Matter of converting Gurdwara of Sri Guru Nanak into a Buddhist shrine
Committee also formed on issue of misrepresentation of Sikh history in NCERT books
Amritsar : The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has initiated the process of sending a delegation on the matter of converting Gurdwara Guru Nanak Tapasthan, Mechuka, Arunachal Pradesh into a Buddhist shrine. After the matter came to light, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami strongly condemned this mischievous act and demanded action from the government.
SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami has decided to send a high-level delegation to visit Arunachal Pradesh. The SGPC delegation will include SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal, member Advocate Bhagwant Singh Sialka, Sikh historian Colonel Dalvinder Singh Grewal, while assistant secretary Jaswinder Singh Jassi will work as coordinator.
OSD to SGPC President Satbir Singh Dhami in a statement today said that the act of abolishing the existence of the Sikh shrine is extremely worrying, in view of which, SGPC president has decided to send a high-level delegation to the local level for investigation.
He said that the SGPC delegation will visit Mechuka to take stock of the current situation of Gurdwara Guru Nanak Tapasthan and will also discuss the matter with the representatives of the Arunachal Pradesh government. He said that a senior SGPC office-bearer, legal expert, and Sikh scholar has been included in this committee so that the matter can be investigated from all aspects.
Satbir Singh Dhami also said that the SGPC President has formed a committee on the issue of misrepresentation of Sikh history in Class XII NCERT books. This committee will include Dr Inderjit Singh Gogoani, Principal, Khalsa College Senior Secondary School; Chamkaur Singh, Director of Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra Institute of Advanced Studies in Sikhism, Bahadargarh, Patiala; Head of the History Department of Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib; while Jogeshwar Singh, in-charge Sikh Itihas Research Board, SGPC will work as coordinator.
Notably, the Political Science subject book of Class XII of the NCERT has misrepresented Sri Anandpur Sahib Resolution as a document of separatist ideology, regarding which the SGPC has constituted this committee. It is also to be mentioned that earlier, taking notice of the matter, the SGPC has written letters to the Union education minister, education secretary, and Director of NCERT.
