Amritsar, June 14
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has refused to grant recognition to the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) headed by Lt-Gen Javed Nasir (Retd), a former ISI Chief, unless it finalises its constitution approved by various Sikh institutions.
In a three-paged report submitted to SGPC chief Jang Bahadur Singh, executive member, and Mr Raghbir Singh, Additional Secretary (leader and deputy leaders of the Sikh jatha, respectively, which visited Sikh shrines in connection with the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev), said they had neither represented nor accepted ‘siropas’ (robe of honour) from officials of the PSGPC. They, however, said that they had held meetings with PSGPC Chairman Javed Nasir and Mr Sham Singh, Co-Chairman, to discuss various issues at length.
The report urged the SGPC chief to take up the issue with the Government of Pakistan to re-establish the supremacy of the SGPC. The report said the PSGPC Chairman had admitted that the SGPC was supreme.
The report asked Jathedar Talwandi to take up with Pakistan issue of restoring the Sikh ‘maryada’ in all gurdwaras there. The leader and deputy leader suggested that the Government of Pakistan should be asked to allow at least 51 priests every month on rotation to perform religious rites as per the ‘maryada’ (Sikh tradition). The SGPC felt that the priests appointed by the Aukar Board, Pakistan, were not well-versed in Sikh ceremonies. The jatha leaders also suggested that the Government of Pakistan be told that the ‘langar’ (community kitchen) be prepared as per the Sikh ‘maryada’ in all Sikh shrines in Pakistan.
An advance party must be sent to Pakistan for making arrangements before Sikh devotees reached there and all arrangements in Pakistan gurdwaras be made through Sikh ‘sewadars’. It also emphasised the need to make arrangements for ‘amrit sanchar’ in Pakistani gurdwaras. For the sake of Pakistani Sikhs, stalls should be arranged for the sale of Sikh symbols.
In a significant suggestion, the leaders of the jatha said the Government of Pakistan should be asked to keep accounts of the offerings (golak) collected at the time of the visit of Sikh jathas so that the money could be spent on the improvement of Pakistani gurdwaras. It may be mentioned here that earlier, the SGPC would bring the ‘golak’ (the money box) to Amritsar. The practice was stopped after the formation of the PSGPC in 1999. The report suggested that efforts should be made for renovation of Sikh shrines in dilapidated condition.
For this purpose, a committee should be formed which should be sent to Pakistan for taking up various issues with Pakistan officials. It also suggested that the SGPC should call leaders of various societies which send jathas to Pakistan for better coordination.
The report stated that they (the leader and deputy leader) had told the Pakistan media on reaching Wagah (Pakistan) that the SGPC could not accord recognition to the PSGPC unless it framed its constitution and got the same approved by the SGPC.
