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About
500 California NRI Sikhs protest against the appointment of Prof.
Pashaura Singh at Sikh and Punjabi Studies Chair at UCR
Riverside, Los Angeles, California, Sep. 26, 2008
Swaran Dabgotra/Gary Singh/J. Dhillon
Today September 26, 2008 Sikh community of Southern California,
USA, protest in front of University of Southern California, Riverside
in the campus grounds. Coalition of Gurdwaras of California and
Sikhs for Preservation of Sikhism and Sikh Heritage (Freemont
Gurdwara, Nothern California, Walnut Gurdwara, Riverside Gurdwara,
Buena Park Gurdwara, Vermont Gudwara and Lankershim Gurdwara)
arranged buses to carry NRI sikh community to join the protest.
This was a peaceful protest and well organized. They had banners
and signs "Remove Pashaura Singh." They were shouting
slogans in the air “Remove Pashaura”, and Nahras “Bole
Son Nihal…” etc.
The reason for all this was that in 1991, Mr. Pashaura Singh
wrote his Ph. D. thesis on Sikh History and Sikh Scripture. He
made wrong statements about Sri Adhi Granth without proper research
and unauthentic sources.
His thesis caused a strong reaction from other Sikh researches
and intellectuals all over the world because of poor research
and misrepresentation of Sikh History and Scripture.
In June 2006, because of the pressure from the world Sikh community
Mr. Pashaura Singh wrote a written apology for his research thesis
at Sri Akal Takhat, Amritsar.
After accepting his charges at Sri Akal Takhat, he did not refrain
from his blasphemous views and published a book “The Guru
Granth Sahib Cannon Meaning and Authority” in 2000.
In November of 2003 Sikh Gurdwara Riverside and coalition of
Gurdwaras of California invited Mr. Patricia O’Brien (Dean
UCR College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences) and expressed
their desire and concerns regarding the Sikh Study Chair. She
was given a Memorandum and recommendations of the Sikh community
for consideration.
Again in March 2005 Sikhs for the Preservation of Sikhism and
Sikh Heritage, Coalition of Gurdwaras of California, gave memorandum
to Mr. Joel Martin, Interim Dean & Costco Professor of College
of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, UC Riverside and requested
that the University should postpone the upcoming lecture series
because of the controversial candidate Mr. Pashaura Singh.
In spite of various requests by the Sikh community UC Riverside
announced the establishment and appointment of Pashaura Singh
to The Sikh Foundation Endowed Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Chair in
Sikh and Punjabi (Language) Studies.
Sikhs
Protest at UC Riverside, Chancellor meets Sikh Delegation
Riverside, Los Angeles, California, Sep. 26, 2008
Dr. Jasbir Singh Mann
An estimated 500 Sikhs today demonstrated at UC Riverside protesting
the appointment of Prof. Pashaura Singh to Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini
endowed Chair of Sikh and Punjabi Studies. A peaceful protest
was called by the Coalition of Gurdwaras of California and Sikhs
for preservation of Sikhism and Sikh Heritage which lasted for
two and half hours. Earlier in the day demonstrates form Fremont,
Fresno, and Bakersfield, were received at Gurdwara Riverside and
then proceeded to UCR. Large contingent of Sikh congregants from
Buena Park, Santa Ana, Norco, Walnut,Los Angeles, and Riverside,
gathered at the protest site. Sikhs have communicated with the
UC Riverside authorities from the past three years regarding scholarship
of Prof. Pashaura Singh. They contend that he has committed an
academic fraud based on evidence used and conducted research with
unauthentic sources of information to attack on concept of Sachi/Pacci
Bani as enshrined in Guru Granth sahib Ji.
During the protest Dr. Baljeet Sahi, spokesperson for the watchdog
group Sikhs for Preservation of Sikhism and Sikh Heritage, and
Mr. Raminderjit Singh Sekhon, Spokesman for the Coalition of Gurdwaras
of California addressed the Protestants. Dr. Baljeet Sahi said
that “While the awareness about Sikhs post 9/11 is improving
their religious beliefs have come under strict scrutiny”.
He pointed to Sikhs that “even as we struggle to establish
ourselves as peaceful freedom lovers, and protectors of the suppressed,
an academic challenge has evolved………self proclaimed
scholars: Pashaura Singh and associates have added a new dimension,
hindering efforts of Sikhs and their children to live honorably”.
