Reminiscing Kapur Singh
Set up Sirdar Kapur Singh chair urges Khalsa Action Committee’
Zafar Zang Singh
AMRITSAR: To commemorate the centennial birth anniversary of the Sikh stalwart, Bhai Sahib Sirdar Kapur Singh, the conglomeration of Panthic bodies, the Khalsa Action Comittee, sought the establishment of Sirdar Kapur Singh Chair in any of the Universities of Punjab at a seminar organised here by the Dal Khalsa at the auditorium of the Guru Harkrishan Public School. The Committee also sought the raising of a memorial in honour of Sant Jarnail Singh and other brave warriors who laid down their lives during the June 984 attack on Darbar Sahib.
There would not have been a better occasion than this one, for the fledgling Khalsa Action Committee to initiate a series of programmes to commemorate the twenty five years of the storming of Darbar Sahib.
Reminiscing the role and contribution of Sirdar Kapur Singh, various personalities including former minister and SGPC member Manjit Singh Calcutta, Dal Khalsa president Harcharnjit Singh Dhami, Shiromani Sikh Council head Narain Singh, Chief Khalsa Diwan secretary Bhag Singh Ankhi and Prof. Jagmohan Singh who touched upon various facets of the life and times of Sirdar Kapur Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhai Jasbir Singh Khalsa, Giani Baldev Singh, and the convenor of the Khalsa Action Committee, Bhai Mohkam Singh and Damdami Taksal head, Baba Harnam Singh deliberated upon the events leading to the Indian army attack on Darbar Sahib and its impact on the Sikh nation.
The underlying theme of all discussions and deliberations at the seminar hovered around the contribution of Sirdar Kapur Singh towards evolving, enunciating and elucidating the concept of Sikh doctrinal sovereignty.
Dwelling extensively on his life, former SGPC secretary, Manjit Singh Calcutta told the audience that he is the only ‘National Professor of Sikhism’ and that this title was bestowed on him by Akal Takht Sahib honouring his profound scholarship of Sikh religious thought and traditions and his clear espousal of the Sikh cause.
Calcutta described him as an encyclopaedia of world knowledge, who had mastered ancient scripts and modern scientific scholarship and methodology. “He was not only a writer but a fighter too, who fought for the Sikh cause at all forums available to him”, said Calcutta and added that Sirdar Sahib was of the firm belief that it was Sikhs should be masters of their own destiny without fear or favour. Recalling the times spent with him, Manjit Singh Calcutta said that, “Sirdar Sahib will always remain an inspiration to those who want to see the Khalsa flag unfurl with full glory on this planet.”
Prof Jagmohan Singh urged the Young Khalsa to read and re-read the writings of Sirdar Kapur Singh and to learn the idiom necessary for a better understanding and response to the challenges of modern political thought processes.
Bhai Mohkam Singh said the Indian army attack on Darbar Sahib and Akal Takht was meant to terrorize the community and liquidate that Sikh leadership which was perceived to be representative of the spirit of a free, proud and independent Sikh community.
Dal Khalsa secretary, Kanwarpal Singh stressed the need for pre-eminence of the Khalsa as enshrined in the Anandpur Resolution and Sikh Homeland resolution as drafted by Sirdar Kapur Singh. “The political sovereignty of the Sikhs cannot be compromised.” he further said.
Paying tributes to the martyrs of 1984, Mr Dhami said the long tryst with brown imperialists can and should culminate in the regain of Sikh sovereignty by peaceful and legal means.
A special issue of the Punjabi journal Awaaz-e-Khalsa, edited by Narain Singh of the Shiromani Sikh Council was released by Bibi Paramjit Kaur, wife of late Jaswant Singh Khalra and Waryam Singh, the former Secretary of the SGPC.
Speaking on the occasion, Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma of the Damdami Taksal pointed out that the times have not changed since Kapur Singh. He told the audience that in the last twenty-four hours, Panthic-baiters, the followers of Ashutosh, had held a function in the holy land of Amritsarat the behest of BJP MLA and firebrand anti-Punjabi leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla, which was attended by member parliament and prospective candidate, Navjot Singh Sidhu as well. He appealed to all the Panthic bodies to join hands to counter all challenges faced by the Sikh nation.
The nostalgic memories of Gajinder Singh -founder member of Dal Khalsa, now in exile, and who had spent a good portion of his life with Kapur Singh, in Chandigarh was read out on the occasion. He described Sirdar Kapur Singh as his mentor and a driving force behind the formation of the Dal Khalsa way back in 1978. He said he was proud to be associated with Kapur Singh and that it was befitting that we eulogize his character and temperament.
In a message from the US, Dr. Amarjit Singh urged Sikhs to heed the warnings of Kapur Singh.
A large number of Sikh youth, including those from Sikh Youth of Punjab, who attended the Seminar, were visibly happy at the conclusions drawn at the meet as it provided them an opportunity to imbibe the vast knowledge of Sirdar Kapur Singh.
4 March 2009
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