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SAD is our ‘sehyogi’, our strong ties will continue: SGPC chief
SGPC chief Dhami said SAD patronised the apex gurdwara body owing to its majority in SGPC general house and the strong relations between the two organisations will remain intact.
AMRITSAR: After being re-elected as chief of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in a high stake annual presidential election held on November 9, Harjinder Singh Dhami made it clear that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patronised the apex gurdwara body owing to its majority in SGPC general house and the strong relations between the two organizations will remain intact. Dhami, who was a SAD nominee in the polls and defeated three-time SGPC president and former senior party leader Bibi Jagir Kaur, spoke to Hindustan Times. While reacting to the SAD leader Sikandar Singh Maluka’s statement that SAD’s alliance can only be possible with the BJP in future, the SGPC chief said, “We will not ally with any organisation which interferes in religious matters of the Sikhs”.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
What will be your priorities during this tenure?
We have launched a drive of ‘Amrit Sanchar’ in all the constituencies of the SGPC. This drive has been intensified in many constituencies, but some constituencies are left. We will complete this task in all constituencies. Secondly, from December 1, we are initiating a signature campaign from the village level and the proformas carrying the signatures will be submitted to the Punjab Governor for release of Sikh prisoners. The fall in the strength of students in the educational institutes of the SGPC, due to the mass migration of youths to developed countries, is another problem for us. So, we are focusing on how to increase students’ strength in our educational institutes. Moreover, we will try to finish the construction work of the sarais of Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) as we have limited rooms for the accommodation of devotees and footfall is increasing. We are also forming an NRI advisory board comprising representatives from various countries to establish links between the SGPC and the Sikh diaspora.
What are the other challenges SGPC is facing?
Earlier, the SGPC faced attacks from the outside, but now it is endangered by insiders. Efforts are being made to damage this organization from the inside. It became apparent in the recently held annual elections of the SGPC. In these elections, the government tried to directly interfere in its matters, but the Khalsa Panth defeated them. Interference in religious matters of a community is very unfortunate. The BJP-led government has taken over the management of Delhi Gurdwaras, Takht Patna Sahib and Takht Hazur Sahib. The same thing happened in Haryana. This is the big challenge.
On the one hand, the SGPC is targeting the BJP-RSS for “interference”, on the other hand, SAD leaders are exploring the possibility of the SAD-BJP alliance again. Will this alliance, if it takes place, be fair?
No question of any alliance. Don’t go by the political statements. There will be no alliance with any organization that interferes with our religious matters. This is a firm stand of the SGPC.
How do you define ties between SAD and SGPC in the present context when it is alleged that the SGPC works under SAD?
The ties are very strong. Our forefathers were very wise, and they formed both organizations with sincerity. All the members of the SGPC are elected on the ticket of the SAD. And the organization has its code of conduct. Whichever organization has a majority in the elected house, all are bound to follow it. And the SAD is our sehyogi (an associate who cooperates with us). It also patronizes us. So, these strong ties will remain forever.
It is alleged that the SGPC has not followed the Akal Takht edict that asked it to launch its channel for the Gurbani telecast from the Golden Temple?
How can SGPC think of not obeying Akal Takht, which is supreme? Our subcommittee is working on it. It is a big project. Till our full-fledged channel is not launched, we are going to launch a YouTube channel in January to broadcast the daily activities of the SGPC and its institutions.
