Gobind Singh Longowal must quit: Sikh bodies

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 17

Targeting the SGPC and SAD, several Sikh organisations held a ‘Panthic congregation’ at Akal Takht today, unanimously demanding that SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal and all executive members should quit on moral grounds over the disappearance of 328 ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib.

They also demanded that the investigation report be made public and criminal proceedings be initiated against the “guilty” SGPC officials. Interestingly, some SGPC members and Haryana Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee members also showed solidarity with them and attended the meeting.

On the other hand, easing the tension, the SGPC removed the barricades put up to obstruct the movement on the Golden Temple routes in the wake of another group of Sikh activists holding a sit-in outside the entrance gate of Teja Singh Samundri Hall that houses the SGPC headquarters.

Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh said the organisations unanimously held Longowal, the SGPC executive and SAD leadeship responsible for the disappearance of ‘saroops’. “We want that Longowal and SGPC executive should submit their resignations tomorrow when they go to Akal Takht for atonement. Otherwise, we will stage a dharna outside the residence of Longowal on September 22,” he said.

The Sikh organisations also said that on September 28, they would be present at all the entry points of the Golden Temple complex when the SGPC would hold its budget session.