimination still from the Indian government bureaucracy. K. -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncate..._100202609.html By Imran Khan Patna, June 9 (IANS) It is a centuries-old ignominy they wanted to escape by converting to Sikhism in Punjab and found new respect there. But back home in Bihar, the tag of Dalit refuses to leave them. Many Dalit labourers who migrated to Punjab for work years ago and converted to Sikhism during their stay there are upset that they are still being categorised as Scheduled Caste in government records after they returned to their native villages in Bihar. Sanjay Singh, who converted to Sikhism during his years-long stay in Punjab and sports a colourful turban and a long beard, says local and district administration officials in Bihar are not ready to accept him as a Sikh. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, preached against discrimination and prejudices on the basis of caste, class and status. “The government officials are still treating us as Rishideo of the Musahar caste (the poorest Dalit community known as rat eaters), not as Sikhs, despite our efforts to convince them,” Singh told IANS, adding that he was yet to be termed a Sikh in the government records despite repeated requests. Singh said that about two decades ago his close relative Naren Rishideo left for Punjab to earn a livelihood and converted to the Sikh religion, becoming Naren Singh. His example was followed by most of those of his caste men working there. “We tasted dignity, respect and equality after we converted. Before that, we were treated as low caste, sometimes even inferior to animals, by the upper caste and backward caste people in the village,” Sanjay Singh said. He said most of the women members of their families have now started using the Kaur surname. Rup Singh and Manish Singh, who also converted to Sikhism, are no longer keen to be known as Rishideos and want that they should be treated as Sikhs in government records. “We changed our religion to get rid of the stigma of untouchablity and to live a life with pride. We were happy to return to our village. Local people, barring a few, accepted us as Sikh, but in the government records and caste certificates we have the same old Dalit tag,” Rup Singh told IANS. Soon after they returned to their village Halhalia in Araria district, nearly 400 km from Patna, they were shocked to learn that despite the change of religion they would have to fight another battle to upgrade their social status in official records. “All the Dalits who converted to the Sikh religion are still Dalits in the caste certificate and we are being denied the status of the Sikhs,” Rup Singh said. Manish Singh, another convert, says that they are no longer Dalits after embracing the Sikh religion and they should instead be treated as minorities as Sikhs are a minority community in the country. A large number of migrant labourers from Bihar who converted to Sikhism in Punjab and stayed back there hardly face any identity problem, but the converts who returned to their native villages in Bihar are facing a different discrimination, Manish Singh said. Araria district magistrate Anjani Kumar Verma, when asked about the problem, told IANS over telephone that he was not aware of the matter. “So far no such complaint has come to my notice. If there is anything like it, the district administration will do justice with them,” Verma said. Over 200 Dalit villagers of half a dozen villages including Kamta Balia, Gurumuhi, and Parmanpur under the Khwaspur panchayat (village council) have already converted to Sikhism. They have set up a gurdwara with support of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), while some Sikhs from New Delhi are helping them to maintain it. (Imran Khan can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaheediyan Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Great news that they have their own Gurdwara. This is hopefully the future - Sikhi will flourish and spread if adopted amongst the low castes/oppressed. We should do all we can to support our new brothers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mithar Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 When Buddhism was dominating India long ago, the areas of Bihar was the main center of Buddhism in India. If Biharis convert to Sikhi then maybe the time is not far that they may one day become the dominant section of Sikhs instead of Punjabis. Punjabis do not appreciate Sikhi anymore. Punjabis have become ungrateful to the sacrifices of the 10th Guru. We need to encourage and support all efforts being made to spread Gurmat amongst the poor in UP/Bihar. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatanga1 Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 that true mithar. a very good point made indeed. there is a org that has helped the sikligar sikhs, but i think that even now their acivities have cooled down a little. dont really hear much from them these days. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaljug Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Great news that they have their own Gurdwara. This is hopefully the future - Sikhi will flourish and spread if adopted amongst the low castes/oppressed. We should do all we can to support our new brothers. Fateh. Sorry, Veer ji, I didn't see that you had put up the article already. Yep, hopefully their Sikh brothers will help them integrate into mainstream Sikhi so that they do not have to go to deras or caste-specific religious traditions like Ravidassias. Our Dalit brothers are the future of Sikhi. It's just a shame that organisations like the SGPC have done so little real parchaar among the so-called low caste communities. Regards, K. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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