Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: IND34278 Country: Date: 12 February 2009

Keywords: India – Himachal Pradesh – State protection – Sacha Sauda (DSS) – Hindus – – Deras – Communal violence

This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein.

Questions

1. Which party is in power in Himachal Pradesh? 2. Do the authorities provide protection for all citizens in Himachal Pradesh? 3. What are the basic principles of (DSS), how do people practise the “religion” of DSS, and what is the structure of DSS? 4. Are there formal membership requirements of DSS? 5. Are there reports of conflict between Hindus and/or Sikhs and DSS members? 6. What is a dera?

RESPONSE

1. Which party is in power in Himachal Pradesh?

The (BJP) is the governing party of the state of Himachal Pradesh. According to information on the website of the Election Commission of India, in the state election to the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh in 2007, the BJP won 41 seats, the (INC) won 23 seats, the (BSP) won 1 seat, and 3 seats were won by independent candidates (Election Commission of India 2007, Statistical Report on General Election, 2007 to the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh, Election Commission of India website http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/SE_2007/StatReport_DEC_2007_HIMACHAL_afte r_IC.pdf – Accessed 30 January 2009 – Attachment 1).

2. Do the authorities provide protection for all citizens in Himachal Pradesh?

A search of the sources consulted found limited information regarding protection in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

The US Department of State’s most recent report on human rights practices in India makes no specific reference to protection provided in Himachal Pradesh (US Department of State 2008, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007 – India, March – Attachment 2).

The US Department of State’s 2008 report on religious freedom in India states that:

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, some state level laws and policies restricted this freedom.

The National Government generally respected religious freedom in practice; however, some state and local governments imposed limits on this freedom. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the National Government during the period covered by this report; however, problems remained in some areas. Some state governments enacted and amended “anticonversion” laws and police and enforcement agencies often did not act swiftly to effectively counter communal attacks, including attacks against religious minorities. ... The vast majority of persons of every religious group lived in peaceful coexistence; however, there were organized communal attacks against minority religious groups, particularly in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)...

Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported that communal violence against religious minorities is part of a larger Hindu nationalist agenda and corresponds with ongoing state electoral politics. ...

Legal/Policy Framework

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the National Government generally respected this right in practice; however, some state and local governments limited this freedom by enacting or amending “anticonversion” legislation and by not efficiently or effectively prosecuting those who attacked religious minorities. Despite the National Government’s rejection of “Hindutva,” the ideology that espouses the inculcation of Hindu religious and cultural norms above other religious norms, “Hindutva” continued to influence some government policies and actions at the state and local levels. The National Government, led by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), continued to implement an inclusive and secular platform that included respect for the right to religious freedom. ... The country is a secular state with no official religion. The Constitution protects the right of individuals to choose or change their religion as well as practice the religion of one’s choice. Many NGOs argue that state-level “anticonversion” laws are unconstitutional and may reinforce the dominance of majority. Although these laws do not explicitly ban conversions, many NGOs argue that in practice “anticonversion” laws, both, by their design and implementation, infringe upon the individual’s right to convert, favor over minority religions, and represent a significant challenge to secularism.

While the law generally provides remedy for violations of religious freedom, it was not enforced rigorously or effectively in many cases pertaining to religiously oriented violence. Legal protections exist to cover discrimination or persecution by private actors. The country’s political system is federal and accords state governments exclusive jurisdiction over law enforcement and the maintenance of order, which limits the National Government’s capacity to deal directly with state-level abuses, including abuses of religious freedom. The country’s national law enforcement agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), cannot investigate a crime committed in a state without the state Government’s permission. However, the National Government's law enforcement authorities, in some instances, have intervened to maintain order when state governments were reluctant or unwilling to do so.

Despite government efforts to foster communal harmony, some extremists continued to view ineffective investigation and prosecution of attacks on religious minorities, particularly at the state and local level, as a signal that they could commit such violence with impunity, although numerous cases were in the courts at the end of the reporting period.

