SGPC proposal on norms for Takht Jathedars not new

Amritsar, May 21

The SGPC proposal to set up a panel for setting appointment rules and code of conduct for Takht Jathedars in not a new move.

Earlier, in January 2015, SGPC had constituted a panel to set up rules for the appointment, jurisdiction, conduct and relieving of the Jathedars. The move to form an expert panel was taken after the dismissal of the then Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, who had favoured the original Nanakshahi calendar that incidentally had not gone down well with the SAD leadership.

The panel members appointed then were Balwant Singh Dhillon, former Director of Centre on Study in Guru Granth Sahib, Punjabi University; Prof Jaspal Singh, former vice-chancellor; Kirpal Singh, a Sikh historian; Prithipal Singh Kapur, former pro-VC, Guru Nanak Dev University, and Balkar Singh, a Patiala-based historian. The then SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh was appointed as co-ordinator.

Sources said that except for one meeting that was held at Anandpur Sahib where it was decided to invite suggestions from intellectuals from various quarters through e-mail, but no follow-up action was taken.