M A I N   N E W S

SGPC absolves clergy of graft
Advisory committee formed to advise jathedars
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 4
Even as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has absolved the Sikh high priests of corruption charges, a Dharmik Salahkar Committee (religious advisory committee) has been found to scrutinise religious matters before they are taken up by Akal Takht.

Though the SGPC has been dilly-dallying on the formation of the advisory committee for more than a year, it was necessitated after charges of corruption were levelled against the Sikh clergy. Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, SGPC chief, had already told the Sikh high priests that they should not have taken up the case of rape which had snowballed into a big controversy. The committee would advise the Jathedars of Akal Takht on religious matters.

The five-member committee comprises Giani Joginder Singh Talwara, Prof Bikram Singh, Mr Charan Singh, Giani Sher Singh and Principal Ram Singh.

Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Badungar said there was no point in seeking the resignation of Sikh high priests on moral grounds. Giving a clean chit to the Sikh clergy on the issue of corruption, Mr Badungar said the members of the Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat (SKP) had no authority to seek the resignations. “What authority does the SKP has to compel the Sikh clerics to step down when corruption charges have been found to be baseless?”, he said.

Taking a serious view of the ultimatum served on Sikh high priests by the SKP, Mr Badungar said there was no precedent in Sikhism that any person or organisation would stage a protest dharna in front of the residences of Sikh high priests. The SKP must know the traditions of Sikhism, he said.

The SGPC has formed two most advisory committees, on education and finance.

The Educational Advisory Committee comprises Dr Jodh Singh, Principal Jagmohan Singh Walia, Principal Daljinder Singh Grewal, Prof Harinder Singh Mehboob. Mr Harwinder Paul Singh Pakhoke and Bibi Kiranjot Kaur. The members of the finance Advisory Committee are Mr Mohinder Singh Romana, Mr Jaswinder Singh, Advocate, Mr Harinder Singh Dhami, Bibi Kartar Kaur and Bibi Tejinder Kaur.

In another development, the Dharam Prachar Committee of the SGPC has chalked out an ambitious programme to check the influence of so-called godmen. All Sikh high priests would ensure the propagation of the faith in the right perspective.

The SGPC has also released copies of the letters of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, which suggest that the time is not congenial to send SGPC delegations to Pakistan and Afghanistan for the kar seva of the Sikh shrines in these countries.