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Vancouver Sikh community divided as moderate Sikhs win gurdwara election

Moderate Sikhs won a decisive victory over the conservative and fundamentalists at the Ross Street gurdwara in Vancouver, and the result is a schism in the community. The fundamentalists have already started looking for money to build another gurdwara.

The bitterly contested election, held under the supervision of the British Columbia Supreme Court, was the largest ever held by the Khalsa Diwan Society, which runs the Ross Street temple.

More than 36,000 of 51,000 voters cast ballots at three Lower Mainland polling stations. Some voters came from as far away as northern British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, according to British Columbia newspapers.

But as the moderates forged ahead with their agenda for a tension-free gurdwara, their leaders, from 31 Sikh societies in and around Vancouver, slammed die-hard Akalis in Punjab for interfering with the running of Canadian gurdwaras.

The 31 groups voted unanimously to call for the removal by February 15 of Indian high priest Ranjit Singh and Shiromani Gurdwara Parcharak Committee chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra in India from prime positions.

Jathedar Ranjit Singh raised moderate hackles following his edict against tables and chairs used within certain sections of the gurdwaras. That has divided Sikhs in British Columbia and led to the excommunication last summer of seven moderates who spoke out against the earlier edict. Tohra spoke on Punjabi radio programmes in the days before the election, urging Sikhs to vote for the fundamentalists.

But the incoming 15-person executive, all moderates, swept the December 5 election for a two-year term.

Moderate leader Gurnam Singh Sanghera said the Ross Street election was a verdict on the edicts by Sikhs across Canada, since people came even from the deep provinces to vote. Given the fact that the Rose Street gurdwara is one of the biggest in North America, the moderates' success made headline news in mainstream publications in Vancouver including the Vancouver Sun as well as The Province.

"The Canadian congregation has spoken and completely rejected the edict," he said. "The results have international significance," he told reporters. "The people have spoken in favour of the moderates."

Sanghera has condemned comments made by Ranjit Singh that appeared in the recent issue of the Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper and said Ranjit Singh's advocacy of violence was clear.

Diurnal Singh Bhandal, the gurdwara's new president, says he is disappointed that reconciliation efforts are not working out and that the fundamentalists are looking for a new location for a Vancouver temple. The fundamentalists may need about $ 5 million for the new gurdwara.

"I would say we should stay united," Bhandal said, adding that members of the other group were welcome to the gurdwara. The vote was also seen as a reaction to violence between the factions of the community.

"There has been enough violence and bloodshed here," said one moderate, referring to the recent murder of the publisher of the Sikh publication. "At least the election has proved that a majority of the worshippers cannot be held hostage."

Bhandal said the new committee has begun planning a huge spring celebration marking the tercentenary of the founding of the Khalsa. He also said they plan to open a day care centre and other community services in the Sikh resource building situated next to the Vancouver temple.

Discussing the involvement of many young people in violence and anti-social activities, he said, "We are going to make plans for getting the youth more involved as well."

Rajinder Singh, the new general secretary, said evidence of the support for the new leaders is clear from the fact that the temple was packed with 2,000 people for a Sunday service soon after the election. On subsequent Sundays too, the number has held steady, he said, adding that the ceremonies and social gatherings went on peacefully.

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