World Bank President Ajay Banga, a devout Sikh, is facing an unprecedented spiritual and political trial as tensions rise between Pakistan and India over the Indus Waters Treaty. With his religious roots deeply tied to the sacred waters of Punjab and his professional obligations seated in global diplomacy, Banga finds himself at a moral crossroads.

Sikh teachings revere water not merely as a resource but as a spiritual essence, manifest in places like Panja Sahib. As the guardian of the World Bank’s neutral stance, Banga’s recent assertion that the institution is “only a mediator” has alarmed many within the Sikh community, who fear he may capitulate to the Modi government’s agenda at the cost of Punjab’s rivers and farmers.

The concern is not just political—it is spiritual. Sikh doctrine teaches that “Water is the giver of life”. The Sikh community now questions whether Banga will honor the principle of (well-being for all) or prioritize international diplomacy over his people’s lifeline.

As a Sikh leading a global institution, Banga’s decisions may shape not only regional geopolitics but also his standing in Sikh history. Will he nourish Modi’s lotus, or protect the rivers of Guru Nanak’s land?

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