He ended sermonizing Prof. Pashaura Singh with a quote of Marian
Wright Edelman “Education is for improving the lives of
others and leaving your community and world better than you found
it”. Mr. Raminderjit S. Sekhon explained to the protestors
that Prof. Pashaura Singh was indulging in an “academic
fraud by using inapplicable methodology of textual analysis to
a written and original Sikh Scriptures. He said that this method
of study “is applicable to Judo-Christian Studies”
and Sikhs have no objection to it because they have oral traditions
but Sikhs have in their possession original authentic version
as compiled by Guru Arjan Dev Ji.
Immediately following the demonstration a delegation of Sikhs:
Dr. Jasbir Singh Mann from Anaheim, Prof. Gurdev Singh Sandhu
from Fontana, Dr. Dhanwant Singh Gill of Riverside, Dr. Baljeet
Sahi from La Canada, and Mr. Raminderjit Singh Sekhon of Corona,
California, met with Chancellor Timothy P. White. Vice Chancellor
for Administration Al Diaz, and UCR spokeswomen Ms. Marcia McQuern
were also present. They presented the chancellor with a memorandum
detailing their grievances with regards to Prof. Pashaura Singh’s
academic scholarship and fraudulency for details click on http://www.globalsikhstudies.net/r_link/pashaura.htm
. They discussed seven points: Criteria used by the University
of California's academic personnel process to hire a candidate
demoted from Assistant Professor to a Senior Lecturer at University
of Michigan?, Whether the University of California's academic
personnel process was aware of Prof. Pashaura Singh’s usage
of the following unauthentic manuscripts: MS#1245 at “Guru
Nanak Dev University”, Amritsar, India, Vanjara Pothi at
“Javadi Taksal”, Ludhiana, India, and Bahowal Pothi
at “Bhai Bir Singh Sadan”, New Delhi, India during
his research, The University of California Riverside’s failure
to respond to the letter of Mrs. Saini - Major Donor to the Chair
for Sikh and Punjabi Studies, who appealed for global Search for
a Chairperson and recommended not to offer the Chair to Prof.
Pashaura Singh?, Reason for the University of California at Riverside
to rescind on its promise to Sikh community that they will not
hire Prof. Pashaura Singh for the Sikh Chair in 2005 and wait
till 2008 to appoint him to the Chair through what seems like
a Backdoor?, Due process and thorough examination of University
of California's academic personnel and recommendation process
in selection of only scholars like Prof. Pashaura Singh affiliated
with Mr. Hew McLeod and group?, In order to promote his blasphemous
research on Sikh Scriptures (Guru Granth Sahib Ji), Prof. Pashaura
Singh’s methodology of fabrication, falsification and ghostwriting,
How a chairperson can be effective Chair holder by avoiding truth
and choosing to have selective communication with Sikh community,
and Discussed the forthcoming seminar at University of California
Riverside on Sikh Studies - December 4 to 6, 2008, to commemorate
the 300th Anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib
in 1708. During which Prof. Pashaura Singh wants to focus on the
shifting paradigms in the study of the Sikh tradition and address
recent developments in the field.
The Chancellor was apologetic for little erroneousness on behalf
of the university’s inadequacies with regards to few points
and said that the university failed to respond to Mrs. Saini’s
letter. He assured to send her a note. He was unwilling to interfere
in the affairs of the departments abiding to policies of the university.
The meeting ended on a positive note. In principle he agreed for
an independent investigation into the claims of Academic fraud
by the Sikh community with respect to Prof. Pashaura Singh’s
research on Sikh Scriptures based on unauthentic documents. He
recommended the Sikh community to hold a parallel seminar to the
forth coming seminar being hosted by Prof. Pashaura Singh. But
the university’s policy for allowing such a seminar was
not clear to him as he spoke but, he will look into it. As requested
by the Chancellor the Sikhs are preparing Brief Academic document
detailing Prof. Pashaura Singh’s fraudulent research for
further investigation based on Unauthentic MS#1245,Vanjara Pothi
and Bahoval Pothi which has no connection with Guru Arjan Dev
Ji. For textual studies on any Scripture one requires the sources
that have their origin in the pre-canonical stage. There antiquity,
authority and authenticity have to be established on the basis
of academic norms. Besides one is required to identify the tradition
from which these sources have descended. Every manuscript has
a purpose therefore a scholar has to find out the purpose and
use made of these manuscripts.
