Nanakshahi Calendar row divides Sikh community

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, May 23

Fissures in the Sikh community have come to fore once again with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) observing the Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev on Friday. Meanwhile, a number of Sikh organisations in India and abroad continue to stick to the original Nanakshahi Calendar and are gearing up to observe the event on June 16.

These organisations include American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC), Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), Panthak Talmel Committee, SAD (Delhi) led by Sarna brothers, and radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa. The PSGPC’s move to stick to the original Nanakshahi Calendar has even led to denial of visa to the pilgrims, who were to visit Pakistan as part of the SGPC jatha to observe the ‘gurpurab’ on May 22. The Pak High Commission declined visas to them, contending that the event was being observed in Pakistan on June 16. As a result neither the SGPC nor the DSGMC could send its jatha to Pakistan for the Martyrdom Day this year.

Panthak Talmel Committee, which is an umbrella organisation of various Sikh outfits, has supported the PSGPC for its stand on the calendar issue. Committee convener Giani Kewal Singh termed it as a befitting reply to the anti-Panthic forces. He said, “The Sikh diaspora understands the conspiracies of the anti-Panthic forces, which are misusing the Akal Takht.” He appealed to the Sikhs to observe the event on June 16. Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha executive committee member Gurpreet Singh said, “We appeal to the Sikh sangat to follow ‘Panth Pravanit’ original Nanakshahi Calendar of 2003, as the SGPC and the DSGMC changed the dates, besides distorting the history. They celebrated the Gurta Gaddi Diwas of the sixth Sikh master, Guru Hargobind Sahib on May 11 and the Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev on May 22, after a gap of 11 days, which is historically incorrect.”

A jatha of Sikhs led by SAD (Delhi) chief Paramjit Singh Sarna will be leaving for Pakistan via land route in the second week of June for observing the ‘gurpurab’ on June 16. Incidentally, the PSGPC has also handed over the ‘kar sewa’ of historic Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore to Sarna, which will also start on the same day. It is pertinent to mention here that the PSGPC had rejected the new calendar issued this year on the directions of the Akal Takht.

Meanwhile, the Akal Takht seems to have put the Nanakshahi Calendar row on the backburner. It is pertinent to mention here that the Sikh groups supporting the original Nanakshahi Calendar had opposed this committee, contending that it had critics of the original calendar on board. Talking to The Tribune, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh admitted that the list of committee members was yet to be prepared. He confirmed that some Sikh organisations had not sent the names of their nominees yet. He said, “As soon as we receive the names of their nominees the committee will be announced.” However, SGPC secretary Manjeet Singh said they had already sent the names of their two nominees in the committee. He said the SGPC would proceed forward as soon as the list of committee members was out. “Until the committee is constituted how can its meeting be held?” he added.