During May 2025 Reports had recently emerged that nearly 3,000 Sikhs have been converted in Uttar Pradesh, raising serious concerns within the community. The incident has sparked outrage among grassroots Sikhs, but surprisingly, the voices of those who project themselves as the protectors of the faith have remained silent. This silence has left many questioning the credibility and commitment of the so-called religious contractors who claim to represent Sikh interests.
The question being asked is simple: if such a massive conversion has taken place, who bears responsibility? Was it the failure of religious institutions, or the negligence of political leaders who often use the Sikh identity for their own electoral benefits? At a time when people expected these leaders to defend the faith, they appear more focused on personal power struggles, alliances, and seat sharing rather than addressing a challenge that strikes at the very roots of Sikh existence.
Many community members believe that religious leadership today is more interested in ceremonies, showmanship, and political negotiations than in protecting Sikh principles. Instead of working for unity, they seem to be engaged in petty infighting, fighting for positions, and issuing hollow statements. When it comes to real challenges like mass conversions, they are either missing from the scene or deliberately ignoring the issue.
The silence of these leaders is now being seen as complicity. If they cannot stand up when thousands leave the fold of Sikhism, what is the true purpose of their leadership? Are they merely contractors hired to exploit religious sentiments during elections and then retreat when real issues of survival and dignity surface? These questions are being asked loudly within the community, and unless accountability is fixed, the drift will only deepen.
What is needed is not just condemnation but urgent action. Sikh institutions must investigate how and why these conversions happened, extend support to those vulnerable to such pressures, and safeguard the dignity of the faith. Otherwise, history will remember that when the community was under attack from within and without, its leaders chose silence and self-interest over responsibility