SGPC invites views on jathedars’ appointment

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has urged Sikh intellectuals, organisations and individuals to send suggestions pertaining to the service rules of Takht jathedars.

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It also asked the Central government to decide the pending cases of death row prisoner Balwant Singh Rajoana and other Bandi Sikhs at the earliest.

These decisions were taken during the executive body meeting held at the SGPC headquarters here.

Facing flak over the unceremonious removal of jathedars, the SGPC had announced to frame policy matters on the appointment, jurisdiction and relieving of temporal heads.

The SGPC has appealed to all Sikh organisations, including Damdami Taksal, Nihang Singh bodies, global Sikh institutions and intellectuals residing in India and abroad, to send their suggestions either in person or through the official email info@sgpc.net and WhatsApp number 7710136200 by April 20.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said a large number of suggestions had already been received. “We wait for the wider Sikh community, especially leading Panthic organisations, to participate in this endeavour. A comprehensive policy based on collective opinion and sentiments would be formulated. After the deadline for sending suggestions, a committee would be formed to review the inputs,” he said.

At the meeting, the “policy of delay” being adopted by the Centre in the matter of Balwant Singh Rajoana and other Bandi Sikhs was condemned and termed as “discriminatory behaviour” towards the Sikh minority.

A special resolution was passed demanding that the Supreme Court should be approached, seeking directions for the Centre “to make an immediate decision on the long-pending commutation of Rajoana’s death sentence so that justice can be delivered to him, as he has been on death row since 2007”. The intervention of the PM in the matter was also sought.