The Tribune – End calendar confusion, more Sikh bodies urge SGPC

G S Paul, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 16. The American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) has urged the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to amicably resolve the controversy over the amended Nanakshashi Calendar. It said all Sikh outfits across the globe should be taken into confidence before introducing any amendment in the calendar.

Yesterday, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) had aired similar views. It has been at loggerheads with the SGPC over the calendar issue since the last over two years. As a result, it has been observing various Sikh rituals as per the original calendar.

While the SGPC observed Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom day on June 12, the PSGPC commemorated the occasion today at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore.

Speaking to The Tribune on the phone from Pakistan, AGPC coordinator Pritpal Singh said Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh should work out a consensus among various bodies to end the confusion.

PSGPC president Sham Singh said Sikh outfits all over the world should be taken in the loop before finalising key issues related to the Panth.

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The Tribune – Operation Bluestar; Memorial incomplete sans contemporary history, says Taksal’s Sangrawa faction

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 7. The Sangrawa faction of the Damdami Taksal today observed the 29th anniversary of Operation Bluestar at its headquarters in Sangrawa and demanded that Sikh history from 1978 till date should be showcased at the Operation Bluestar Memorial. The faction has termed the memorial “incomplete” without it.

Addressing a gathering, Taksal faction head Baba Ram Singh announced that they would make a documentary which would portray the Sikh struggle from 1978 till date.

Earlier, the faction had supported the move to engrave the name of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the memorial building during its meeting on May 24. It had also demanded that a list of names of all those killed in the army operation should be put up at the memorial. It had also urged the SGPC to set up a committee of intellectuals so that history could be properly presented at the memorial so that future generations could draw inspiration from it.

The programme to mark the Operation Bluestar anniversary at Sangrawa was also attended by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and former Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti.

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The Tribune – Memorial row casts shadow on Bluestar anniversary

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar/Chowk Mehta, June 6. The Operation Bluestar Memorial row cast a shadow over the programme organised to mark the 29th anniversary of the Army operation at Akal Takht and Chowk Mehta, which passed off peacefully.

The scene at Akal Takht and Chowk Mehta, the headquarters of the Damdami Taksal, presented contrasting pictures. While the Taksal was enthusiastic to observe the event after constructing the memorial, the SGPC treaded with caution. The rift between SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar and Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa over the memorial also came to the fore, as Makkar sat inside Akal Takht, but the Baba stayed outside.

In his message to the community, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said the wounds of Operation Bluestar were still fresh. “If August 15 is a day of celebrations for the countrymen, June 6 is the day of grief for Sikhs.” He said the country’s justice and administrative system had alienated the community.

Supporters of SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjeet Singh Mann resorted to intense sloganeering in support of Khalistan. There was also a minor scuffle between Mann supporters and the SGPC task force, when the latter prevented them from heading towards Akal Takht.

On the other hand, the Taksal put up an impressive show of strength at Chowk Mehta where thousands attended the congregation at Gurdwara Guru Darshan Parkash. Representatives of Sant Samaj and SGPC members attended the programme, while radicals also rallied behind Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa. A resolution was also passed justifying the naming of the Operation Bluestar Memorial after Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

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The Tribune – Save Bhullar, Takht chief urges Badal Government

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 27. Akal Takht chief, Giani Gurbachan Singh, today asked the state government and the SGPC to step up efforts to save Devinderpal Singh Bhullar from the gallows because of his medical condition.

A medical report by a committee set up by the Central Government has said that Bhullar is suffering from severe depression with psychotic symptoms and suicidal tendencies. The jathedar said the government should hand over the medical report to the President so that Bhullar’s mercy petition is accepted.

He said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal should approach the Central Government on the matter.

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The Tribune – Will take up frisking issue with government: Italian envoy

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 11. Italian envoy Daniele Mancini has assured Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh of taking up the issue of frisking turbaned Sikhs at airports in Italy with his government.

Mancini along with his family was here to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. He also visited the Jathedar’s residence in the holy complex. Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh raised the issue with the envoy and said it hurt Sikh sentiments as the turban was a religious symbol for the community. He said modern gadgets could be adopted to do away with the practice of taking off Sikhs’ turbans for intensive checking.

Mancini said he would take up the issue on a priority basis as over 2.30 lakh Punjabis resided in Italy. He said over 50 gurdwaras were situated in the country.

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The Tribune – ‘Ban’ on kirpan: Sikh clergy summons US gurdwara chief

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 25. Taking serious note of the alleged ban on ‘kirpan’ at Gurdwara of Rochester, the Sikh clergy today directed the gurdwara management committee chief, Santokh Singh Badesha, to appear before the Akal Takht within a month and clarify on the court orders in this regard.

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said though they received a letter from Badesha, saying that there was no ban on ‘kirpan’, the Sikh high priests have asked him to personally appear before the Akal Takht and give his clarification along with relevant documents.

Warning issued

The clergy has warned him of action as per ‘Gurmaryada’ if he fails to follow their directions. Earlier, it was alleged that the board of trustees of the Gurdwara of Rochester had itself got a ban imposed on wearing ‘kirpan’ in the shrine.

