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Discrimination issue is wider than women-in-sewa controversy

S P Singh

*As per the Sikh Rehat Maryada, if a Sikh regularly performing the baptising ceremony meets with an accident and loses the use of one foot, physical tragedy apart, he is rendered ineligible to baptise. Ditto for anyone losing an eye, or eyesight.  

* "A Sikh's daughter must marry only a Sikh," says the Sikh Rehat Maryada.

There is no such directive for a Sikh's son.    

Inequality comes in many forms, but currently only one is being focussed upon.    

Demanding equality for women by giving them an opportunity to perform sewa inside the holy Golden Temple has caught the imagination of many a self-styled reformers within the Sikh community, but a large number of scholars feel the equality issue was far more wide-ranging and instead of dramatic agitations, a cool-headed scholarly re-look was the need of the hour.   

"Just take one look at the almost-revered panthic document called Sikh Rehat Maryada and one finds many instances of variance with the contemporary notions of equality. A thousand things need change, but through a consensus-building mechanism rather than ugly brawls or debate conducted through sloganeering," said a top Sikh scholar wanting to remain anonymous.    

"The reformist agenda is being hijacked by some rabble rousers. While women are fighting for the ritual of sewa -- and I have nothing against it -- bigger issues remain on the backburner. This is exactly what the current Akali leadership wants," said Sikhism scholar Gurdarshan Singh, a professor of history at Panjab University.  

If women can't do sewa inside Golden Temple, it is not because of any written code, but because of tradition. However, the hard-and-fast code of Sikh Rehat Maryada is replete with many practices that can be termed discriminatory, but are being followed diligently with hardly a voice being raised.  

The directive against any handicapped person being part of the "five pure ones" flies in the face of global equal-opportunities movement for the physically-challenged. "The world is even finding new ways of referring to the handicapped, while we are silent on their fate in Maryada," said some scholars.  

Most scholars to whom The Indian Express spoke too agreed that right of women to perform sewa seemed a fair demand but the issue is only one of the whole range of discriminatory practices.    

"Everyone knows how strongly Sikhism is against casteism, but then everyone knows how deeply casteism is entrenched among Sikhs. But where are the agitations against caste-based gurdwaras across Punjab?" asked a scholar who is also a member of SGPC's Dharam Parchar Committee.    

Agreed Prof Jagmohan Singh, who has been in the forefront of those otherwise following the puritan cause of keeping Sehajdharis out from gurdwara managemeent. "By picking one odd issue from a bundle of reform agenda, panthic energy is being dissipated. Gender equality, casteism, Sikh gurdwara legislation and management of Sikh takhts are issues which require some serious thought instead of slogans," he said, adding however that the published Maryada was a vast progressive step in those regressive times.   

But by current notions of gender discrimination, the Maryada is replete with it. Here is what the boy and the girl are told at the time of marriage (Anandkaraj) as per the SGPC-published Maryada: "The bridegroom should be told that the girl's people have chosen him as the best match...you are responsible to protect her and her izzat." The bride is told that "she should ever harbour for him deferential solicitude, regard him the lord and master of her love."

"Just look at the language. This is a far more fit case of gender discrimination but where are the feminists? They are all trying to get sewa rights perhaps and have no time for those who have to check their caste before entering their village gurdwara," said a scholar.■    

March 10, 2002

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