The opposition BJP, which has at times been aligned with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization, held power in seven states: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, , Gujarat, , and Karnataka. The BJP also is part of ruling coalitions in five states: Punjab, Bihar, Orissa, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. Several NGOs alleged that during the reporting period, the BJP stoked communally sensitive matters as state elections grew near.

With particular reference to the state of Himachal Pradesh, the report notes that:

The State Assembly passed the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 2006 in December 2006 and the Governor signed it into law on February 19, 2007. The law is unique because the secular Congress Party generated and passed it, while states ruled by the BJP enacted all of the other “anticonversion” laws. The law states, “No person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religion to another by the use of force or by inducement or by any other fraudulent means nor shall any person abet any such conversion.” The law stipulates punishment of up to 2 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of $625 (Rs. 25,000). If SC/ST members or minors are involved, 5 years’ imprisonment and/or a $1,250 (Rs. 50,000) fine are the penalties. Any member of a religious group wishing to change his or her religious beliefs is required to give 30 days prior information to district authorities or otherwise face punishment of 1 month’s imprisonment and/or a $25 (Rs. 1,000) fine. However, returning to one's previous religious group is not considered violating this law. ... On March 10, 2008, Tibetan refugees in the country began a march to the border with China. However, police in Himachal Pradesh arrested more than 100 of the refugees, mostly monks and nuns, citing breach of an agreement between New Delhi and Tibet’s government-in-exile, headed by the Dalai Lama. In addition, police arrested approximately 40 Tibetan women who protested in front of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. In spite of several March arrests in association with Tibetan protests, the Tibetan Buddhist community commented that relations with the Government and local residents were good and that they did not believe the community to be persecuted. ... In May 2007 the media alleged that a group of approximately 20 persons led by a local member of the RSS forcibly shaved the heads of two Christian workers to mark their “reconversion” to Hinduism after attacking them in Dhalpur, Himachal Pradesh. Bernard Christopher and Ravinder Kumar Gautam, both Christian workers of the Transfiguration Missionary Society, moved out of Kullu district fearing for their lives after the incident. They had been working in the state since January 25 (US Department of State 2008, International Religious Freedom Report for 2008 – India, September – Attachment 3).

The US Department of State’s 2007 report on religious freedom in India mentions Himachal Pradesh as follows:

According to religious press outlets, there were four reports of acts of violence against Christians following the passage of an anti-conversion law in Himachal Pradesh in late December 2006. There were no reports during the previous reporting period. On January 21, 2007, a large number of VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) members allegedly harassed Pastor Timuhias Behal in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, accusing him of engaging in unethical conversions and demanding that he close down an orphanage, cease prayer meetings, and leave the area.(US Department of State 2007, International Religious Freedom Report for 2007 – India, September – Attachment 4).

The Asian Centre for Human Rights’ 2008 report on human rights in India states, in overview, that Himachal Pradesh “has not been free from serious human rights violations” and reports as follows:

II. Human rights violations by the security forces The security forces continued to be responsible for human rights violations including torture. The National Human Rights Commission recorded three cases of death in judicial custody, two cases of unlawful detention, seven cases of false implication of innocent civilians and six cases of other police excesses from Himachal Pradesh during the period of 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 2,702 complaints were registered against police personnel in Himachal Pradesh during 2006. As many as 1,805 police personnel were sent up for trials during the year. ... As on 1 January 2008, there were two vacancies of judges in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. There were 11 vacancies in the District and Subordinate Courts as of 30 September 2007. A total of 26,781 cases were pending in the Himachal Pradesh High Court and 1,45,059 cases were pending with the District and Subordinate Courts as of 30 September 2007.

III. The status of SHRC The Himachal Pradesh State Human Rights Commission is not function [sic], as the Commission itself stated: “The Commission is not functioning at present due to the reason that the post of Chairperson is vacant”. The post of the commission chairman has been vacant since 16 July 2005 after Justice N.K. Jain resigned from the post on 15 July 2005 after his appointment as Chairperson of Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission. On 16 January 2006, Smt. Chandra Prabha Negi, Member of SHRC resigned. As a result, the SHRC was left with only two members – Shri B.S. Chauhan, Retd. District and Session Judge and Shri I.D. Bali, Senior Advocate, Himachal Pradesh High Court.

