The assertion that Sikhs are Hindus is not merely a historical mistake—it is a deliberate ideological manipulation pushed by the RSS-BJP propaganda machinery. This post analytically dismantles this falsehood, highlighting the spiritual, legal, philosophical, and historical distinctiveness of Sikhism.
🧠 1. Philosophical and Theological Distinctions
| Sikhism | Hinduism |
|---|---|
| Strictly monotheistic – One formless God (Ik Onkar) | Polytheistic, many gods and avatars |
| No idol worship | Idol worship and temple rituals central |
| Rejects caste hierarchy – Equality is core | Deeply embedded caste system |
| Guru Granth Sahib as sole scripture | Many texts: Vedas, Gita, Puranas, etc. |
| Community life: Langar, Seva, honest work | Focus on rituals, fasting, and renunciation |
Sikhism emerged not as a reform of Hinduism but as a new, revolutionary spiritual path.
📜 2. Historical Evidence of Sikh Sovereignty
- Guru Nanak Dev Ji rejected ritualistic practices of both Hinduism and Islam.
- Guru Gobind Singh Ji, while forming the Khalsa in 1699, declared a new sovereign identity distinct from both dominant religions.
- The Guru Granth Sahib includes teachings of Hindu Bhakts and Muslim saints, but the path it outlines is unique and non-sectarian.
“Sikh Panth was born not to reinforce caste or idol worship, but to liberate society from them.”
🏛️ 3. Legal and Constitutional Recognition
- The Indian Constitution (Article 25) recognizes Sikhism as a distinct religion.
- Anand Marriage Act (1909, amended 2012) acknowledges Sikh marriages separate from Hindu law.
- High Court rulings (e.g., Punjab & Haryana High Court, 2009) affirm that Sikhism is a separate and independent religion.
Despite legal clarity, the RSS attempts to blur these lines for political gain.
🔥 4. The Hindutva Agenda: Why RSS Wants to Absorb Sikhs
- M.S. Golwalkar, the RSS ideologue, declared in Bunch of Thoughts: “Non-Hindus must merge into Hindu culture.”
- RSS falsely claims:
- Guru Gobind Singh was a Hindu warrior.
- Sikhs are “Keshdhari Hindus.”
- Sikhism is just another sect under “Sanatan Dharma.”
This is not cultural admiration—it is strategic erasure.
🚨 5. Examples of Hindutva Interference in Sikh Affairs
- Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, an RSS affiliate, pushes a Hinduized version of Sikhism.
- NCERT textbooks under BJP rule attempted to portray Sikh Gurus as Hindu reformers.
- BJP has tried to appropriate Sikh festivals, turning Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti into a generic “Shaurya Diwas” (Day of Bravery).
- Sikh organisations have objected to Modi’s term ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ for Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s sons, stating that neither the Centre nor Punjab has any authority to decide Sikh religious matters.
- RSS-backed leaders have interfered in Gurdwara elections and management.
🛡️ 6. Strong Sikh Rejection of RSS Ideology
- Akal Takht Sahib (Sikhism’s supreme temporal authority) has issued edicts prohibiting association with Rashtriya Sikh Sangat.
- SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) has repeatedly condemned RSS’s distortion of Sikh identity.
- Sikh scholars, authors, and historians—like Khushwant Singh, Patwant Singh, and Harjot Oberoi—have all defended Sikh distinctiveness.
📖 7. Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s Bani – “I Am Not a Hindu or a Muslim”
One of the clearest declarations of Sikh sovereignty is found in Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s bani in Raag Bhairao (Ang 1136) of the Guru Granth Sahib:
“He is my One Lord, the same Lord whom the Hindus call ‘Gusai’ and the Muslims call ‘Allah’.”
“He administers justice to both Hindus and Muslims.”
“I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.”
“I serve the One Lord, and not any other.”
“I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.”
“I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there.”
“I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.”
🔎 What It Means:
- God is universal, not bound to any one name or religion.
- The Guru rejects ritualism in both Hinduism and Islam.
- This is a bold declaration of Sikhism’s distinct, non-sectarian identity—not merely spiritually, but philosophically and culturally.
This verse directly challenges the RSS’s attempt to absorb Sikhs into a Hindu identity and reaffirms that Sikhi is its own marga (path)—universal in love, but distinct in practice.
📚 8. Recommended Reading & References
- Bunch of Thoughts – M.S. Golwalkar (RSS ideology)
- The Construction of Religious Boundaries – Harjot Oberoi
- A History of the Sikhs – Khushwant Singh
- Anand Marriage Act (2012 Amendment)
- SGPC Resolutions and Hukamnamas from Akal Takht Sahib
- Court Judgments affirming Sikhism’s legal independence
- Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1136 – Raag Bhairao, Guru Arjan Dev Ji
🧭 Conclusion: Sikh Identity Is Non-Negotiable
To say “Sikhs are Hindus” is not an innocent mistake—it’s a deliberate falsification meant to erase one of India’s most dynamic, independent, and justice-driven spiritual traditions.
👉 Sikhism is not a sect of Hinduism.
👉 Sikhism is not “Sanatan.”
👉 Sikhism is a distinct path born of resistance, truth, and equality.
🛡️ And it must be defended against appropriation by Hindutva forces.
