Rashtriya Sikh Sangat

The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat ("National Sikh Association") is an India-based Sikh affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)

Rashtriya Sikh Sanght
Formation2001 (2001)
LeaderGurcharan Singh Gill
Parent organisation
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
AffiliationsSangh Parivar
Volunteers
50,000+

With about 450+ ekais(shakas,units) predominantly in the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.[1] Rashtriya Sikh Sangat was inspired by the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to unite Hindus and Sikh.[2]

In 2014, the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat re-elected Gurcharan Singh Gill as its president.[1]

Controversies

The Akal Takht issued a Hukam Nama (an edict) to the Sikh community in 2004 to not lend support to this organization as it does not represent Sikh interests. The edict stands, even now.[3]

In 2004, the leader of the Akal Takht declared that the organization to be "anti-Sikh" and "anti-panthic".[4] It forbade all Sikhs from having any association with it.[1] The Akal Takht, (the supreme temporal body of the Sikh community worldwide) reiterated the ban again in 2019 and is seen as an attempt by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to promote Hindutva, to Sikhs and an attempt to assimilate (absorb) Sikhs into Hinduism.[5]

Attacks on its Leaders

In 2009, Babbar Khalsa, a Khalistani militant organization assassinated Rulda Singh, the then president of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, in Patiala .[1][6]

References
  1. Dogra, Chander Suta (17 December 2014). "Ex-militants to riot package: RSS reaches out to Punjab via Sikh arm". The Indian Express. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  2. Sanjeev Kelkar (2011). Lost Years of the RSS. SAGE Publications. pp. 181–182. ISBN 978-81-321-0762-0.
  3. "Akal Takht asks Sikh community to keep distance from RSS event".
  4. "Anti-Panthic Outfit Rashtriya Sikh Sangat Resumes its Activities, SGPC, Jathedars Go Silent". 14 October 2017.
  5. "Akal Takht Chief Calls For RSS to Be Banned". The Wire. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  6. "Rulda Singh's killers to stand trial in UK, British police team arrives to collect evidence". tribuneindia.com.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.