Document #1230350
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
Information on when the Ravi Dass was
formed, its leadership, and its orientation could not be found
among the sources currently available to the DIRB. However,
according to a representative of the Sikh American Information
Centre (SAIC) in San Jose, California, Raidas was a member of the
"untouchable" caste living in India who became a Sikh saint (6 May
1994). The source stated that the writings of Raidas are
incorporated in the Adi-Granth, or Sikh holy book (6 May 1994).
The source stated that Sikhs do not adhere
to the tenets of the caste system, and that largely because of
this, many members of the untouchable caste in India have adopted
Sikhism over the years (ibid.). According to a professor of
political science at McGill University in Montreal, these
individuals are referred to as "Mazhbi" (6 May 1994).
The representative of the SAIC stated that
many "untouchables" were not fully assimilated into mainstream Sikh
communities and that some groups of converts eventually established
their own temples (ibid.). He said that the group also conferred
Guru status upon Raidas thus creating a distinct sect known as Ravi
Dass (6 May 1994). He stated that the main theological difference
between the Ravi Dass and mainstream Sikhs is that the sect reveres
eleven Gurus as opposed to the traditional ten (ibid.). The source
said that to the best of his knowledge, the sect is "passive" and
is not politically active (ibid.).
A representative of the Federation of Sikh
Societies in Canada in Ottawa added that the Ravi Dass in Canada
has been increasingly visible and that the group has recently
bought television air-time (6 May 1994). The representative stated
that main-stream Sikhs and officials generally ignore the sect as a
matter of policy (ibid.). He was unaware of when the sect was
originally formed, its leadership structure and its political
orientation if any (ibid.).
Additional or corroborative information
could not be found among the sources currently available to the
DIRB.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Federation of Sikh Societies in
Canada, Ottawa. 6 May 1994. Telephone interview with
representative.
Professor of political science, McGill
University, Montreal. 6 May 1994. Telephone interview.
Sikh American Information Centre, San
Jose, California. 6 May 1994. Telephone interview with
representative.