Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh says ‘federal structure’ must for national integrity
Bathinda/Amritsar: Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, has said it is urgent that India adopts a “federal structure” in light of the global upheavals as well as separatist movements within the country, and accused the central government of marginalising Punjabi-speaking regions outside the state.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, on the occasion of Punjabi State Day, Singh expressed concern over the international conflicts and the rising tide of separatism across India, for which he blamed the central government’s “malpractices”. He stressed that maintaining national integrity necessitated “embracing a federal structure”.
The Jathedar said that unity in diversity is key to preserving India’s sovereignty. He warned of the detrimental consequences of suppressing regional cultures and imposing Hindutva ideology on diverse linguistic and cultural communities. He cautioned against the dangers posed to the country’s unity, citing the recent trends towards “homogenisation” and “the push for a Hindu rashtra”.
The Jathedar underscored that India was founded on the principles of preserving different religions, languages, dialects and regional diversity. He expressed worries about what he described as recent attempts to transform the nation’s secular fabric into one dominated by a single religion and language, fuelling mistrust and endangering minority communities.
The Jathedar attributed the secessionist movements in regions such as Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Kashmir, and Punjab to what he referred to as threats faced by regional identities, languages, cultures, natural resources and geographical features. He exemplified the absorption of Marathi and Bengali dialects into Hindi and the gradual erosion of Haryanvi dialect owing to the dominance of Hindi in metropolitan cities.
