Is religion for man or man for religion?

On the road outside the street, slogans were being raised “We will make a Hindu nation, we will hoist the flag of religion.” I think everyone likes to hear such slogans these days. There should be a Hindu nation, but after this what will be the conditions and rules? This question keeps coming to my mind again and again. Because for the last few years the atmosphere of our country has become such that it seems as if a citizen has no existence without the slogan of religion.

We Indians believe in Sanatan Dharma. The Mughals came, Islam also came with them, it can be called a bad phase of history. Hindus were forcibly converted, religious tax Jaziya was taken from them. Then Sikhism was established to save our culture, Sikh Gurus sacrificed their lives. When the Mughal rule weakened, the Portuguese and the British came here. Citizens of all religions contributed to the freedom struggle, but the Sikhs sacrificed the most. In the end, the country became free and partition happened too, but who lost what in the partition is a different matter. But Punjab and Bengal paid the highest price. There were riots in other states, but Punjab and Bengal lost the most land, lives and property.

Even the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev ji went to Pakistan, but still their courage did not break. Then they stood up with hard work to extend the life of new Hindustan. Being a minority, they never demanded any reservation till date. Yes, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, a time came when we considered ourselves different. With time, the soil of this country heals every wound, this too got healed.

But the statements of being terrorists, Khalistanis, Pakistanis are still coming in after the farmers’ movement. The same thing was happening that a consensus was made among the middle class India on the basis of debates going on for hours in the media studios and under its cover the protesting farmers were given the tag of Khalistani and traitor. Anti-terrorism sections were imposed on the people involved in the movement on the charge of rioting.

Many pictures came out during the movement. I don’t know who these people were. Perhaps you too don’t know. When I found out, I came to know that these are not just pictures. These are the people who gave their lives while opposing Khalistan. Who were killed by Khalistanis. Godi media called them Khalistanis so easily from the comfort of their studios. If I talk about the leaders of Kirti Kisan Union, an organization of Punjab, then three presidents of this organization have been martyred while fighting Khalistan. Jaimal Singh Padda was murdered by Khalistanis in March 1988, Sarabjit Singh Bhittewad in May 1990 and Gyan Singh Ganga in November 1992. Apart from this, a dozen activists have also been martyred while fighting Khalistan.

Kirti Kisan Union has opposed not only Khalistan but also state terrorism. During the period of terrorism, many innocent people were killed by police bullets by calling them terrorists, so it opposed that too. Not only this, Kirti Kisan Union opposes all kinds of communalism. It also opposes Sikh communalism. It believes that the place of religion is personal, not public. But today WhatsApp University has not only completely destroyed the thinking ability of people, but has also ended the place of correct news in their minds.

Yesterday was Guru Parv in our country, where people were congratulating each other. Some religious contractors were spewing PR poison on social media. Ask those religious contractors that what do you want to show today by making two communities fight with each other, for the sake of saving the religion for which Guru Govind Singh Ji sacrificed his entire family? The simplest definition of religion is: no one’s soul should be hurt because of me. Give others the same treatment you want for yourself.

But on the contrary, today some people want jihad and some want Shariat rule. Secondly, today there are phrases like Akhand Bharat, imaginary slogans like Hindu Rashtra and Hindu religion is full of Babas, story tellers and self-proclaimed saints. Everyone is sharing knowledge and everyone has their own YouTube channels open. Everyone wants to increase subscribers and see crowds in their pandals. That is, along with online, offline earnings are also going on in full swing. Organizers are also getting huge benefits from this. In such a situation, these fake babas have tightened their grip on Hindu religion. The sad and innocent public is getting trapped in their trap and is busy in brightening the fortunes of these babas by wasting their own karma, time and money. In the era of reels and shorts, people are also bent upon doing the business of hatred towards such babas, preachers, storytellers and politicians. Whereas the work of religious leaders is to establish an environment of peace and love, but is this happening? I am unable to understand, is this religion for humans or humans for religion?

BY-Meenakshi Sangwan