Shifting of birs to Mithapur village takes political colour

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 17

The shifting of four birs of Guru Granth Sahib from a gurdwara at Kalgidhar Avenue to Mithapur village on Monday evening reportedly by the father of Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment Pargat Singh has taken a political turn. 

The gates of the eight-year-old gurdwara on 66-feet road have been locked. SAD leaders have been holding protest over the issue since last night. The 15-marla gurdwara land is reportedly owned by an NRI known to the Pargat’s family.

Akali leaders including former district president Gurcharan S Channi and various Sikh organisations on Tuesday alleged that the MLA deliberately got the birs shifted as he owns land on the backside of the gurdwara. “Once gurdwara is shifted, Pargat could get a direct approach to his property from the main road and thus add more market value to it,” came the allegations. Akali leaders Sarabjit Makkar and Sukhminder Rajpal too were among those who have been raising the issues. 

Channi said while the MLA had been maintaining that there was a samadh on the backside of the gurdwara. “Ideally, he should get the samadh shifted rather than the gurdwara,” he added.

Pargat reacted to the episode saying, “We took the decision after taking the residents into confidence. There have been two-three incidents of theft and we were wary of another mishap. There were other issues too. Satkar Committee had visited the premises and raised issue of samadh being in the same compound. Also, there has been a movement of one village one gurdwara. There are five gurdwaras already in Mithapur. So, we chose to close this one.” 

He also added that, “It being sangrand yesterday, we chose this day. Performing ardas and with due respect, we got the birs shifted.”

Pargat maintains that he has no intention of using the gurdwara land for his own interests. “We now may open a dispensary or a library here”, he said.