E-Paper
SGPC defers Dec 20 protest for Sikh prisoners’ release
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to defer the December 20 protest, called in New Delhi to press for the release of Sikh prisoners and commutation of the death sentence awarded to Beant Singh assassination convict Balwant Singh Rajoana.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to defer the December 20 protest, called in New Delhi to press for the release of Sikh prisoners and commutation of the death sentence awarded to Beant Singh assassination convict Balwant Singh Rajoana.
The decision to defer the protest was taken in wake of a letter sent to the Akal Takht jathedar by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Harmeet Singh Kalka, who is part of the five-member committee formed to hold talks with the Centre on the release of Sikh prisoners.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said that though the protest was earlier scheduled for December 20, it is now being postponed in the larger interest of the Sikh Panth (community). “The SGPC does not want any differences to arise within the five-member committee,” he said.
Dhami said the SGPC had received nearly 26 lakh signatures during its campaign for the release of Sikh prisoners and these were to be handed over to the President of India on December 20. He said this had been decided by the SGPC executive committee during a meeting on December 3, even before the five-member committee was constituted by Akal Takht on December 6.
The SGPC president said a large number of Panthic organisations, Shiromani Akali Dal, Kar Sewa organisations, Nihang organisations, Damdami Taksal, federations, and farmers’ unions had expressed their commitment to participate in the protest.
Martyrdom fortnight
It was also announced that from December 16 to December 31, the martyrdom fortnight of Sahibzadas (sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru), no special person will be honoured and only simple food items will be served in the langar. Even sweet dishes will not be prepared during this time.
