The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Monday announced to set up presses in foreign countries to print the holy saroops of Guru Granth Sahib there on the long-pending demand of the Sikh diaspora.
In a meeting, the SGPC executive committee decided to print the saroops in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and some European countries. “The sangat (devotees) in various countries was demanding holy saroops for the gurdwaras. Keeping this in mind, the decision of setting up printing presses was taken after a thorough discussion,” said SGPC president Jagir Kaur after the meeting.
As per an edict issued by the Akal Takht in 1998, the rights of printing the saroops were reserved with the SGPC and any other institution seeking to do so had to take permission of the apex gurdwara body which decided to retain the rights with it only.
Recently, printing holy ‘saroops’ in Surrey in Canada in defiance of Akal Takht’s edict had angered the Sikhs who apprehended alterations in the copies.
“The decision was taken due to the problems faced while sending the holy saroops abroad. Now, the printing will be carried out under the supervision of the SGPC in different countries,” Kaur added.
{{/usCountry}}“The decision was taken due to the problems faced while sending the holy saroops abroad. Now, the printing will be carried out under the supervision of the SGPC in different countries,” Kaur added.
{{/usCountry}}They will also make arrangements to send the saroops to various states in India by road, she added.
The gurdwara body will also install a portrait of slain American Sikh police officer Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal who was shot dead on duty during a traffic stop, in the Central Sikh Museum in the shrine complex, Kaur said. Dhaliwal, 42, was the first Sikh sheriff deputy in Harris county that has a population of over 10,000 Sikhs.
He had made national headlines when he was allowed to grow a beard and wear a turban on the job. Portraits of Nankana Sahib massacre martyrs Ishar Singh and jathedar Amar Singh will also installed in the museum, it was decided. The SGPC also announced to grant ₹10 lakh to raise a memorial of Dhaliwal at his native village in Punjab.
Welcoming Pakistan’s move to allow the vaccinated pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, through the corridor, Jagir kaur said India should also reopen the passage from its side.
Offers to rehabilitate evacuated from Afghan Sikhs
Extending help to the Sikhs stranded in Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover, the SGPC offered to rehabilitate members of the community being evacuated from the war-torn country. “Apart from accommodation and langar in serais, we are committed to provide every possible help to them. Besides, we will make arrangements to provide them employment,” gurdwara body chief Jagir Kaur said.