Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra: The Relationship of Dharam and Rajneeti

"If we are to win this war, then it must be our dharam that prevails—not merely our faction."

Originally published in “Des Pardes” on June 26, 1992.

Shaheed Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra

At the root of many of the problems plaguing our movement today lies this cynical tendency of prioritizing material (padarath) gain over truth or principle in the realm of politics. This inclination pulls us toward short-term gains while pulling our attention away from the long-term harms of this approach. Many self-proclaimed leaders of the movement blatantly lie from stages. When challenged, they respond: “If lying boosts people’s morale, what more could one ask for?” They firmly believe that “all is fair in politics and war—every tactic is fair game.”

But piyario, we took up this battle in the name of dharam (faith/righteousness). It is our dharmic principles that taught us to fight. If we are to win this war, then it must be our dharam that prevails—not merely our faction. If we abandon our dharam on the battlefield itself, the purpose of our struggle collapses altogether. What then are we fighting or winning for?

Dharam is the name of Truth, and the fight for Truth is the fight for dharam. A battle for material interest waged in the name of dharam is a Gandhian farce. There will be no difference between such a "Sikh" state and the Indian state. Those who argue that we cannot win without lying, or without saying one thing and doing another, clearly have not yet developed their faith in dharam or in sach (Truth). Those who seek lessons solely from the victories of padarathvadi (materialist) movements must reflect on the reality that those very movements, even after winning, ultimately suffered defeat.

Politics is not the name of deceit. Politics is the name of the principles that govern social relationships. If these relationships are grounded in Truth, the result is a dharmic mode of politics; if they are based in koor (falsehood), the outcome is adharamic (cynical/atheistic) politics. Those who wish to address the vulnerabilities within the Khalistan movement today must look within. Our gravest failing lies in the way we are attempting to attach the axis of Truth—Sikh dharam—to the prevailing politics of falsehood.

Let us instead grasp the palla (robe) of dharam-centric politics. Let us forsake the swamp of exploitative, power-hungry politicking. Let us grasp the hem of Truth and throw ourselves into the struggle for the freedom of Truth—into the struggle for Khalistan.