Dalits drifting away from Sikh fold: Ramoowalia

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 18

Former MP Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said neglected by gurdwara committees headed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Dalit Sikhs had started taking shelter under Dera Sacha Sauda and if this trend continued then most of them would go away from Sikhism in the next five years.

He said no Sikh preacher, Damdami Taksal or SGPC had ever raised any issue pertaining to Dalit Sikhs.

He claimed that still Dalits are not allowed inside many gurdwaras in the state, due to which they have made their own gurdwaras.

Ramoowalia said it was a warning to Sikh leaders but neither the government nor preachers have ever taken the issue seriously.

While addressing a press conference, Ramoowalia said he had been appointed Chandigarh in-charge of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and he would work to strengthen the party in the state with a motive to unite Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and others.

He added that they would continue to fight against social evils in society.

Ramowalia said it was sad that SAD or Sikh leaders did not honour Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the grand celebrations to mark Guru Gobind Singh’s in Patna.

He claimed that similarly, he got Waryam Singh, one of the 49 Sikh detainees walk free after spending almost 26 years in jail, but no Sikh leader or the Punjab Government appreciated it.

Lashing out at SAD, the former MP said Punjab youth were going away from traditional kavishri and dhadi jatha and SAD was responsible for this as during the kabaddi world cup, they called Bollywood stars Shahrukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif by paying them Rs 2-2.5 crore, whereas these dhadi jatha’s were paid around Rs 25,000.