For Pashaura Singh any manuscript which does not conform to
the standard text of the Adi Granth fits in his theory of working
drafts to hammer his point of revision in the Bani.
There is no politics in this issue, the Sikh Community wants
to protect the concept of Sachi/Pacci Bani as enshrined in Guru
Granth Sahib Ji .
Is University
of California Riverside’s administration and academic personnel
are above the NRI Sikh community?
On Sat, 8/30/08, falcon525@aol.com <falcon525@aol.com>
wrote:
From: Dr. Baljeet Sahi,
falcon525@aol.com <falcon525@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Sikh and Punjabi Studies Chair at UCR
To: stephen.cullenberg@ucr.edu
Cc: Jasbirmann@aol.com, Romysekhon@yahoo.com, dsgill@csupomona.edu,
asrandhava@aol.com, BST0007@aol.com, BALDEVSINGH07@comcast.net
Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008, 5:00 PM
Dear Mr. Cllenberg
I appreciate your conscientious and considerate response to Sikh
community’s genuine concerns. It appears that the University
of California Riverside ’s administration and academic personnel
are above the community and greater in all intellectual sense.
In all fairness how do you expect Sikh community to “respectfully
agree to disagree while Dr. Singh occupies the Sikh Chair at UCR”
since the university did not say so in the beginning? The Sikh
community feels that it was deliberately kept in a limbo by university’s
underhanded play by essentially assuring them that Mr. Pashaura
Singh will not hold the chair. I have forwarded your response
to the community members. The community is going to hold meetings
this week and in coming weeks to organize a protest at the university
campus on the September 26th, 2008 between 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
We have contacted the police department for their help. I have
sent you a link regarding this matter which was publish in World
Sikh News. http://www.worldsikhnews.com/27%20August%202008/University%20of%20Californ
ia%20Riverside%20Rebuffs%20Sikhs.htm
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at your
own convenience at 626-487-6141.
Sinceely
Dr. Baljeet Sahi
Coalition of Gurdwaras of California and
Sikhs for Preservation of Sikhism and Sikh Heritage
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Cullenberg <stephen.cullenberg@ucr.edu>
To: falcon525@aol.com
Sent: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 1:22 pm
Subject: RE: Sikh and Punjabi Studies Chair at UCR
Dr. Baljeet Sahi
Coalition of Gurdwaras of California and
Sikhs for Preservation of Sikhism and Sikh Heritage
Dear Dr. Sahi,
I am writing to follow up on the meeting I had with a number of
your colleagues (Raminderjit S. Sekhon, Jasbir S, Mann, Ajit S.
Randhava, D.S. Gill, Bharpur Takhar) in my office on June 20,
2008. We discussed the recent appointment of Dr. Pashaura Singh
to the Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Chair in Sikh and Punjabi (Language)
Studies.
We had a lengthy and open discussion about our feelings around
the appointment of Dr. Singh to this chair. I appreciate and respect
the concerns that you and your colleagues have expressed. I know
t here are many who disagree with his scholarship. However, a
recent review of Professor Singh's scholarship, carried out through
the University of California's academic personnel process, supported
the view that Professor Singh's research was of high quality.
Given these differences of judgment, I would hope that we could
respectfully agree to disagree while Dr. Singh occupies the Sikh
Chair at UCR. Please be assured that we welcome your thoughtful
critique of Dr. Singh's research, or any other faculty member's
research at UCR for that matter, as such critique is the very
essence of the university's mission.
Your colleagues presented me with a letter dated June 20, 2008,
which in part queried Dr. Singh on 9 points regrading his research.
I showed Dr. Singh these queries and he informed me that he stands
by his research.
I know how important this matter is to you and how strongly you
feel. This is not an easy issue for the university or one that
we take lightly, but we must respect our protocols of peer judgment
and open debate. I would hope that you and your colleagues can
try to understand and respect our position, as we do yours.
