Amarjit Thind, Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, September 16. Bibi Jagir Kaur, the first women president of the SGPC, has been espousing the cause of gender equality in performing ‘seva’ in gurdwaras, but with little success.
“I had got the the Dharam Parchar Committee to pass a resolution, paving the way for women to perform kirtan inside the sanctum sanctorum and the ‘seva’ of carrying the Palki Sahib in the mornings. Our Gurus preached equality of man and women. Who are we to decide otherwise?
“But the controversy that erupted over the decision in 2004 was so acerbic that we decided that till a consensus was evolved, the matter be referred to a sub-committee headed by a senior vice- president.”
She said it was unfortunate that the committee had failed to resolve the issue and a report, if any, was yet to see the light of the day.
Bibib Jagir Kaur pointed out that during the time of Guru Hargobind, all spiritual and temporal issues were successful dealt with by Mata Ganga.