IV. Violations of the rights of and tribals There were reports of atrocities against the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Himachal Pradesh. According to the Himachal Pradesh Police, a total of 101 cases were registered in 2007. These included 38 cases under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and seven rape cases. The National Crime Records Bureau recorded 92 cases and 17 cases of atrocity against the Dalits and the tribals respectively in 2006.

Conviction rate in cases of atrocities against scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs) was 20 per cent in the State. In tribal areas cases of atrocities were registered under the Indian Penal Code only and not under the Prevention of Atrocities Act (Asian Centre for Human Rights 2008, ‘India Human Rights Report 2008’, ACHR website, December http://www.achrweb.org/reports/india/AR08/AR2008.pdf – Accessed 11 December 2008 – Attachment 5).

Information on protection available to followers of Dera Sacha Sauda – although not specifically in Himachal Pradesh, and with a focus on the states of Punjab and – is provided in Research Response IND34112 of December 2008 (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND34112, 22 December – Attachment 6) and in Research Response IND33077 of March 2008 (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33077, 28 March – Attachment 7).

3. What are the basic principles of Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS), how do people practise the “religion” of DSS, and what is the structure of DSS? 4. Are there formal membership requirements of DSS?

The Dera Sacha Sauda website provides the following statement of principles:

Principles of Dera Sacha Sauda: 1. In Dera Sacha Sauda all religions are equally honoured and welcomed. 2. Dera Sacha Sauda believes in humanity as the greatest religion and is involved in the true service of humanity. The poor, helpless and sick are helped here in every possible manner. 3. In Dera Sacha Sauda no discrimination is made among people on the basis of rich and poor, inferior and superior, etc. 4. Dera Sacha Sauda does not accept any offerings, donations or fees for the meditation that is taught here. 5. Dera Sacha Sauda rejects the false customs, malpractices, superficiality and deceit that happen in the name of religion. 6. The Truth is taught at Dera Sacha Sauda and inspiration given to walk on the path of Truth. Prabhu, Paramatma, Ram, Allah, Waheguru, God is the only Truth and the method of meditating on Him is taught here. One need not change one’s religion or outward appearance in order to practice this meditation. 7. Dera Sacha Sauda is an assembly of pure spirituality and only the method of connecting man with God is taught here. 8. Dera Sacha Sauda does not have any links with politics. 9. The assembly of Dera Sacha Sauda is decorated with the virtues of humility, modesty, simplicity and truthfulness. Only he who adopts these virtues is worthy of praise. 10. Consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants is strictly prohibited in Dera Sacha Sauda. 11. The cardinal rules of Dera Sacha Sauda are to not eat non-vegetarian food, to not consume alcohol, and for men and women to consider persons other than their spouses as either mother, sister or daughter, or father, brother or son. 12. Dera Sacha Sauda strongly opposes customs like the dowry system and other social ills. It discourages the superficial rituals and unreasonable expenditure related to births, deaths and marriages. At the Satsangs conducted by Dera Sacha Sauda, marriages are conducted in the presence of the Sadh-Sangat in a simple manner by exchanging garlands. 13. Dera Sacha Sauda believes in earning one’s livelihood through hard work and rightful means. The celibate volunteers of the Dera work for 15 to 18 hours a day and they practice meditation. It is only by earning one’s bread through rightful means that one gets peace of mind and makes rapid progress in spirituality. 14. Dera Sacha Sauda strictly opposes theft, dishonesty, bribery and corruption. People here are inspired to walk on the path of truth and honesty and serve humanity as this is necessary in today’s age. 15. At the Satsangs conducted by Dera Sacha Sauda separate arrangements are made for men and women to sit, dine and sleep. The arrangements for men are taken care of by men and those for women by women. Whoever abides by the above sacred rules of Dera Sacha Sauda and meditates on Allah, Ram, Waheguru, God, he/she will be blessed with the happiness of both worlds, he/she will find God, and his/her soul will attain to salvation.

