As suggested by our readers (pagh salute: ambi and an indian Sikh), I am posting on the tragedy in Vienna. The facts are still coming in, so we have little perspective on what exactly occurred.
This much is known. In the Austrian capital of Vienna, six Sikh men carrying various weapons and a handgun entered a Dera [Some media are calling this a ‘Sikh temple’ or a ‘gurdwara’, but it seems to be a dera attached to the Sach Khand group]. The men proceeded to go towards the ‘preachers’ of the Dera and in the melee 16 people have been reported injured, including 6 seriously – two names have been reported amongst the injured - Niranjan Das and Sant Rama Nand – and the other 4 were the attackers (there are rumors that Sant Rama Nand may have been killed, but this has not yet been confirmed. Sant Rama Nand is one of the highest leaders of the SachaKhand Dera).
Some of the media is attempting to frame the dispute in terms of caste, asserting that the Dera is set up to honor Bhagat Ravi Das, whose own Bani can be found in the Guru Granth Sahib. Other reports for a cause have provided the following:
[the attackers] accused one or both of the preachers of being disrespectful of the Holy Book [Sri Guru Granth Sahib]. Indian news reports said the attackers were incensed that one of the preachers was given a ceremonial shawl considered a high Sikh honor. [link]
Still some of the local press has provided the following reason:
It was assumed by local media that the conflict between the temples like competing for worshipers might be the reason of this shooting incident. [link]
The story does not end there.
Seemingly sparked by the incident in Vienna, violence soon broke out in Jalandhar in Punjab.
As soon the news of firing on the Sant and his followers reached Jalandhar, hundreds of people belonging to dalit community came out of their houses and started pelting stones on the buses and other vehicles plying on Jalandhar-Nakodar, Jalandhar-Phagwara road. The mob set a truck on fire in Bootan Mandi and smashed the window panes of more one dozen buses. The mob blocked the traffic nearly on all roads leading to other cities and towns.
The protestors gave a call of Punjab Bandh on Monday and threatened that Bharat Bandh call would be given in case the assailants were not nabbed with in a day or two. Fearing damage to the petroleum out lets the pump owners closed their out lets. The police is facing hard times to control the situation. The whole city has been converted in to a police cantonment to avoid any type of untoward incident. The infuriated mob declined to lift dharna in Bootan Mandi chowk. [link]
A curfew has been declared in Jalandhar by the Punjab Government. This is not the first time there has been caste-related violence in Doaba.
I have checked Twitter as of 3:41pm PST and no eye-witnesses have added anything to the story. I have also checked some of the foreign presses and there is no extra information there.
So here I begin a reflection. Most posts will come to condemn the actions by these men. I agree with the sentiment. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but as a person who has tried to actively engage with members of our community that are part of the Ravi Das Sabha in Roseville, Caruthers, and Pittsburgh, it is absolutely necessary for the greater Sikh community to make amends and move beyond the caste-conscious that continues to divide us as a community and as a Qaum. I have personally participated in the Nagar Kirtans and various functions at these Guru Ghars. Until we begin to heal these fractions and realize that caste is only a figment of our imagination that we have the power to let go, we will continued to be divided on the very basis that our Sikh Gurus initiated a revolution. Each individual that calls themselves a Sikh of the Guru needs to re-evaluate our own outlooks, whether it be in terms of friends, associates, marriage partners, or even the seemingly small (but actually malignant) jokes people tell.
Instead of knee-jerk accusations and knee-jerk counter-accusations, I hope that we can take a moment to reflect. I hope here in The Langar Hall, where the crusade against caste has always played a prominent role, I hope we can engage in introspection and begin to develop real solutions.