M A I N   N E W S

Sikh bodies oppose seva by women
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 6
Even as a five-member committee constituted by the SGPC will meet on May 8 to take a decision on the issue of gender discrimination, the SGPC has succeeded in procuring the consent of many Sikh organisations that baptised women should not be allowed to perform seva inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple as per age-old traditions.

Mr Ajaib Singh, Manager, Darbar Sahib, admitted that he had sent a circular to many Sikh organisations seeking their consent on the matter. He said a majority of the organisations in their reports conveyed that the old traditions, which prohibit women from performing seva or kirtan inside the Golden Temple, should continue.

There is no gender discrimination in Sikhism. The Religious Advisory Committee of the SGPC had decided in 1944 that women should be allowed to perform seva in the Golden Temple. Sikh high priests, including the then acting Jathedar, Akal Takht, Prof Manjit Singh, and the present incumbent, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, had led a jatha of US-based women inside the sanctum sanctorum in the mid-nineties for performing seva. However, a lot of hue and cry was raised when two UK-based baptised Sikh women were stopped from performing seva at the Golden Temple. Bibi Mejinderpal Kaur said she had specially come to the Golden Temple on the personal assurance of Jathedar Vedanti, who had told the Sikh sangat of the UK that women were allowed to perform seva as Sikhism did not preach discrimination.

The five-member committee constituted for the purpose included Giani Balwant Singh, Jathedar, Damdama Sahib, Dr Darshan Singh, Dr Khark Singh, Bibi Kartar Kaur and Bibi Amarjit Kaur Sekhwan, both executive members of the SGPC.