Also provided on the website is a statement of the “Principles of Jaam-e-Insan”, listing directives in relation to a wide range of matters. The statement currently appears on the Dera Sacha Sauda website as follows:

Principles of Jaam-e-Insan

Note: This is not a religious conversion but an affirmation to be true to one’s own religion while recognizing the unity of all religions and the universal religion of Humanity. 1. Use the surname ‘Insan’ instead of Sharma, Verma, Arora, Sandhu, etc. 2. Do not consume alcohol. 3. Do not consume non-vegetarian food. 4. Look at other men and women, depending on their ages, if they are older, as your father or mother, if they are of your own age, as your brother or sister, and if they are younger than you, as your son or daughter. 5. At least one day out of a week or six hours should be spent in selfless service, or 4-5 days in a month. 6. Upon waking up in the morning, touch the feet of your elders and say the Naara and bless the children with love and say the Naara. 7. Inspire people to give up their bad habits and help them receive the Naam/Gurumantra from Guruji, as Guruji has said that this act of putting others on the path to God results in as much spiritual merit as is gained by donating a hundred cows. 8. Do not earn your livelihood through dishonesty, theft, robbery, bribery or corruption. Earn your living through hard work and rightful means. 9. A day should begin with meditation and a prayer to God that you be able to do good deeds, that you be good to all, and that you be able to realize Him. 10. Meditate and pray to God before eating anything so that God gives you spiritual health and freshness. 11. Use a fifteenth of your earnings in selfless service and the welfare of mankind. Donate with your own hands or donate to Shah Satnaam Ji Green S Welfare Force Wing so that the poor and the needy can be helped. 12. If you wish to practice charity, donate blood, impart education, pledge to donate your eyes or your whole body after death, and spend money for the welfare of mankind. 13. It is necessary that you be honest and fair in your worldly dealings. 14. Do not discriminate among people on the basis of caste. 15. Avoid all kinds of intoxicants; include physical exercise in your daily routine; and as much as possible do all your work yourselves. 16. Do not lend money at high interest rates and do not exploit the poor and helpless. 17. Do not use abusive language and always speak politely and courteously. 18. It is necessary that you be truthful in thought, word and deed. 19. Give up gossip, backbiting and jealousy, and inspire people towards God.

20. Adopt humility, modesty and simplicity. 21. Abandon social evils like dowry system, child marriage, foeticide, child labour, etc., and build a healthy society. Note that the wealth given to the bride by her guardians out of their own will is not dowry but the girl’s right. 22. Consider girls and boys as equal and give them equal rights. 23. When you come across someone who is in trouble or has had an accident, do whatever is possible to help. 24. Do not give alms to beggars who are healthy and inspire them to earn their living through hard work. 25. Provide food for the hungry, water for the thirsty, help for the helpless, education for the illiterate, and if possible employment for the unemployed. 26. Do not hurt others’ religious sentiments. 27. You shall not listen to ill-spoken words against your Guru, nor shall you involve yourself in arguments or speak ill of others. 28. Avoiding bad company, always stay in the company of those who talk of God and goodness. 29. Walk on the path of truth with honor, faith and determination. 30. You shall not do injustice to others nor will you bear injustice. 31. The welfare of others is your religion and humanity is your caste. 32. Create a daily routine of meditation and meditate at least for half an hour each in the morning and evening. 33. If possible meditate in the morning for half an hour or an hour between 2 and 4 a.m., have your breakfast after that, earn your living through hard work, spend time with your family, meditate for half an hour or an hour before you sleep, and go to sleep on time. 34. Always wear the pendant so that you remember that we are all one and God is also one. 35. You shall be ready to sacrifice your life to protect the honour of your motherland and your Guru. 36. Practice nonviolence. Neither shall you kill nor shall you torment other living beings. 37. A pregnant woman should read, watch and listen to the scriptures, hymns and spiritual discourses of her religion and to the legends of brave warriors. This will have a very positive effect on the life of the yet-to-be-born child. 38. Listen to or watch the cassettes or CDs of Satsangs or Bhajans while having your food. 39. Avoid obscenity and vulgarity on TV, movies, magazines, etc. 40. Plant trees and saplings and take care of them so that your environment becomes clean. 41. Women who become widows at a young age should be helped to remarry. If you are unable to help them remarry, inform the department at Room No. 50, Dera Sacha Sauda. 42. Stay away from superstitions such as ghosts and spirits, black magic, expenditure on post- death rituals, and fake saints. 43. Be aware and make others aware of social evils and ills. 44. As you grow old you should hand over the responsibility of your family to the next generation and spend your time in devotion to God. 45. If you achieve something, do not become egoistic. If you desire for something, work honestly and diligently for it, meditate, and avoid anxiety. 46. Whenever you are angry, say the Naara, drink some cold water, and meditate for five minutes. As much as possible, stay away from anger. 47. Love all of God’s creations in a selfless manner (‘Principles of Dera Sacha Sauda’ (undated), Dera Sacha Sauda website http://www.derasachasauda.in/principles.html Accessed 30 January 2009 – Attachment 8).

