Editorial, The Statesman, 27 May, 2000
... Through several centuries of social, cultural, and religious evolution the Sikhs have forged a distinct religio- cultural identity, which they have the right to protect. The proponents of Hindutva seek to flatten this identity and subsume it within their grand Hinduising project. The RSS sarsanghchalak K.S. Sudershan's politics of aggressive assimilation is of a piece with the argument that all Indians are culturally Hindus - and that they must recognise that Hindutva, which is Indianness, is the essence of their identity. The stupidity of this argument is apparent. Hinduism hardly disposes itself to homogenisation, despite the late nineteenth century project. of constructing a monolithic community out of a sub-continental entity fragmented by caste, region and language.
RSS aggression has resulted in Sikh exclusionary rhetoric, led by Mann. He is not alone. The pressure has forced Parkash Singh Badal to declare that the Sikhs are a separate community. Two demands have followed: that the RSS be banned in Punjab, and that the constitutional review committee be petitioned to provide statutory recognition for the separate identity of the Sikh community. It is too much to expect that the RSS will realise that assimilatory brinkmanship can only lead to a Sikh backlash ... Though militancy is under control, it can resurface. Long-term reconciliation can work only if the fundamental concern of the Sikhs - centring around an insecurity about cultural, linguistic and regional identity - is addressed with sensitivity ...
Shekhar lyer On Sikh Reaction to RSS
... The message from the Akai Takht is ominous. All "sinister moves" to create confusion about the "unique identity of the Sikh Panth" in the garb of promoting Hindu-Sikh brotherhood is likely to be met with stout resistance, and possibly, by radical Sikhism ...
The RSS rhetoric that the Sikhs are basically Hindus is seen as a ready gunpowder to trigger a natural Sikh backlash against what is seen as a "assimilative approach."
Without naming the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, an offshoot of the RSS, the conclave at Akal Takht made no: bones about its apprehension that the Sangh's new interest in the State had political overtones ...
... (Various) groups have questioned the motive of the Sangat and even held demonstrations against the Parivar's Chief, K.S. Sudarshan during his visit to Chandigarh.
Some have gone to the extent of demanding immediate steps like separate cremation grounds (for) the Sikhs ...(Source: The Hindustan Times, 16 May, 2000)
