Amritsar, June 15
The SGPC has ordered high-level probe into the alleged embezzlement of funds in the past.
This was indicated by Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, President, SGPC, here today. “The facts and figures would reveal who had spent the funds of the SGPC meant for the “guru ghar he” said.
Mr Talwandi said the inquiry in this regard was underway and facts would be placed before the Sikh “sangat” after the completion of the inquiry.
It may be mentioned here that a number of cases are pending at the local Sikh gurdwara commission regarding the alleged embezzlement of SGPC funds. The misappropriation of funds and abuse of authority includes excess recruitments in the SGPC, misuse of official vehicle and withdrawal of amount from the Darbar Sahib funds for religious tour to foreign countries.
The recent embezzlement has recently hit the headlines that the management of Anandpur Sahib had purchased rations from a ‘bogus firm’, which existed only on papers. Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, secretary, SGPC had already stated that the matter was being probed and the officials found guilty would be given exemplary punishment.
However, Mr Talwandi has denied that he has any differences with Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar, Akal Takht. He claimed that he held the Sikh clergy and SGPC members in high esteem but alleged that certain newspersons and persons concerned were getting “misleading” news items published for vested interests.
It is pertinent to mention here that Mr Talwandi has recently criticised the Sikh clergy for pronouncing mild ‘tankhah’ (punishment for religious misconduct) to Messers Jeewan Singh, and Chattar Singh, who had been publishing Guru Granth Sahib in gross violation of the hukamnama issued by Akal Takht. The hukamnama, issued by the then Jathedar, Akal Takht Bhai Ranjit Singh, had banned the publication of Guru Granth Sahib by private publishers. However, Messers Jeewan Singh and Chattar Singh, who were declared “tankhayia” by Bhai Ranjit Singh at that time were given a “tankhah” of 10 days comprising cleaning shoes of devotees and utensils and offering “karah parsad” at the Golden Temple and Akal Takht. On this Mr Talwandi had then stated that the Messers Jeewan Singh and Chattar Singh should have been ‘excommunicated” from the Sikh Panth for repeatedly violating the hukamnama.
Though Jathedar Vedanti and other Sikh high priests had not reacted to this, yet the Sikh scholars had described the statement of Jathedar Talwandi as an “unprecedented” step. It was for the first time that any SGPC chief had commented on the hukamnama issued by Akal Takht.