A previous research response cites an earlier version of the abovementioned document regarding the principles of Jaam-e-Insan. The earlier document, accessed in March 2008, provides more information regarding the Jaam-e-Insan as an oath, but does not indicate whether taking this oath is a formal requirement of a follower of Dera Sacha Sauda. The earlier document opens as follows (with bold type as in the original):

Jaam-e-Insan (A step to uplift humanity)

Jaam-e-Insan is meant to steer people toward a path of humanity. The followers are asked to avoid all immoral acts like female foeticide, abuse of intoxicants, child labour, dowry system, caste discrimination, the evil of not remarrying young widows and so on. The takers of Jaam- e-Insan, the Holy Jaam, take oath to follow the forty-seven principles as given below.

On 29th April, 2007 Present Guru Ji offered Jaam-e-Insan and laid down the following principles for the takers of Jaam-e-Insan.

Note: – It is not a religion conversion; but it is meant to follow the principle of humanity and the oneness of all religions while living in your own religion. It is a step forward to bring back the lost human values.

1. Use the word ‘Insan’ (human) in place of your last names like ‘Sharma, Verma, Arora, and Sandhu’ etc., which means we all are equal (‘Principles of Dera Sacha Sauda’ (undated), Dera Sacha Sauda website http://derasachasauda.in/principles.html – Accessed 20 March 2008 – Attachment 9).

In a posting dated 27 January 2009 on the Dera Sacha Sauda, website, a follower of Dera Sacha Sauda refers to having visited the Dera at Sirsa and attended Jaam-e-Insan. The writer mentions that “1100 people filled Jaam-e-Insan form that day”:

I reached Sirsa in evening, just on time of Jaam-e-insan. With my 15 Kg backpack.. I was a bit tired.. but being in Dera is worth every effort. I attended Jaam-e-insan with the same enthusiasm as was when I had my share in that. (I wish Pitaji allow us to drink Jaam again and again ) and I danced too...

In , happy and living every moment, this describes each member of Jaam-e-Insan samiti. I got a chance to do seva with photograph section in samiti. Almost 1100 people filled Jaam- e-Insan form that day. One premi told me that this number is very large when they are at other places (Untitled 2009, Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa website, 27 January http://www.ddstha.com/ – Accessed 5 February 2009 – Attachment 10).

Further information regarding the history, structure and activities of the Dera Sacha Sauda is provided at question one of RRT Research Response IND33077, prepared in March 2008 (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33077, 28 March – Attachment 7).

5. Are there reports of conflict between Hindus and/or Sikhs and DSS members?

Detailed information regarding evidence of tensions between the Dera Sacha Sauda and other groups is provided in RRT Research Response IND34112 of 22 December 2008 (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND34112, 22 December – Attachment 6).

An article dated 13 January 2009 in reported “mounting tension” over a proposed meeting of the Dera Sacha Sauda in a village in the state of Haryana leading the district authorities to “decline permission of congregation” and to “elaborate security arrangements” being put into place in the district. According to the article:

SIRSA: In view of the mounting pressure from Sikh organisations, the district authorities on Sunday banned the proposed meeting of Dera Sacha Sauda at Jalalana village, here, which was to be organized on Monday.

The Dera has termed the orders unfortunate and its followers, who had started assembling in the village in large numbers, are now going back.