Sincerely,
Dr. Stephen Cullenberg
Dean
College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Stephen Cullenberg
Dean
Professor of Economics
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
University of California, Riverside 92521
Phone: (951) 827-2762
0AFax: (951) 827-4537
University
of California Riverside Rebuffs Sikhs
Los Angeles, California, August, 26, 2008
Dr. Baljeet Sahi
Sikhs in Diaspora were dealt yet another blow by the University
of California at Riverside by endorsing Mr. Pashaura Singh’s
academic credentials and scholarship. In spite of a strong opposition
by the Sikh community and its discontentment to the nomination of
Mr. Pashaura Singh to the Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Chair in Sikh and
Punjabi (Language) Studies, the university continues its stubborn
stance in favor of Mr. Pashaura Singh, a renegade Sikh scholar,
according to the members of Coalition of Gurdwaras of California
and the watchdog organization Sikhs for Preservation of Sikhism
and Sikh Heritage.
Dr. Stephen Cullenberg, Dean College of Humanities, Arts, and Social
Sciences in a letter addressed to the Coalition and the watchdog
organization as a follow up to his meeting on June 20th, 2008 with
Sikh community members: Mr. Raminderjit S. Sekhon, Dr. Jasbir S.
Mann, Mr. Ajit S. Randhava, Dr. D.S. Gill, and Mr. Bharpur Takhar,
replied that: “We discussed the recent appointment of Dr.
Pashaura Singh to the Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Chair in Sikh and Punjabi
(Language) Studies. We had a lengthy and open discussion about our
feelings around the appointment of Dr. Si ngh to this chair. I appreciate
and respect the concerns that you and your colleagues have expressed.
I know there are many who disagree with his scholarship. However,
a recent review of Professor Singh's scholarship, carried out through
the University of California's academic personnel process, supported
the view that Professor Singh's research was of high quality. Given
these differences of judgment, I would hope that we could respectfully
agree to disagree while Dr. Singh occupies the Sikh Chair at UCR.
Please be assured that we welcome your thoughtful critique of Dr.
Singh's research, or any other faculty member's research at UCR
for that matter, as such critique is the very essence of the university's
mission. Your colleagues presented me with a letter dated June 20,
2008, which in part queried Dr. Singh on 9 points regarding his
research. I showed Dr. Singh these queries and he informed me that
he stands by his research”.
Dr. Stephen Cullenberg was referring to 9 points forwarded to him
by the Sikh community members during the meeting. The 9 pertinent
points were asked by a Sikh scholar review committee constituted
by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) who submitted
a report to Sri Akal Takhat (Temporal Authority) on July 20th, 2005
delegated through the Conve ner S. Waryam Singh, Secretary Dharam
Parchar Committee. After reviewing two books;
The Guru Granth Sahib Canon, Meaning and Authority, by
Pashaura Singh, and The Making of Sikh Scripture by Gurinder Singh
Mann respectively the Sikh scholars requested Mr. Pashaura Singh’s
explanation to following 9 points:
- Whether Sri Guru Arjan Dev's demise date i.e. Jeth Sudi 4,
1663 BK (1606 AD) recorded in MS # 1245, is in the hand of original
scribe or not?
- Have you written or not on page 46 of your book that MS # 1245
was prepared by Guru Arjan in 1599 AD?
- Does the manuscript under question comprise Kachi Bani attributed
to the Sikh Gurus or not?
- Have you expressed or not in your book on pages 45-46 that
MS # 1245 (which includes Kachi Bani) was shown by Sri Guru Arjan
Dev to emperor Akbar?
- Have or haven't you in the book on pages 31, 46-50 concluded
that Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji prepared this Manuscript and then used
it to fix the final text of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji?
- Have or haven't you affirmed on pages 23, 42-43 of the book
the role of Baba Budha as a caretaker to preserve the above-mentioned
Manuscript?
- On pages 84-90 of the book, have you drawn or not the conclusion
that the original mul mantar was different than that of the present
one and Sri Guru Ram Das Ji and Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji had made
changes in it from time to time?
- By considering the text of Japu Ji Sahib recorded in MS # 1245
as the original one, have you drawn or not the conclusion that
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji had revised the present text from language,
vocabulary and poetic viewpoints?
- On the basis of MS # 1245 (book pages 102-105), have you mentioned
or not that Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji had revised the bani of Sri
Guru Nanak Dev Ji from poetic and vocabulary point of view? However,
Mr. Pashaura Singh has refused to address these questions and
repeatedly declined comment.
