M A I N   N E W S

AGPC formation: blow to SGPC
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Oct 11 — After the formation of the Pakistan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PGPC), the formation of the American Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (AGPC) would further dilute the authority of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC).

Both the PGPC and the AGPC have rejected the supremacy of the SGPC which would force the Sikh intellectuals to undergo introspection. Both the Sikh bodies have been formed when the SGPC, its President and the Shiromani Akali Dal are embroiled in one or the other controversy.

The formation of the AGPC is a great setback to the efforts of Sikh leadership which has been endeavouring to enact the All-India Gurdwara Act for covering all historical gurdwaras all over the country. The SGPC has been passing resolutions for enacting the Act for the past 25 years. However, the American Sikhs have totally delinked themselves by forming their own prabandhak committee.

Interestingly, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and member, SGPC, was present at the declaration of the American Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee in the USA.

Takht Patna Sahib and Takht Hazoor Sahib already have their own separate managements and appoint their jathedars without consulting the SGPC. Since Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC Chief, is already evading arrest she has reportedly failed to protect the interests of the SGPC.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee is all set to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in November in a big way. The jathas from all over the world would visit Pakistan in this connection. American radical Sikh Ganga Singh Dhillon met Pakistan’s Chief Executive, Mr Pervez Musharraf, last month and promised him a big jatha from foreign countries.

Mr Parmjit Singh Sarna, a former President, Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee (DGMC), has also said he will lead a jatha of 1100 Sikhs to Pakistan to pay obeisance at various gurdwaras there. The SGPC has stopped sending jathas to Pakistan since April, 1999, in protest against the formation of the PGPC, headed by Mr Javed Nasir, a former head of ISI.

Since Bibi Jagir Kaur failed to handle the issue of the PGPC tactfully, the ban imposed by it on sending jathas would become irrelevant as a big jatha from Delhi would visit Pakistan.

Talking to TNS, Mr Sarna claimed that during his previous meetings with the President of Pakistan and other authorities concerned they agreed to accept all genuine demands of the SGPC. However, due to the indifferent attitude of Bibi Jagir Kaur and Mr Parkash Singh Badal the matter has not been taken up with the Government of Pakistan so far.

Mr Sarna was here to offer a carpet made of pure silk at the Golden Temple, gifted by Mr Mohammad Tarar, President of Pakistan, for the sanctum sanctorum. This carpet was handed over to Mr Sarna by the President of Pakistan during his previous pilgrimage to Pakistan.

The Mardana Cultural Society has announced to send a jatha of 500 Sikhs to Pakistan to celebrate Guru Nanak’s birthday. Though the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) headed by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann has announced to send a jatha to Pakistan yet it is unlikely to materialise due to shortage of time.