Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh says ‘federal structure’ must for national integrity | Chandigarh News

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.

Singh emphasised that India, historically home to people practising various religions and speaking different languages, should not be transformed into a nation driven solely by religion. He urged the government to prioritise the protection of mother tongues, regional politics, cultures and rights, as these aspects are fundamental to the common people’s sense of security.

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.

Singh contended that states deprived of their rights found it challenging to safeguard their natural resources, language, local identities and cultures. Language in its own right is not the issue but rather the preservation of people’s regional identities, which becomes compromised when their mother tongues are suppressed, he added.

Pointing out that Punjab had voiced its demand for a “federal structure” and greater state rights four decades ago, the Jathedar accused the central government of creating a malicious narrative linking the demand solely to the Sikh community and tarnishing Punjab’s image.

Drawing inspiration from nations like the United States, Russia and the UK, the Jathedar urged India to adopt a “federal structure”, one that would allow linguistic, cultural, religious and political diversities to flourish openly, empowering all states in the country.