MRS SONIA GANDHI LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR SECULARISM.
The recent decision of Sonia Gandhi to decline the post
of Prime Minister and offering it to Dr Manmohan Singh is
the best for India to re-establish Secularism in its real
spirit in India. Her decision will be the first in the history
of India where a post of Prime Minister has been refused.
Some Sikhs are considering it as a favour to the Sikhs
and compensation for an attack on the Harmandar Sahib and
massacre of the Sikhs in 1984. However, Ms Sonia Gandhi
has recommended Dr Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister
of India entirely on his qualifications and his ability
in steering the economy of India. She followed the principle
of Nanakian philosophy, "Takht bheh Takhtay layak"
AGGS, M 1, p 1039. This decision has also given another
defeat to the BJP who were starting to humiliate her by
presenting her as a foreigner and her lack of patriotism
to India. This decision will also help Ms Sonia Gandhi to
groom his son Rahul Gandhi as the future Prime Minister.
The other reason appears to be that Ms Sonia Gandhi wants
to re-establish secularism in its real spirit. This is due
to the fact that although Mrs Indra Gandhi won the sympathy
votes of majority Hindus by attacking on the Harmandar Sahib
in 1984, the BJP failed to win by killing Muslims to please
the majority votes of Hindus. This time it was different
since the Muslim population is more than 12% in India and
the Muslims voted against BJP en mass.
The present election has clearly given a verdict that to
play with religions to win election to rule India is not
going to succeed in future. It has been realized by Ms Sonia
Gandhi that the best solution for India is to
re-establish secularism in Congress party, its main objective
when this party was formed for liberation of India and many
Sikhs sacrificed their lives.
This is the first time that a Prime Minister of India,
Dr Manmohan Singh, is a highly qualified Economist on one
hand and the President, Dr Abdul Kalam, highly qualified
Physicist, is on the other hand. Dr Manmohan Singh belongs
to a minority religion (Sikhism) while Dr Abdul Kalam also
belongs to another minority religion, Islam. The both personalities
are highly acclaimed not only in India but also globally.
India will definitely become an example of secular and democratic
country in the world. The people of India expect them to
use their education and expertise for the welfare of the
humanity, another principle of Nanakian philosophy:
vidia vichari tan parupkari. AGGS, M 1, p 356.
Nanak Says:
That education is worth that is applied to the welfare of
the humanity.
In this respect Dr Singh has already done so when he was
Finance Minister and reiterated to do so as follows:
"Singh said among his priorities as Prime Minister
would be social and economic development, a healthy capital
market, strong emphasis on agriculture and creation of job
opportunities."
The IUS wishes all success to Dr Singh in his ambition
to serve for the welfare people of India.
Prof Devinder Singh Chahal, PhD
INSTITUTE FOR UNDERSTANDING SIKHISM
4418 Martin Plouffe, Laval, Quebec, Canada H7W 5L9
Phone: (450) 681-1254; Fax (760) 281-8061
URL: http://iuscanada.com
E-mail: sikhism@iuscanada.com
(Reproduced from: UNDERSTANDING SIKHISM - The Research Journal.
6 (2): 44, 2004.)