M A I N   N E W S

Kharak Singh annoys Sant Samaj
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Jan 20 — Even as the Gurbani Gurmat Sidhant Sant Samaj headed by Baba Kashmira Singh has convened a crucial meeting of representatives of various sects of the Sant Samaj on January 30 at Jalandhar to discuss the controversial Nanakshahi calendar, Baba Mangal Singh Satlani, acting president of the Samaj, has demanded immediate removal of Dr Kharak Singh as convener of the 11-member sub-committee on the ‘jantri’ for announcing his “judgement” on the issue.

Talking to TNS here today, Baba Mangal Singh said Dr Kharak Singh had violated the Akal Takht directives with his unilateral statement on the controversial calendar without taking other members into confidence.

He said while four subject experts were yet to be inducted in the re-constituted committee, the newly appointed convener of the panel, Dr Kharak Singh, had given ample indication that the “Nanakshahi calendar would be implemented without much changes.”

Baba Mangal Singh announced that the Sant Samaj would continue to celebrate birth anniversaries and other Sikh festivals on the basis of the Bikrami Samvat. Representatives of the Sant Samaj would shortly meet Giani Puran Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, for necessary action against Dr Kharak Singh for his “pre-judgement”.

The meeting of the SGPC executive, five Sikh High Priests and representatives of the Dharam Parchar Committee at a meeting held at Akal Takht last week had re-constituted the seven-member sub-committee on the calendar issue.

While recasting the panel, the name of Baba Mangal Singh Satlani was deleted. The representatives of the Sant Samaj had bitterly criticised the SGPC for the action.

Baba Mangal Singh alleged his name was deleted at the behest of Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC chief, as he (Baba Mangal Singh) was in favour of following the Bikrami Samvat.

The controversy over the calendar issue is likely to snowball with the Sant Samaj hardening its stand, which is diametrically opposite to that of the SGPC.

Earlier Giani Puran Singh had stalled the implementation of the Nanakshahi calendar till a consensus was reached among representatives of various Sikh bodies. While the Jathedar supports the Bikrami Samvat, the SGPC is in favour of the Nanakshahi calendar authored by Canada-based Pal Singh Purewal.