E-Paper
SGPC holds 3 marches to oppose Haryana gurdwara committee
Upon reaching Akal Takht, Ardas (Sikh prayer) was offered for the Chardi Kala (rising spirit) of the SGPC and success of the struggle in presence of the apex gurdwara body president Harjinder Singh Dhami and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal who led two marches—Takht Kesgarh Sahib and Takht Damdama Sahib respectively.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) organised three protest marches -- from Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, and Gurdwara Manji Sahib, Ambala – that culminated at Akal Takht in Amritsar on Friday evening.
The march was organised to push the Centre to file a review petition or pass a new law to do away with the validation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Committee Act, 2014 by the Supreme Court, recently.
Upon reaching Akal Takht, Ardas (Sikh prayer) was offered for the Chardi Kala (rising spirit) of the SGPC and success of the struggle in presence of the apex gurdwara body president Harjinder Singh Dhami and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal who led two marches—Takht Kesgarh Sahib and Takht Damdama Sahib respectively.
All three protest marches included a convoy of hundreds of cars and buses, in which hundreds of the SGPC employees and SAD workers were present.
The protest march from Haryana’s Ambala was led by SGPC senior vice-president Raghujit Singh Virk.
“The SGPC has carried out these Panthic marches to outline the start of this struggle. It will be intensified so that the Panthic voice reached the ears of the governments,” said Dhami.
“Along with the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party are also involved in the conspiracy to break the SGPC. I appeal to the Sikh Panth to mobilise and raise a united voice against the forces that hurt their institutions, traditions, history, traditions and principles, so that they can be prevented from interfering in Sikh affairs,” said Badal while interacting with media.
He said SAD will support the struggle of SGPC at all levels and will also mobilise people at the village-level.
Senior Akali leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Prem Singh Chandumajra, former SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar, Jagir Kaur, Gobind Singh Longowal, Raghujit Singh Virk, Alwinderpal Singh Pakhoke, Akali leaders Daljeet Singh Cheema, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Virsa Singh Valtoha, Charanjit Singh Brar, Hira Singh Gabaria, Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Gurbachan Singh Babbehali, and a large number of SGPC members participated in the marches.
Shown black flags
Members of the Sikh community protesting against Behbal Kalan firing incident during SAD regime in 2015, showed black flags to Sukhbir’s convoy on Friday. The cavalcade moved without any obstruction.
A group of people are protesting for the last 292 days, demanding justice for the sacrilege of the holy books of Sikhs and police firing on Sikhs during Akali’s regime.
