"Sikhi [Sikh Religion] as it is practiced today, is no longer the Sikhi that was taught to us by our Gurus." (Dr. Karminder Singh Dhillon, 'Sikhi Vichar Forum')
The book 'Hijacking of Sikhi' by Dr. Karminder Singh Dhillon describes it in detail. It covers its origins, the distortions, and the present state of distorted Sikhi.
"It is a spirituality that stands distorted, corrupted and tainted. Its scripture – Gurbani – has been distorted through vedic and puranic slants in interpretations and translations; its history muddled in unbelievable tales of miracles called Sakhis, and its religious practices consist of those smuggled in from rejected and discarded rituals of pre-1469 faiths. It’s a faith that has been hijacked from its unique path and equally distinct goals."
Sikh religion (Sikhi) was a revelation for its time and is still relevant today. Human Nature has not changed over centuries. Sad it was misunderstood and distorted by those in charge of it.
"The uniqueness of Sikhi was total and complete. Every aspect of Sikh Spirituality was uniquely different from the then existing ones... In the 207 years of the hijacking, virtually everything about the uniqueness of Sikhi that was constructed by our Gurus in 239 years would be turned on its head. And everything that was rejected would be systematically brought back as accepted religious practices."
Sikhi as practiced today has been reduced to rituals, and distortions and misinterpretations.
"Combined effect of the prolonged efforts of the three deviant groups would be that Sikhi would take on a severely ritualistic mode". "the spiritual plane of Sikhi would be systematically but surely hijacked and taken back to the same destination it intended to break away from."
"Sikhs who have become aware of the hijacking and desire to return to authentic SGGS based Sikhi are looked upon as 'deviants' while the adherents of the hijacked version are considered as “true” and “genuine” Sikhs."
The origins of these was when, "Authentic Sikhs – because there was a price on their heads and limbs – would take refuge in the jungles of Punjab, the desert regions of Rajasthan and the hills of Jammu and Kashmir."
"The void and vacuum would allow Sikh gurdwaras, institutions and virtually everything connected to the Sikh psyche to fall into the hands of THREE groups who were either anti-Sikhi, deviant or even non-Sikhs for a long and continuous period of time."
Most Religious leaders and evangelists are masters of emotions rather than masters of cognition. They emotionally manipulate people with their empty reassurances. They serve 'opium of the masses' (Karl Marx) to keep them sedated, pacified, and dependent on them.