Why is Darshan Singh facing the wrath of the Panth?

The charges against Prof Darshan Singh for using derogatory remarks for Guru Gobind Singh Sahib's banee and becoming a turn coat from his earlier beliefs are very serious and cannot be ignored.

For some time now Darshan Singh has been cashing every opportunity to attack the banees of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Maybe under some misunderstand that his blasphemy will go unchecked he increased his assault on Gurbanee, Guitihas and Gurmaryada.

Now that finally the Panth has taken a serious cognizance of this, it is important that his blasphemy, hypocrisy and the charges against him be brought in front of the sangat.

It might be difficult to understand the U-turn of Darshan Singh from his own earlier beliefs and sermons, but it is not difficult to understand which group’s skewed ideological views he is serving. All Panthic organizations have been unanimous in condemning Darshan Singh. As expected only a handful of people and groups who are vocally supportive of excommunicated Kala Afghana and his skewed ideology have come to his support.  

If what Darshan Singh has said would have come from an unknown individual then his views would have been ignored as heretic. Because Darshan Singh’s novel views even contradict his own previous position it is important to bring this to the notice of the Panth.

Just to ensure that the genuine issues surrounding Prof. Darshan Singh's blasphemous comments are not faded, here is a brief gist of things because of which Darshan Singh has faced the wrath of the Panth and Panthic institutions:

1. Darshan Singh says, "Even the Gurbanee of Guru Gobind Singh ji cannot be accepted, if it is not according to Gurmat".

 

Is the Guru and Gurmat two separate entities?

 

2. Darshan Singh claims "Guru Gobind Singh ji's writings are mere literature".

 

This was exactly the stand of excommunicated Kala Afghana that the writings of Guru Gobind Singh ji cannot be considered as Gurbanee. If Darshan Singh’s views are taken to be true then where is the concept of banees of nitnem and amrit sanchar? All through these years was he doing the Keertan of literature and not of Gurbanee? Are Sikhs baptized with literature and not Gurbanee? Do millions of Sikhs around the world recite literature for their Nitnem?

 

3. Serving some petty political agenda Darshan Singh like Baba Ram Rai even dared to distort the banee by misquoting ਬੇਮੁਖ ਬਦਲ ਚਾਲ ਹੈ ਕੂੜੋ ਆਲਾਏ (bemukh badal chal)  as ਬੇਮੁਖ ਬਾਦਲ ਚਾਲ ਹੈ ਕੂੜੋ ਆਲਾਏ  (bemukh baadal chaal).

 

4. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib's autobiography, The Bachittar Natak is the only source where the primary evidence of the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib is canonized by Lord's own pen. All through his life Darshan Singh had been doing Katha and Keertan from it. And now he had the audacity to denigrate and speak volumes of filth against this indispensable source of Gur Itihas and Gurmat and that too while performing Keertan at Rakab Ganj Sahib, the gurdwara associated with Guruji's martyrdom. The walls of all the gurdwaras of Delhi associated with Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib resonate day and night with cantos from Bachittar Natak during Ardas.

 

Once Dr. Fauja Singh acknowledged the Persian chronicles's version of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib's martyrdom, and he had to face the wrath of the Panth for ignoring the primary evidence given by Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. As a result he sought forgiveness for having overlooked that primary evidential source of martyrdom given in Bachittar Natak.

 

Now by attacking Bachittar Natak and Dasam Banee Prof. Ragi has tried to behead Guru Tegh Bahadur ji once again by killing the primary evidence of Guru ji's martyrdom. Ironically Darshan Singh himself has been doing the Katha and Keertan of Bachittar Natak.

 

5. Bhai Gurdas II is the author of the Vaar wherein he has clearly mentioned that Khalsa was created as a third religion separate from Hindus and the Muslims. 'Peeyo Pahul Khand-dhaar Hove Janam Sohela, Wah Wah Gobind Singh Aape Gur Chela', and 'Gur-sangat Keeni Khalsa' is from his pen. Now Ragi Darshan Singh has also aimed his guns at this by using derogatory language for Bhai Gurdas II.

 

6. Kala Afghana was excommunicated from the Sikh Panth for his blasphemous writings aimed at disintegrating the very fabric of Khalsa traditions and Gurmat. Now Darshan Singh has tried to occupy his mantle by openly praising Kala Afghana in his writings.

 

7. Last year at Dayal Pura Bhai Ka, Bathinda on the celebrations of Zafarnama day, only the parkash of Guru Granth Sahib was done. Darshan Singh has repeatedly lied that there was also the parkash of Sri Dasam Granth. For this a hukamanama from Akal Takhat Sahib was issued warning sangat to beware of him and his lies.

 

8. As per the Panthic maryada of Sachkhand Sri Harimandir Sahib, one of the statutory conditions for the appointment of a granthi or Singh Sahib is that he should be able to do the Katha of both Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Sri Dasam Granth Sahib. Darshan Singh has the audacity to speak against the Dasam Banee and hence has debarred himself from holding the title of Singh Sahib. Even after this if keeps on calling himself Singh Sahib then it is nothing but hypocrisy.

 

9. It is strange that Prof. Darshan Singh is now speaking against his own Keertan and has defied his own Katha by which he had inculcated the Sikhi spirit in the minds and hearts of the masses.

 

10. Before and after his tenure as Jathedar Akal Takhat Sahib Darshan Singh did perform Keertan from Dasam Banee at Takhat Sri Patna Sahib and Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib but now with tongue in cheek he is saying that he did not know there was parkash of Sri Dasam Granth.

All through these years Darshan Singh had earned respect as a Panthic ragi by his devotion and belief in the Gurbanee. He himself has ceased that respect by denigrating the same banees.

These are serious issues requiring serious considerations. IHRO, AKJ and various Panthic organizations are fulfilling their Panthic and religious duty by bringing this out to the sangat.

Knowingly or unknowingly Darshan Singh is serving the cause of those who are aligned to the distorted and ostracized ideology of Kala Afghana, by becoming a handle of their anti-Panthic axe. This is evident from the support he is getting from these quarters. These people will come to the rescue of anyone who will accomplish their agenda of damaging the Sikh principles. The above views of Darshan Singh clearly prove that point.