25/08/2026
*Addressing the Student Community: Sardar Jeevan Singh Explores the Philosophy of “Who is Our Common Friend?”*
LUDHIANA, PUNJAB — In a compelling and deeply reflective address to the student community in Ludhiana, Sardar Jeevan Singh unpacked the historical evolution of social structures in India, routing his discourse through a central philosophical question: “Who is our Common Friend?”
Organized under the banner of Team 1699, the interactive session brought together young minds to re-examine historical turning points, spiritual egalitarianism, and contemporary socio-political realities regarding equity and representation in India.
*Tracing Historical Shifts: From Ancient Wisdom to Social Stratification*
Sardar Jeevan Singh opened his address by contextualizing India's ancient past, noting that during the Buddha period, India was the richest country in the world and was known as a land of wisdom. Because of this, Ashok the great carried forward the thought of the Buddha to the whole of Asian countries, with his own daughter becoming a bhikkhuni to spread Buddhism.
The lecture then traced subsequent historical disruptions, noting that Pushyamitra Shunga in 185 BCE killed the whole of Ashoka's family and started to rule the whole country. The address argued that Brahmins were not the native people of the country, but wanted to rule this land permanently and infinitely, which is why they destroyed the whole Buddhist philosophy and introduced the notion of Brahminism, transforming the varna system into a caste system.
The demographic and structural breakdown discussed during the lecture outlines:
*Brahmins (approx. 3%*): Historically held the exclusive right to education under Hindu social structure.
*Kshatriyas (approx. 6.5%)*: Denied the right to education, but granted the right to hold weapons and land (second-graded Hindus).
*Vaishyas (approx. 5.5%)*: Granted the right to do business (third-graded Hindus).
*Shudras (approx. 85%*): Denied rights to education, weapons, and economic resources, functioning as the fourth-graded Hindus to serve the upper groups while being divided by Brahminical forces into roughly 7,000 castes—divisions now legally addressed by the Indian constitution.
The address further noted that the Mughal period served as a golden period for Brahmins and their philosophy, where, with the support of Muslims, Brahminical forces established temples and resources throughout India.
The Sikh Gurus and the Universal Bond
A central pillar of the address focused on the historical resistance by spiritual leaders against social inequality:
*11th Century: Bhagat Namdev Ji* was the first person who fought against inequality, stating, “I have made everyone my friend; I am a friend of all.”
*14th Century: Guru Ravidas Ji* emphasized that caste, status, wealth, and social divisions cannot determine a person’s spiritual worth, forwarding the vision of Begampura—a society free from caste discrimination, oppression, fear, and inequality. Kabir Das similarly emphasized that the One Creator is our common friend and humanity is one family.
*16th Century: When Babar* arrived to capture the land, Kshatriyas and Brahmins performed puja against the Mughals, claiming Mughal eyes would become blind if they fought. Guru Nanak Sahib documented in the Guru Granth Sahib that *no Mughals' eyes became blinded*. Guru Nanak’s ideology established that our “common friend” is the One Creator (Ik Oankar), teaching that humanity is one because the same Divine Light is present in all:
“The One Creator is our Father; we are all His children.” (Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 611)
This is closely connected to the teaching, “No one is my enemy; no one is a stranger” (Ang 1299). Furthermore, Guru Nanak sought the company of the lowest of the low, partaking of food with families like Bhai Lallo, rejecting the untouchability branded by the Brahminical system.
*Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1699): Chopped the tail of caste*, given a uniform name as a “SINGH” emphasizing human equality, universal brotherhood, and opposition to tyranny. In a political or ideological sense, the principle is framed as: “Our common friend is anyone who stands for equality, justice, human dignity and freedom from oppression; our common enemy is injustice, discrimination and tyranny.” Guru Gobind Singh Ji accepted Rangretas as family members and blood relations, cementing the unique Sikh philosophies of Miri-Piri, Sangat, and Pangat to protect values and culture.
Modern Reformers and Contemporary Representation
Bridging historical philosophy with modern social justice movements, the address incorporated perspectives from Periyar and Kanshiram:
*Periyar’s View*: Our common friend is the person who fights for human equality; *our common enemy is the system that creates discrimination*.
*Kanshiram’s View:* Our common friend is the person, organization, or political force that genuinely works for the social, economic, and political empowerment of the Bahujan—regardless of caste, region, language, or previous political association.
To ground these points in contemporary democracy—which stands on the four pillars of Legislation, Ex*****on, Judiciary, and Media while the constitution guarantees equality, brotherhood, liberty, and justice—the address highlighted stark data regarding representation:
*High Court Appointments Data*: According to recent data tabled in Parliament by the Ministry of Law and Justice, general/upper castes account for roughly *77% to 78% of all High Court judge appointments, Other Backward Classes (OBC) account for roughly 11% to 14%, Scheduled Castes (SC) account for only about 3% to 5%, and Scheduled Tribes (ST) account for roughly 1%* to 2%.
*Administration: In Class 1 administration posts, SC representation stands at 7% and OBC at 4%.*
*Media Leadership*: Across major television networks, print dailies, magazines, and digital news platforms, *approximately 90% of top leadership positions are occupied by general category* (upper-caste) individuals, with comprehensive tracking revealing *0% representation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in core editorial leadership* roles.
*Conclusion*
Concluding the address, Sardar Jeevan Singh urged the student community to take ownership of these values, reminding them that safeguarding equality, liberty, and justice requires active critical engagement with both history and contemporary civic structures.
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