Narayanjot ji
First of all Badal and co does not decide who and what is a sikh.
Badal and co may not decide openly who and what is a sikh. Rather they control the SGPC and the Akal Takht who decide what Sikhs should believe, who is a heretic, and the contents of the Sikh Rehat Marayada. This covers a lot. Maybe a thread is needed to explore all of that. So in effect Badal and co do decide covertly as they appoint and sack SGPC members and jathedars. And it is all legal.
It is well known fact that Badal was in favour of sehajdhari sikhs recognised but because of pressure from sant samaj
SGPC did not do that.
This says a lot. Badal was openly in favor of sehajdhari sikhs, but behind the scenes he caved to sant samaj. He is a politician. Sant Samaj has votes and cash. If that is not the case then why have there been so many stories of Badal and his courtship of every so many babas in the past year? SGPC does not take any action without Badal's political interests in mind.
Secondly I don't know How Badal affect the lives of sikhs outside India.If you are pointing towards Hukamnaama's then I am sorry to say even Gurdwara's in India don't obey them
so Sikhs outside India are free to do what they want.
That is interesting. Then why have hukamnamas at all. Is it play-acting? If it is play-acting why?
There are 2 points on this I want to say
1)In sikhism there is democracy in Gurdwara's.which other religion hold elections? We all know that democracy is not good in many circumstances.
Again that is not completely the case. Often court battles have to be waged to challenge corrupt elections in gurdwaras. And other religions do hold elections and/or have democratic processes for governance. Many Protestant denominations elect elders who make decisions regarding a particular congregations. The Society of Friends is notable in this regard but others do as well.
2)Which other religion has its 99% followers from one ethnicity I think very few so comparision of sikhism with other religions is not O.K.
Kanwardeep Singh ji, It is always "OK" to compare religions. Sikhism is compared all the time in this forum, other forums, and in comparative religion forums, courses, courses of study, with other religions. To say it is not OK means taking Sikhism off the table in terms of being able to discuss and analyze. Sikhism has not particular privilege in this regard.
But I think you have put your finger on something very important. Sikhism is a religion with members who are predominately Punjabi or Punjabi in origin. How many times have we heard that the message of Sikhism is universal? If that is the case, then the doors of our minds have to open up and the perspectives of the non-Punjabi should be taken seriously. Otherwise one is saying -- all non-Punjabi Sikhs stand quietly, the real Sikhs are having a discussion, and wait for the Punjabi answer. What other conclusion can I draw?
also many times policies of sikhism will be formed on the basis of where majority live i:e Punjab.Whether the sikhs living in other parts of India or world will like it or not but Truth is numbers hold the power