Earlier, a large number of Sikhs had gathered at gurdwaras in Odhan, Desu Malkana and Dadu villages, all near Jalalana village, were heavy police force had been deployed.

“The police have not been allowing Sikhs to visit the area and even jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh of Takht Damdama Sahib was stopped at Desu Malkana,” alleged Sukhwinder Singh of Satkaar Sabha.

“We have decided to decline permission of congregation to the Dera Sacha Sauda in view of the mounting tension and have intimated this to the Dera,” DC SK Goyal told TOI.

“The Dera had applied for permission, but some Sikh organizations, panchayat of Jalalana village and a kin of Shah Satnam Singh had approached the authorities and demanded a ban on the meeting. Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made in the district (Sethi, S. 2009, ‘Dera denied permission to hold meeting’, The Times of India, 13 January – Attachment 11).

Most recently, an article dated 29 January 2009 from United News of India reports that the 2007 edict against the Dera Sacha Sauda by the Sikh clergy remains in place:

Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of , has made it clear that there will be no withdrawal of the ‘Hukamnama’ (edict) of 2007 which called for a ‘social boycott’ of Dera Sacha Sauda supporters and their head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, whose activities were against the principles and tenets of the religion. This decision was taken at a meeting of the Sikh clergy presided over by Jathedar, Giani in the complex here [in ] today... The clergy at their meeting today made it clear that there was no intention what-so-ever to withdraw the edict against the Dera head. The decision is significant as certain radical Sikh groups had expressed apprehensions that the Punjab Government was going ‘soft’ on the Dera in view of the coming Lok Sabha polls as there are a sizeable number of Sacha Sauda members in the belt where the popularity of the Badal family will be tested in the polls (‘Social boycott edict against Sacha Sauda stands: Akal Takht’ 2009, United News of India, 29 January – Attachment 12).

6. What is a dera?

An article dated 5 July 2007 in The Economist observes that:

A dera is a temple that carries out social and educational activities. There are thousands in Punjab. They often wield local political influence, but Mr Singh’s [Dera Sacha Sauda] has outgrown this. It is said to have some 400,000 followers, both Sikhs and members of the Hindu majority, mainly among the poor, illiterate, and lower castes. Its compassionate message has growing appeal at a time when Punjab’s economy, once one of the most successful of any Indian state’s and still among the richest, is growing at about one-third of the 9% annual rate achieved by India’s booming economy as a whole (‘India’s Sikh’s: Heresy and history’ 2007, The Economist, 5 July http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=E1_JQQQVPP – Accessed 5 February 2009 – Attachment 13).

An article dated 14 July 2007 published in Tehelka observes that the number of followers of Deras in the Punjab – including those of the Dera Sacha Sauda – “seems to far exceed that of the Golden Temple-based clerical establishment” of Sikhism. According to the article:

The majority of the followers of various Sacha Sauda-type Deras come from dispossessed sections of society, who at one point of time had embraced Sikhism in the hope of elevating their social and material status. This near-exodus from Sikhism towards the alternative socio- spiritual space provided by the Deras invites the hostility of clerics of the established mainstream religious order, who see it as a serious challenge to the Sikh-Khalsa identity. Moreover, the frequent politicisation of the Deras and the accompanying pontifications further complicate the issue. Persistent attempts by various Sikh organisations to win over disgruntled Sikh followers of various Deras during the recent Akalis-Dera crisis is a clear example of this. ... However, the phenomenon of Deras/sects is not new to Punjab. Rather, it is as old as the Sikh faith. During the period of the historic Gurus, different Deras of , Meene, Dhirmaliye, Ramraiyas and Handali sects cropped up. All these earlier sects and Deras were primarily the outcome of disgruntled and unsuccessful attempts of fake claimants to the title of Guru. Apart from these, there were many more sects and Deras that came up at different intervals on the long and tortuous consolidation of the Sikh religion. Some of the most prominent among them were the , Sewapanthis, Bhaktpanthi, Suthrashahi, Gulabdasi, Nirmalas, and the who are also known as Akalis or Shahids. But what distinguished these earlier Deras from the contemporary ones is that they could not become centres of Dalit mobilisation. That could be because of the fact that during its early phase of consolidation the Sikh religion was completely egalitarian in precept as well as practice. Dalits were given equal respect and status. They were not discriminated against at all. It was only later on that the monster of casteism raised its head within Sikh institutions and enraged the dispossessed sections. But one factor that draws comparisons between the earlier and the contemporary Deras is the presence of Gurus in all of them, a practice that goes against the basic spirit and tenets of mainstream Sikhism.

