||Black and White Digital News |

||September 29,2024 ||

JAMMU Balvinder Singh, a prominent RTI activist and president of the Sikh Progressive Front, has voiced strong discontent over the gross neglect and administrative failure concerning the Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Chair at Jammu University. Established with the approval of the Higher Education Department, the Chair was inaugurated on November 27, 2020, by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha in the presence of Mahant Manjit Singh Ji, with the aim of fostering research on Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings, promoting his message of social justice, spirituality, and interfaith harmony.

This initiative was seen as an effort to preserve Sikh heritage and promote communal harmony. However, revelations from an RTI filed at Jammu University paint a disappointing picture of mismanagement and lack of commitment from the authorities, which has led to mounting frustrations within the Sikh community.

Key Findings from the RTI:

No Research Activity Conducted:

Despite being in existence for over four years, not a single rupee has been allocated or spent on research work associated with the Chair. This inactivity is a glaring failure to meet the primary objectives of the Chair.

Misuse and Underutilization of Funds:

Out of the Rs. 5 lakh sanctioned for the Chair’s activities, only Rs. 2.5 lakh have been released so far. Astonishingly, Rs. 1.5 lakh of this amount was used for non-academic expenditures, such as furniture and other miscellaneous items, leaving only Rs. 1 lakh for research, which remains unutilized.

Absence of Permanent Appointments:

No permanent Chair professor or research scholars have been appointed, which has severely affected the academic and research output, undermining the intended purpose of the Chair.

Lack of Response from Sikh Organizations:

Balvinder Singh did not limit his criticism to just the university administration. He strongly condemned the silence of various Sikh organizations over the issue. He stated that despite the Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Chair being in a state of neglect for years, no Sikh organization has raised this matter or demanded accountability. Instead, most of these organizations appear to be engrossed in political activities, making political statements, and seeking votes for political parties for their own personal benefits.

Singh pointed out that these self-styled Sikh leaders, who claim to represent Sikh interests, are busy making self-proclaimed claims of being the true voice of Sikhs yet fail to take up genuine issues that affect Sikh heritage and educational interests. This inaction exposes their priorities, which are centered more on political gains rather than safeguarding the community’s educational and cultural assets.

Community’s Growing Resentment:

The Sikh community’s resentment has been steadily growing not only towards the LG administration and Jammu University but also towards these Sikh organizations. There is a widespread feeling that these groups are neglecting core issues like the neglect of the Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Chair and the long-standing vacancies in the Punjabi Department at Jammu University, which have gone unaddressed for over a decade.

Neglect of Punjabi Language and Culture:

The lack of attention towards the Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Chair is indicative of a broader neglect of the Punjabi language and culture. For years, the Punjabi Department at Jammu University has faced a severe shortage of faculty, with essential teaching positions remaining unfilled, impacting the quality of education and research in the field. Despite repeated promises, these vacancies have remained unaddressed, which the Sikh community perceives as an attempt to sideline their linguistic and cultural heritage.

Call for Immediate Action:

Balvinder Singh has called for immediate and concrete measures to rectify the situation. He has demanded that:

The sanctioned funds be used exclusively for research and academic purposes related to Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings.

Permanent appointments of a Chair professor and dedicated research scholars be made urgently.

Vacant positions in the Punjabi Department be filled to strengthen the study and promotion of the Punjabi language and literature.

Demand for Accountability and Action:

The Sikh Progressive Front has called for a thorough investigation into why the funds have been underutilized and why there has been no focus on the Chair’s academic objectives. Singh has urged the university and government authorities to ensure accountability and take swift action to restore the Chair’s original vision and purpose.

The neglect of the Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Chair at Jammu University, coupled with the silence of self-styled Sikh leaders on this matter, has raised serious concerns about their motives and priorities. These leaders, who claim to represent Sikh interests, seem more focused on their own self-interests rather than genuinely addressing the issues affecting the Sikh community. Instead of raising genuine concerns and working towards tangible results, they indulge in political grandstanding and make hollow claims of being the true representatives of the Sikh community. This behavior has become a topic of discussion among various sections of society and intellectuals within the Sikh community, who view them as opportunists serving their own personal agendas. Their inaction and indifference towards issues like the neglect of the Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Chair and the deterioration of Sikh heritage are seen as a betrayal of the community’s trust, highlighting a glaring disconnect between their claims and actual contributions.

However, Balvinder Singh’s relentless pursuit of this issue has not gone unnoticed. Various scholars and retired Sikh officers have appreciated his efforts for bringing the facts to light and for making people aware of the truth. They commend his initiative and consider it a step in the right direction towards holding the concerned authorities accountable and ensuring the preservation of the community’s heritage. Immediate corrective actions are necessary to restore faith in the leadership and to ensure that Sikh heritage and academic interests are preserved.