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Special Meeting Terms Government Action a ‘Direct Challenge’ to Sikh Authority
Amritsar: The executive committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday convened a special meeting and strongly condemned the Punjab government’s decision to register an FIR in the case of 328 missing ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib. The committee described the move as a direct challenge to the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikhs, and an unwarranted interference in the administrative and religious domain of the SGPC.
Resolution Alleges “Political Exploitation” of a Settled Issue
Presided over by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, the meeting passed a resolution asserting that all necessary action regarding the sacred ‘saroops’ had already been completed as per the directives of the Akal Takht.
However, the SGPC said the involvement of ministers, the Speaker, and MLAs in an ongoing protest on Heritage Street, and their instructions to register an FIR, clearly indicated that the government was exploiting the issue for political mileage.
Dhami: Issue Is About Financial Misappropriation, Not Sacrilege
Dhami reiterated that the matter does not concern sacrilege or missing ‘saroops’, but rather financial misappropriation by a few employees.
He alleged that presenting the issue as sacrilege was part of a political conspiracy aimed at defaming the SGPC and hurting Sikh sentiments, accusing the current Punjab government of being fully involved in this agenda.
Akal Takht Inquiry Had Already Identified Employee Misconduct
Recalling the findings of the earlier inquiry by a committee headed by advocate Dr Ishar Singh, Dhami noted that the report had clearly pointed out that certain employees of the SGPC’s publication department, motivated by personal greed, had attempted—unsuccessfully—to cover up their actions.
Based on this report, the SGPC had already taken steps, including Executive Committee Resolution No. 466 dated August 27, 2020, and had also ordered legal proceedings against some employees.
