Amritsar, September 28, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in its executive committee (EC) meeting has decided to mark the 350th martyrdom day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadar at a large scale. Sharing information after the EC meeting, SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the 350th martyrdom day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadar will be marked next year at a large scale in November 2025.
He said the 350th anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh’s Guruship Day will also be celebrated along with the martyrdom day of true Sikhs of the Guru, Bhai Dayala, Bhai Sati Das, and Bhai Mati Das will also be marked. The congregations in this regard will be organised at Sri Anandpur Sahib at the community level, the outline of which will be drawn soon.
He said that the EC has also taken strict notice of the Meghalaya government’s recommended demolition plans regarding the 200-year-old Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar located in Punjabi Colony at Shillong.
He said that the government should stop this proceeding immediately and ensure the protection of the residential rights of local Sikhs. He has also appealed to the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shri Amit Shah to intervene in this matter and instruct the Meghalaya government to stop anti-Sikh proceedings.
The EC has passed a resolution to reject the Emergency film made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut and asked the government to put a complete ban on it. Advocate Dhami said that in addition to defaming the Sikhs, the character assassination of the community’s martyr Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwala has been done in this film, which the Sikh community cannot tolerate.
This film has been made with the spirit of spewing poison and spreading hatred against the community under the anti-Sikh agenda, which will not be allowed to screen in Punjab at any cost. He said that the Sikhs especially the leadership of Shiromani Akali Dal played a vital role in protesting against the Emergency imposed by the then Congress Prime Minister besides courting arrests.
He also said that the Punjab government should represent the state by banning the Emergency film so that the communal environment remains peaceful. He also asked the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to take notice of Kangana Ranaut’s communal speeches and cancel her membership.
The SGPC President said that when it comes to Sikh concerns in the country, Sikhs are discriminated against; an example of this is the not permitting the release of ‘Punjab 95’ film, based on the life of eminent Sikh leader Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra, even after making hundreds of cuts.
The SGPC President said that in the case of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, even after the decision of the Supreme Court, the Centre government did not take any decision regarding his changing his capital punishment to life and his release.
Now Bhai Rajoana has again filed a petition in the Supreme Court in this case, in which the SGPC will fully support him as earlier. He said that the EC has also expressed its commitment to continue efforts for the release of Bhai Rajoana and the Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners).
Advocate Dhami told about other decisions of the EC that it has decided to develop the Delhi Sikh Mission independently by constructing a state-of-the-art building in the capital of the country, Delhi.
In Delhi, the SGPC Sikh Mission is already functioning at Gurdwara Sri Rakabganj Sahib, but now keeping in mind the requirements, land will be purchased and a building will be constructed, from where the work of Sikh religious preaching will be carried out.
The EC has congratulated Saksham Ghai and Gurveer Singh, two students of Baba Banda Singh Bahadar Engineering College Center, running under the management of SGPC at Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, on passing the National Defense Academy (NDA) examination.
Apart from this, the EC has thanked various organizations of the Khalsa Panth, Damdami Taksal, Nihang Singh Dal, Kar Sewa, Nirmale, Udasi, Sabha Societies, and Sangat who cooperated in the centenary events related to 450th Guruship Day of Sri Guru Ramdas and Joti Jot Diwas of Guru Amardas.
The SGPC strongly condemned the negative attitude adopted by the Aam Aadmi Party government of Punjab during these centenary events. Advocate Dhami said that during the centenary events related to the Gurus, there has always been great cooperation and work by the governments, but the present Punjab government has proved to be a complete failure in this regard.
In the gathering, apart from SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami, senior vice-president Harbhajan Singh Masana, junior vice-president Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, general secretary Bhai Rajinder Singh Mehta, executive committee members Mohan Singh Bangi, Jasmer Singh Lachhru, Khushwinder Singh Bhatia, Indermohan Singh Lakhmirwala, Bibi Malkit Kaur Kamalpur, Amarjit Singh Bhaliapur,
Bibi Jaspal Kaur and Jaswant Singh Purain, OSD Satbir Singh Dhami, secretary Partap Singh, Sukhminder Singh, Kulwinder Singh Ramdas, Gurinder Singh Mathrewal, Tejinder Singh Padda, assistant secretary Gurdial Singh, Gurnam Singh, Jaswinder Singh Jassi, Shahbaz Singh, Harbhajan Singh Vakta, legal adviser Amanbir Singh Siali were present.
