Discrimination of amritdhari Sikhs is very disturbing. Prevalence of caste structure in India has had an effect on all faiths that categorically condemn and reject this inhuman practice. Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism have no place for caste inflicted discrimination but it is found in all these communities to varying degrees.
The January 1992 editorial of The Catholic News Review reveals the sordid tale of caste discrimination among Indian Catholics:
“Though Catholics of the lower castes and tribes form sixty percent of church membership, they have no place in decision- making. Scheduled caste converts are treated as low caste not only by high caste Hindus but by high caste Christians too. In rural areas they cannot own or rent houses, however well placed they may be. Separate places are marked for them in the parish churches and burial grounds.
“Inter- caste marriages are frowned upon and caste tags are still appended to the Christian names of high caste people. Casteism is rampant among the clergy and the religious. Though Dalit Christians make up 65 percent of the ten million Christians in the south, less than 4 percent of the parishes are entrusted to Dalit priests. There are no Dalits among thirteen Catholic bishops of Tamil Nadu or among the Vicars-General and Rectors of seminaries and Directors of Social Assistance Centres.”
According to G.P. Malalasekera and K.N. Jayatilleke in Buddhism and the Race Question, UNESCO, 1968:
“Various forms of the caste system are practiced in several Buddhist countries, mainly in Sri Lanka, Tibet, and Japan where butchers, leather, metal workers and janitors are sometimes regarded as impure. However, the system in these countries has never been either as severe or as rigid as the Hindu system and fortunately it is now beginning to fade away. The exception to this is Nepal where Tantric priests form a separate caste and will neither initiate into their priesthood or allow into their temples those of other castes.”
Among Indian Muslims many are considered as the so-called lower castes. Namely, Ansaris (weavers), Qureshis (those who deal in animals or slaughter animals), Silawats (masons), and Malis (who deal in fruits and vegetables). -- Editor
Amritdhari Sikhs are all equal, so goes the argument. And see the ugly face of this trumpted equality. As reported on page 156 in the December 1999 issue of Gurmat Prakash (Dharam Prachar Committee, SGPC monthly Journal), Sardar Maghar Singh has stated that in the village Moranwali Gurdwara, three out of five Amritdhari Sikhs while they were taking langar were asked to leave as they belonged to chamar caste! And this happened in a Gurdwara, not in a private house.
Do not we remember that three out of five Punj Pyaras were also Dalits. Is it not tantamount to expelling three out of five punj pyaras of Guru Gobind Singh? Where then is the equality of Sikhs?
I wrote a letter on January 10, 2000, to Jathedar of Akal Takhat and President SGPC as I thought it would have a serious adverse effect on Scheduled Caste Sikhs in the village and the surrounding areas, which no number of prachar vihirs (campaigns) could offset the damage it has caused. I proposed that the prabandhaks (caretakers) of the village Gurdwara should be called to Akal Takhat and the Jathedar should visit the village and meet the three Amritdhari Sikhs to assauge their ruffled sensitivities.
But there has been no response from both the authorities. One does not know if the Dharam Prachar Committee of the SGPC has moved in the matter after publishing it in its own magazine. One should ponder as to what has the large number of SGPC members (moving with armed guards provided by the Government at public expense, making a mockery of their role) and the SGPC pracharaks done in this regard. All will preach against caste system on the basis of Gurbani but seem to tolerate this practice without compunction.
(Source: Sikhism and Caste System, Balwant Singh, Sikh Studies Quarterly, Institue of Sikh Studies)
