E-Paper
Dhami re-elected SGPC president for third term
Of the total polled 137 votes, Dhami bagged 118, his opponent Balbir Singh Ghunas bagged 17 while two votes were cancelled. The election session was conducted at the SGPC headquarters Teja Singh Samundri Hall. Of the total 152 members, 137 attended it. The opposition fielded Ghunas but its vote percentage dipped in comparison to last year when its candidate and three times president Jagir Kaur got 42 votes of the total 146.
Harjinder Singh Dhami was today elected president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for the third consecutive term during the annual General House session for the election of the SGPC office-bearers.
Of the total polled 137 votes, Dhami bagged 118, his opponent Balbir Singh Ghunas bagged 17 while two votes were cancelled. The election session was conducted at the SGPC headquarters Teja Singh Samundri Hall. Of the total 152 members, 137 attended it. Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh also made a presence on the occasion as per the protocol, while Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh skipped it.
The opposition fielded Ghunas but its vote percentage dipped in comparison to last year when its candidate and three times president Jagir Kaur got 42 votes of the total 146.
SGPC member Harbhajan Singh Masana was elected unopposed as senior vice-president, Gurbakhsh Singh Khalsa as junior vice-president and Rajinder Singh Mehta as general secretary in the house. Elected 11 members of the SGPC’s executive committee are Mohan Singh Bangi, Raghbir Singh Saharanmajra, Jasmer Singh Lachhru, Khushwinder Singh Bhatia, Bibi Hardeep Kaur Khokh, Indermohan Singh Lakhmirwala, Gurpreet Singh Jhabbar, Bibi Malkit Kaur Kamalpur, Amarjit Singh Bhalaipur, Bibi Jaspal Kaur, and Jaswant Singh Purain. Most of them are new faces.
Talking to the media after being elected as president, Dhami said this time is challenging for the community, as the general elections of the SGPC are coming ahead and there are also many panthic issues. He said that whether it is the central government or the Punjab government, interference is being made in the voter registration process. He raised the apprehension that with the Gurdwara Election Commission giving little time for SGPC’s voter registration process, it appears to be the government’s “intention to register fewer Sikh voters so that they are shown as a minority in Punjab”.
Responding to a question from the media, the SGPC president said that today’s election result of SGPC office-bearers shows that the entire party members are united and trust their party.
He clarified the priorities of SGPC’s future plans and work to be done and said that along with religious preaching, health and education will be progressed under new measures. Moreover, building new sarais (inns) for the “sangat” arriving at Sri Darbar Sahib will also be on the agenda. He said that there are many other community-related tasks to be done. He said that according to the need, administrative reforms will also be made.
During the general house, Dhami read the resolutions passed by the house, which include a resolution regarding the release of Sikh prisoners. Moreover, a resolution demanded simplification of SGPC’s voter registration process besides increasing the time for registration, ending the discrimination against the Punjabi language, taking care of Sikh heritage in Pakistan, and standing in favour of Punjab on water issues especially the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.
Realising the need for the participation and cooperation of the community members in the country and abroad for the expansion of this institute, it was announced to establish a special fund, so that every year hundreds of Sikhs can be prepared for competitive examinations for free of cost.
A resolution was also passed asking the government to give special attention to improving the condition of the roads and surroundings of the Golden Temple.
SGPC members from the opposition also shared their views but they were not made audible on live telecast of the session. Like last year, the media was not allowed to enter Teja Singh Samundri Hall to cover the session proceedings.