Sacrilege in Pakistan

The Sikh high priests have also taken a note of reports of sacrilege pouring in from the gurdwaras in neighbouring Pakistan. The Akal Takht Jathedar said the SGPC has already written a letter to the Pakistan government as well as Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The meeting saw serious deliberations on the issue, following which the PSGPC was directed to pay attention towards managing gurdwara affairs in a proper manner.

Restricting loudspeakers

The Sikh clergy has also directed all the gurdwaras to restrict the volume of loudspeakers within the premises so that it doesn’t cause any inconvenience to students and patients.

Ban on use of scent

In another move, the Sikh high priests have directed the Sikh Sangat not to spray scent during the Holla Mohalla celebrations at the Golden Temple on March 28, contending that some scents also have alcohol content, which is tantamount to sacrilege.

Website launch deferred

The launch of the Akal Takht’s website, which was to take place today, has been postponed to April 1. It will be inaugurated by SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.

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The Tribune – ‘Kar sewa’ begins at Gurdwara Thara Sahib

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 18. The SGPC today handed over the ‘kar sewa’ of Gurdwara Thara Sahib, located in the Golden Temple Complex, to Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh.

The work was inaugurated in the presence of Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar.

The Gurdwara Thara Sahib is located right next to the upcoming Operation Bluestar memorial. While the SGPC is contending that the ‘kar sewa’ of the gurdwara is being done as its building is in a bad shape, it is being seen by many as a bid to facilitate the construction of a dome atop the memorial.

As per the ‘maryada’, the memorial could not have a dome atop it as Gurdwara Thara Sahib too didn’t have one.

However, Makkar denied this and said the gurdwara building was not in a good shape and, thus, needed to be rebuilt.

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The Tribune – Reining in the menace; Anti-drug drive: BKU seeks Takht’s support

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 18. A delegation of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), headed by its president Balbir Singh Rajewal, today met Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and urged him to support their anti-drug campaign in Punjab.

Rajewal said they would launch a drive in March in support of their demands aimed at curbing the drug menace. He said if the state government failed to respond favourably to their demands, they would stage an indefinite dharna in the state capital.

Highlighting their demands in a memorandum submitted to the Jathedar, Rajewal said the government should order closure of chemist shops in villages which did not have any doctor as most of these shops were resorting to selling banned drugs.

He said the government should initiate measures to curb drug addiction instead of boosting its revenue through auction of liquor vends.

The Jathedar said he would discuss the matter in the next meeting of the Sikh clergy and issue an edict aimed at curbing drug addiction.

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The Tribune – Sirsa violence: Takht wants accused arrested

G S Paul, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 14. Taking cognisance of a clash between Dera Sacha Sauda followers and Sikhs in Sirsa about a month ago, the five high priests today directed the Haryana Government to arrest all those accused in the case.

The issue came up for discussion during a meeting of the high priests here, which was headed by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.

The Jathedar said the issue was deliberated after Sikh leaders from Haryana informed that the police did not take any action except for registering a complaint against the offenders. The clash was triggered by a minor accident involving vehicles of a Dera follower and a local Sikh.

The Dera followers reportedly pelted a gurdwara with stones, following which the Sirsa administration had to impose curfew. The meeting pondered over maintaining sanctity of Guru Granth Sahib. It was learnt that in a few villages the holy scriptures were consigned to flames to perform last rites without SGPC’s permission.

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The Tribune – No gurdwaras on caste lines, warns Akal Takht

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 15. The Sikh high priests recently directed the community not to raise gurdwaras on the basis of caste as it would create a divide in the Sikh community. They warned that strict action would be initiated against those violating this edict of the Akal Takht.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said: “It has been brought to our notice that the people are not allowed to pay obeisance in a some gurdwaras because of their caste. This is wrong. The gurdwaras belong to all and anyone from any religion or caste can visit a gurdwara. No gurdwara committee can stop anybody from offering reverence at the shrine.”

The Sikh clergy ostracised Bhai Dharam Singh Nihang for posting a video on YouTube questioning the authenticity of Guru Granth Sahib.

The Jathedar said Bhai Dharam Singh had been summoned to clarify on the issue a number of times, but in vain.

“We have decided to ostracise him. The Sikh Sangat should neither keep any contact with him, nor invite him to any religious or social event.”

The Sikh high priests also directed the management committee of Gurdwara Khalsa Prakash, Windsor (Ontario, Canada), to allow all to pay obeisance at the shrine.

Shiromani Panthic Council chairman Manjeet Singh Calcutta hailed the Akal Takht edict directing the Sikhs not to raise gurdwaras on the basis of caste. He said the Takht should ensure that this was implemented at the ground level.

Fears on Bluestar memorial baseless, says Damdami Taksal

Reacting to the recent statements of various political parties over the Operation Bluestar Memorial, Damdami Taksal Chief Baba Harnam Singh today termed their apprehensions regarding it as ‘totally baseless’.

In a statement, Baba Harnam Singh said the gurdwara being raised in the memory of Operation Bluestar would be in consonance of the traditions of Shri Harmandar Sahib and Shri Akal Takht, he added.

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