Amritsar, August 16 – The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) raised sharp questions to the Government of India after passing a resolution in its executive meeting today, in the cases of Balwant Singh Rajoana who is facing the death penalty and other Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners) and also decided to send a report of the entire matter to Akal Takht the highest Sikh temporal seat.
Addressing the press conference after the SGPC executive meeting, the SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the Government of India is deliberately oppressing and doing injustice to the Sikhs. A big example of this is the discrimination adopted in the matter of releasing Sikh prisoners. He said that this matter was seriously discussed in the executive meeting and it was agreed that a detailed report should be sent to Akal Takht Sahib in this regard so that the Jathedars would provide lead according to the community’s sentiments.
He said that although the SGPC has been raising its voice for the release of Sikh prisoners for a long time and is taking up the matter at all levels, the sad aspect is that the five-member committee formed by Akal Takht Sahib to take up the cases of Rajoana and other Sikh prisoners with the Centre government, has not been given any positive response by the government despite continuous efforts made by the panel.
He said that in response to the letter sent to the Prime Minister for an appointment, his office asked the SGPC to contact the Home Minister’s office. After correspondence with the Ministry of Home Affairs, at the beginning of February of this year, the five-member panel was given a schedule for a meeting. However, this meeting was cancelled a day before the scheduled time and the SGPC had to cancel the booked flights. Even after this, no response is given on continuous efforts to meet with the Home Minister. He said this negative attitude is not good. The SGPC executive strongly condemns this attitude and now it has been decided to send one final representation to the President of India, requesting to decide on the petition filed in the case of Bhai Rajoana in 2012. He said that the SGPC executive has increased the monthly honorarium of Rs 20,000 given to Sikh prisoners to Rs 40,000 per month.
The SGPC president also strongly criticized the Haryana government’s arbitrary re-nomination of members of the ad-hoc committee of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. He said that the apprehension expressed by the SGPC earlier that the government would manage the Gurdwaras in Haryana in its way is proving to be true. He said the Haryana Gurdwara Committee formed by splitting the SGPC has become a government committee instead of being a Panthic body. The community should strongly oppose it so that the management of the Gurdwaras in Haryana can be done according to the Panthic sentiments.
About other decisions of the SGPC executive, Harjinder Singh Dhami said that in the recent past, devotee volunteer servant Balbir Singh received burn injuries and died, as he fell into the boiling water cauldron at Langar Sri Guru Ramdas Ji and in his matter, a condolence resolution was passed besides it was decided to give an aid of Rs 5 lakh to his family and job to one family member. He said similarly, Talwinder Singh received burn injuries and died during treatment after a gas leak incident at Gurdwara Jamani Sahib, Ferozepur, therefore, it was decided to give aid of Rs 5 lakh to his family and a job to one family member. Those who got injured in the Ferozepur Gurdwara gas leak incident will be provided aid of Rs 75,000 each.
The SGPC President said that the executive has also decided to honour Jarmanpreet Singh with Rs 5 lakh, for being a Sabat Soorat (with unshorn hair maintaining Sikh identity) Sikh player of the Indian Hockey team which won bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Apart from this, it was decided to give a 4% dearness allowance to the SGPC employees. He said that in September this year, a religious congregation will be organised on the 100th birth anniversary of Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra, former SGPC President.
The SGPC President also said that the ancient historical building associated with the history of Sri Guru Arjan Dev near Gurdwara Kothri Sahib related to Gurdwara Chohla Sahib in Tarn Taran Sahib will be preserved and the services of heritage experts will be taken for this task.