According to a latest study conducted by the Desh Sevak, a daily published from Chandigarh, there are around nine thousand Deras in the 12 thousand villages of Punjab. Among them, the most popular are of the Radha Soamis, Sacha Sauda, Nirankaris, Namdharis, Divya Jyoti Sansthan, Bhaniarawala and Ravidasis. Almost all of them have branches in all the districts of the state as well as in other parts of the country. Some of them are very popular among the Punjabi Diaspora and have overseas branches in almost all the continents of the world. Despite their non-sectarian claims, some of these Deras are adhered along caste lines. Though Gurubani from the Guru Granth Sahib is recited in these Deras, other sacred texts are also referred to. For them, idol worship and devotion towards a human Guru is not the anathema it is in Sikh theology. It is due to the presence of such non-Sikh traditions as Human Guruship in these Deras that the phenomenon of non-Sikh Deras has been described by the scholars Meeta and Rajivlochan as the “alternate Guru movement in Punjab”.

This alternate movement in Punjab with its “loose syncretistic practices” throws a formidable challenge to the Sikh-Khalsa identity. Though Bhindranwale tried to assert the Sikh-Khalsa identity by taking up the cudgels for a dissident sect of the Nirankaris and preaching hatred against the Hindus, he could not prevent the movement of Dalits towards non-Sikh Deras. These Deras, in fact, pose an even more serious challenge to mainstream Sikhism. The number of followers of these Deras seems to far exceed that of the Golden Temple-based clerical establishment (Ram, R. 2007, ‘A conflict of new assertions’, Tehelka website, 14 July http://www.tehelka.com/story_main32.asp?filename=op140707a_conflict.asp – Accessed 30 January 2009 – Attachment 14).

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources: Government Information & Reports Government of India http://www.india.gov.in/howdo/index.php Himachal Pradesh Official Website http://himachal.gov.in/welcome.asp Himachal Pradesh Police website http://admis.hp.nic.in/himpol/welcome.aspx UK Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ US Department of State http://www.state.gov/ Non-Government Organisations Asian Human Rights Commission website http://www.ahrchk.net/index.php Asian Centre For Human Rights website http://www.achrweb.org/ Amnesty International website http://www.amnesty.org/ Human Rights Watch website http://www.hrw.org/ International News and Politics BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk Far Eastern Economic Review website http://www.feer.com/home Times of India website www.timesofindia.com The Economist website http://www.economist.com/ Topic Specific Links Dera Sacha Sauda website http://www.derasachasauda.in/ Shah Satnam Ji Greens Welfare Force Society website http://www.shahsatnamjigreens.org/ Shah Satnam Ji Cricket Stadium website http://www.cricketsirsa.com/ Dhan Dhan Satguru Tera Hi Aasra website http://www.ddstha.com/ Search Engines Copernic search engine

Databases: FACTIVA (news database) BACIS (DIAC Country Information database) REFINFO (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database) ISYS (RRT Research & Information database, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports) MRT-RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. Election Commission of India 2007, Statistical Report on General Election, 2007 to the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh, Election Commission of India website http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/SE_2007/StatReport_DEC_2007_HIMACHA L_after_IC.pdf – Accessed 30 January 2009.

2. US Department of State 2008, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007 – India, March.

3. US Department of State 2008, International Religious Freedom Report for 2008 – India, September.

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7. RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33077, 28 March.

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14. Ram, R. 2007, ‘A conflict of new assertions’, Tehelka website, 14 July http://www.tehelka.com/story_main32.asp?filename=op140707a_conflict.asp – Accessed 30 January 2009.