‘Sikhism a cult': Indian SC verdict on Ayodhya angers Sikhs

The followers of Baba Guru Nanak were up in arms over the controversial verdict of Indian Supreme Court which declared Sikhism as a ‘cult’ in its detailed judgement issued in Ayodhya land dispute case.

In what can only be described as a complete lack of respect for the faith of minorities in India, not only did the top judges of India snatch the land of a martyred mosque away from Muslims in a controversial ruling, but also used words such as 'cult' to describe the Sikh community.

The Cambridge English dictionary describes a cult as “a religious group, often living together, whose beliefs are considered extreme or strange by many people”. The Merriam Webster dictionary says that a cult is “a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious.”

According to the report published in The Wire on Wednesday, Sikh leaders have described the detailed Ayodhya judgement as an affront to the Sikh community, saying that the judges should have had the presence of mind to consult experts in the case before passing such a verdict.

Neena Singh, a Delhi lawyer, has written to the Supreme Court registrar that she and a group of Sikh lawyers will be submitting a representation to the Chief Justice of India soon, asking for a correction of the portion of the judgment that refers to Sikhism as a cult. “It is derogatory and goes against all that Sikhism stands for."

Not only does the judgement use offensive words for the Sikh community, but it also relies on the testimony of false biographical writers about the founder of the Sikh religion, Baba Guru Nanank, and his visit to the Ayodyha site in the early sixteenth century.

Sikhs and Hindus have been at loggerheads ever since India gained independence from Britain in 1947, with the Sikhs pushing for greater autonomy within the Indian federation as New Delhi attempts to quell such moves with brute force and indiscriminate killings.