The Sikh scholars committee members who critiqued Mr. Pashaura
Singh’s inferences were:
(A) Dr. Darshan Singh, Professor Emeritus & former Head, Guru
Nanak Chair of Sikh Studies, Punjab University, Chandigarh. Who
has been working in the field of Sikhism since 1972 and has written
20 books and 200 Research Paper on Sikh Theology, Philosophy, and
History.
(B). Dr. Kharak Singh (Retd.), an Eminent Sikh Scholar who had
worked with FAO Rome. He was a founding member of Institute of Sikh
Studies, Chandigarh and had worked on Sikhism since 1970 and written
many books and Research Paper in the field. He was working as a
chief Editor of Sikh Journal named abstract of Sikh Studies at the
time of his demise this month.
(C) Dr. Ram Singh, Principal of Akal Degree College, Mastuana,
District Sangrur. He is M.A. in English and Religious Studies and
has been Head of the English Department, Guru Hargobind Khalsa College,
Guru Sar Sudhar, Ludhiana. He is chief organizer of Guru Gobind
Singh Study Circle, a Non Government Organization active in the
field of Sikh Studies. He has contributed several research papers
and books on Sikhism.
(D). Dr. Jasbir Singh Sabar, former Professor and Head of Guru
Nanak Studies Department Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Presently
he is the Head of Bhagat Ravidas Chair Guru Nanak Dev University,
Amritsar. He is M.A. in Punjabi and PhD on Medieval Sikh Literature.
He has written about 20 books and 270 Research Papers on Sikh Literature
and Religion. Since 1976 he is actively involved in research and
teaching in Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
(E). Dr Mohinder Kaur Gil, former Principal, Mata Sundri College,
New Delhi. She holds a degree of M.A. in Punjabi Literature and
has done her Ph.D. on the editing technique of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
She is a reputed Sikh Scholar and has written about 20 books on
the various aspects of Sikh scripture and Sikhism. Since 1974 she
is actively involved in the research on Sikh scripture.
(F). Dr. Sarbjinder Singh presently working in the Department
of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Studies and also Chief Editor of Nanak
Parkas Patrika Journal of Sikh Studies Punjabi University Patiala.
He did his M.A. in History, Religious Study and Punjabi. He has
an M.Phil and PhD in Religious Studies, and a Diploma in Persian
and French. He wrote 5 books and 35 Research Papers for various
Journals of Religious Studies. His book Divine Revelation was Awarded
'Book of Year' by Indian Government.
Speaking on the issues regarding the 9 points and Dr. Jasbir Singh
Saini Chair in Sikh and Punjabi (Language) Studies, members of the
Coalition and the watchdog organization said that earlier this year
the university conspired with The Sikh Foundation of Palo Alto California
to push Mr. Pashaura Singh through the back door of the academia
by first getting him appointing as a professor of Religious Studies
and then nominating him to the Chair. The Sikhs feel they have been
deceived by the university authorities because earlier they had
been essentially assured through a letter by Dr. Ellen A. Wartella,
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost on September 8th, 2005 that
“Dr. Singh was previously considered a candidate for the Dr.
Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies. It
has been determined that he will not hold this chair and, in fact,
the search for a chair-holder has been indefinitely postponed pending
formal approval of the chair by the University of California Office
of the President”.
It’s disgusting the way an academic institution is playing
with the sentiments of peace loving Sikhs and inciting them to sort
of an academic battle said the members of the Coalition and the
watchdog organization. A member stated that this was historically
a typical work of disgruntled Sikhs such as founders of The Sikh
Foundation with deep pockets who connive to scheme and further their
agendas of dividing Sikh populous and initiating fraudulent research
and portraying kachi Bani as Sachi Bani by dissecting Sikh Holy
Scriptures in order to destroy Sikhism. They added that the British
taught few Sikhs their plan of divid e and rule to destroy very
well and “during their rule in Punjab sent several scholars
to annihilate Sikhism”, unfortunately the progeny of such
thought continues its quest. The Sikh community is now preparing
a peaceful protest at the university grounds in Riverside on September
26, 2008 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM to voice their deep regrets and
concerns. All Sikhs are invited to join the protest which will begin
at Gurdwara Riverside, 7940 Mission Blvd., Riverside, CA 92509 at
10:00 O’clock after refreshments.
The author is affiliated with the Coalition of Gurdwaras of California
and Sikhs for Preservation of Sikhism and Sikh Heritage
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Pashaura
Singh