Click to play videoLondon: Punjab is on the edge as members of the Ravi Dass Sabha went on a rampage on Monday.
The violence is direct fallout of an attack by upper caste Sikhs on member of the religious sect Dera Sachh Khan in Vienna and the killing of the dalit Sikh leader Sant Ram Nand.
Ram Nand was an important leader in the Dera Sachh Khand, which was founded by Guru Ravi Das for the fulfillment of dalit Hindus and Sikhs in 14th century.
“We believe in the Guru Granth Sahib because it is the original word of our Guru. This is not a Sikh Dera but a Hindu Dera,” says a follower of Guru Ravi Das, Gurbaksh Singh.
Dera Sachh Khand has several Sikh followers spread across US, UK and Europe.
Guru Ravi Das was the 14th century low caste guru but orthodox Sikhs refuse to accept him as a guru. They only want to stick to 10 guru principle.
Consequently, the relation between mainstream Sikhs and followers of the Dera have remained strained.
“Whether we call him guru or not, it is none of their business. He is our guru and we’ll call him that,” adds Gurbaksh Singh.
The tension between upper and lower caste Sikhs is not new. In 2003, similar violent clashes had broken out. Fearing marginalisation by upper castes, lower caste Sikhs have formed Deras to assert their identity.
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