By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a past president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), has seemingly twisted historical facts, to please the government of the day.
He has wrongly stated that Jathedar Bhai Bagel Singh had destroyed a mosque and built the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib on the land. This statement is apparently designed to cover the destruction of the Babbari Masjid to build Ram Mandir in its place.
Takht Damdama Sahib former Jathedar Giani Kewal Singh had dispatched a statement to the Sikh News Express to straighten out the historical facts. (See video ‘Giani Jachak Strongly Criticizes Manjinder Sirsa for Distorting the History of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj’, SNN, 31 Jan 2024).
The historical facts are as follows:
- Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha in the Mahan Kosh (the first encyclopaedia in Gurmukhi script) has stated that Makhan Shah Lubana with Guru Gobind Singh Ji had built Gurdwara Manji Sahib in 1707 at the place where the body of the ninth Sikh Guru Tej Bahadur was cremated.
- Jatherdar Bhai Baghel Singh then built a bigger structure in 1790 at the same place.
- There is no historical record of Sikhs having destroyed any religious place be it a mosque or temple.
- Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and his forces preserved the Royal Mosque in Sirhind although they destroyed the whole city. In fact a Sikh Jit Singh cleaned and maintained the mosque. This is the city where the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh were cruelly bricked alive by the Muslim leaders.
- Guru Hargobind Sahib the sixth Guru built a mosque in Kartarpur for the Muslims.
- The wonderful mosque near Rakab Ganj and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) building is proof that no such thing occurred.
- During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh grants were distributed to all Hindu temples and mosques without any discrimination.
Hence, the statement of Manjinder Singh Sirsa is mischievous, factually incorrect and has political designs. Stern action needs to be taken by the Sikh institutions.
PROFILE
Baba Baghel Singh (1730 – 1802) was born in village Jhabal, District Amritsar. From humble beginnings he arose to become a formidable force in the area between River Sutlej and River Yamuna, according to this entry.
Karora Singh, head of the Karorsinghia Misl, was issue less and had adopted his personal servant, Baghel Singh, as his successor. After the death of Karora Singh in the battle of Taraori against the Nawab of Kunjpur in 1761, Baghel Singh who belonged to a poor Dhalival family succeeded him as head of the Karorsinghia Misl.As well as being a good soldier, Baba Baghel Singh was a very good political negotiator and was able to win over many an adversary to his side. The Mughals, the Ruhilas, the Marathas and British sought his friendship.
Baghel Singh remained in Delhi and built seven Gurudwaras to mark Sikh interests: Gurdwara Mata Sundri, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Gurdwara Bala Sahib,Gurdwara Rakab Ganj,Gurdwara Sis Ganj, Gurdwara Moti Bagh, and Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tilla. The Khalsa as part of their negotiations received taxes from the Mughals, Warren Hasting, Governor-General of India(1773 to 1785) recorded in a minute presented to his council:
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