SGPC decides to mark 100 years of Saka Panja Sahib
Amritar, March 25
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to mark the first centenary anniversary of Saka (massacre) Panja Sahib. The massacre took place at Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib (now in Pakistan) on October 30, 1922.
In the SGPC’s Dharam Prachar Committee (DPC) meeting held here and presided over by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, approval was given to form different committees with regards to organising Gurmat Samagams (religious congregations), publishing religious literature, etc, to mark this centenary.
Dhami said the 100 year anniversary of Shaheedi Saka (martyrdom massacre) that happened at Sri Panja Sahib, Pakistan, will be marked with panthic traditions.
The sub-committees will be formed to plan the programmes dedicated to the occasion and efforts would be made to present different aspects of Saka Sri Panja Sahib through literature and digital method, besides organising the Gurmat Samagams.
Meanwhile, the DPC meeting has also strongly condemned the distorted publication of holy saroop (scripture) of Guru Granth Sahib by a US-based organisation by adding extra lagan and matravan (punctuations) and bindis (dots) to the Gurbani.
“The DPC has taken the issue of distortion of Gurbani seriously and appealed to the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, to call a meeting and issue an order in this regard at the earliest. No one can change Gurbani but USA-based Thaminder Singh Anand has committed this blunder by publishing unauthorised copies of holy scripture and also uploaded it online”, he said.
On more decisions by the DPC, Dhami said arrangements will be made for the Sikligar and Vanjana Sikhs living in Madhya Pradesh, to offer them the pilgrimage to the Sikh shrines located in Punjab, like every year. Moreover, on the demand received from Alwar, Rajasthan, 30 Sikligar Sikh youths would also visit Golden Temple at the expense of the SGPC.
Under the free education scheme of SGPC for the Amritdhari (initiated) Sikh girls at Mata Sahib Kaur Ji Girls College at Damdama Sahib, the DPC will now provide free education to 250 girls instead of 200. Apart from intensifying the preaching of Sikh faith, discussions were also held on Panthak issues.
Those present in the meeting included DPC members Bhai Ajaib Singh, Sukhwarsh Singh, Avtar Singh Vanwala, Tejinderpal Singh, Pritpal Singh, Rampal Singh, Manjit Singh, SGPC secretary Mohinder Singh, DPC secretary Paramjit Singh, OSD to SGPC president Satbir Singh, assistant secretary Kulwinder Singh and others.
Meanwhile, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also held a special meeting with the representatives of Kar Sewa (voluntary service) bodies and urged them to ensure speedy completion of the ongoing works at the historical gurdwars during the discussion. In the meeting, the Kar Sewa representatives shared the information about the ongoing works and the ones that have been completed.
Dhami said the necessary works being done for the convenience of the Sangat (pilgrims) should be completed on priority basis so they do not face any inconvenience.
