As feared by WSN, DSGMC Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa crosses the Sikh line and makes stupid comments supporting UP Chief Minister Adityanath on Taj Mahal not being part of Indian culture. The author supports the Sikh voice that Manjinder Singh Sirsa is not our representative.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa -general secretary of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and recently elected MLA of the right wing Bharatiya Janata Party, to the Delhi Assembly in a recent interview, backed the statement of Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, claiming that the historic monument -Taj Mahal is not part of Indian culture. Yogi Adityanath -an ascetic turned politician, deeply entrenched in Hindu belief and practice, in one of his speeches in Darbhanga, said that Taj Mahal is not part of Indian culture. He went on to say that whenever a foreign diplomat would come to India, a memento of Taj Mahal would be presented, however since Modi’s rule, Hindu religious books -the sacred Bhagavad Gita or the Ramayana are presented to visiting dignitaries.

It must be understood that this comment on the authenticity of Taj Mahal and the twist about it being against Indian culture is not on the basis of it as a cultural monument but actually flows out of hatred towards the minority Muslim community. Unfortunately, this coming from the mouth of a Yogi, who is supposed to be nearer to God and who should see the equality of mankind, makes this even more detestable. The Taj Mahal is a monument of love, an emperor’s love for his wife. As far as the husband’s cruelty and politics are concerned, let the historians judge him.

On an earlier occasion, Yogi Adityanath claimed that Taj Mahal was a Shiva Temple and its name is Tajo Mehlo. Either the Yogi is confused or he has no idea what he is talking about. If he considers Taj Mahal as the temple of Shiva, then why doesn’t he consider it as part of Indian culture?

“While Yogi Adityanath is welcome to pursue his policies, however rabid and controversial they are, it is a totally uncalled for and an unnecessary intrusion by Manjinder Singh Sirsa. He has no business to drag his name -a Sikh name (even if it is only in name) to a crass divisive comment, unsubstantiated by history or culture.”

A new convert to the radical BJP mantra on political management, DSGMC general secretary and recently elected Member of the Delhi Assembly, Manjinder Singh Sirsa went overboard to support Yogi Adityanath. He supported the contention of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh -India’s largest state with a sizeable Muslim population and reiterated that Taj Mahal is not important for Indians.

While Yogi Adityanath is welcome to pursue his policies, however rabid and controversial they are, it is a totally uncalled for and an unnecessary intrusion by Manjinder Singh Sirsa. He has no business to drag his name -a Sikh name (even if it is only in name) to a crass divisive comment,  unsubstantiated by history or culture.

The World Sikh News had al­ready men­tioned the dis­turb­ing pos­si­bil­i­ties that will emerge when Man­jin­der Singh Sirsa  (Manjinder Singh Sirsa wins, hope Sikhs don’t lose) and oth­ers play a du­bi­ous dou­ble role -un­be­com­ing re­li­gious rep­re­sen­ta­tives of the Sikhs in Delhi and new con­verts to BJP. Our ap­peal (Amend Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, bar two posts for DSGMC members) to the Pres­i­dent of the DS­GMC (the gov­ern­ing body Delhi Sikh Gur­d­wara Man­age­ment Com­mit­tee) and to the Delhi gov­ern­ment to amend the Delhi Sikh Gur­d­wara Man­age­ment Act and Rules to ac­com­mo­date the one-man-one-post prin­ci­ple, has so far not elicited any re­sults.

By the way, what do Yogi Adityanath and Manjinder Singh Sirsa have to say about the Red Fort -constructed by the Mughals and from whose ramparts Indian Prime Ministers hoist the Indian national flag year after year? What about India Gate built by the British and adopted by the Indians? And the President’s House?

“The World Sikh News had already mentioned the disturbing possibilities that will emerge when Manjinder Singh Sirsa and others play a dubious double role -unbecoming religious representatives of the Sikhs in Delhi and new converts to BJP. Our appeals to the President of the DSGMC (the governing body Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee), of which Sirsa is a member and general secretary and to the Delhi government to amend the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Act and Rules to accommodate the one-man one-post principle has so far not elicited any results.”

Also, what do Yogi Adityanath and Maninder Singh Sirsa think about the Sati practice -the burning of a Hindu widow on the pyre of her deceased husband? Will they justify and glorify this practice in this day and age because it was part of Indian (read Hindu) culture?

Manjinder Singh Sirsa statement is a “holier than thou” utterance, unwittingly dragging the Sikhs into an absolutely unnecessary controversy. While he thinks that he may reap political benefits out of such sycophancy, he is undermining the basic Sikh ethos of equality and respect for all religions. Tarnishing Sikh principles unwittingly or knowingly is offensive to Sikhs and the Sikh Sangat should hold him responsible for his utterances.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa and his ilk have yet to tell us what efforts they are making for the welfare of Sikhs in Delhi. We need to know whether his feud with DSGMC President Manjit Singh GK has been resolved or is he still waiting in the wings to become the President and then resort to wholesale damage to the name and reputation of the Sikhs. I am waiting for Sikhs in Delhi to rise to the situation, till that happens, I proclaim, loud and clear, “Manjinder Singh Sirsa -you are not my representative -socially, religiously or politically.”