AMRITSAR: Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has been elected as the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for the fifth consecutive time during the annual election of office bearers of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami won by securing 117 votes out of the total 136 votes cast during the election held during the general session in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at Teja Singh Samundari Hall within Golden Temple complex here today.
Mithu Singh Kahneke, who was contesting the election for the presidency, got 18 votes, while 1 vote was rejected. During the session, Chief Granthi Singh Sahib of Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh, Executive Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj, Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Tek Singh and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee members were present.
During the general session, Raghujit Singh Virk was elected as Senior Vice President, Baldev Singh Kalyan as Junior Vice President and Sher Singh Mandwala as General Secretary. Apart from this, the 11-member interim committee elected includes S. Surjit Singh Garhi, S. Surjit Singh Tugalwal, S. Surjit Singh Kang, S. Gurpreet Singh Jhabbar, S. Daljit Singh Bhinder, Bibi Harjinder Kaur, S. Baldev Singh Qaimpur, S. Major Singh Dhillon, S. Mangwinder Singh Khaparkheri, Dr. Jang Bahadur Singh Rai and S. Mithu Singh Kahneke.
Advocate Dhami, while talking to the media after being elected as the president, said that the service to the nation has been received with the blessings of Guru Sahib, which he will try to perform according to the fear of Guru Sahib. Advocate Dhami said that the first priority of the Shiromani Committee is to organize the 350th centenary celebrations of the martyrdom of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji at the national level.
He said that in view of the increasing influx of devotees at Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib, efforts will be made to complete the work being started to build more inns soon. He thanked Shiromani Akali Dal President S. Sukhbir Singh Badal and the entire leadership as well as the Shiromani Committee members for reposing faith in him and said that he will continue to strive for Panthic works with dedication.
On this occasion, SGPC President Advocate Dhami, while talking about the future priorities, said that along with the field of religious propagation, special attention will be given to human welfare works.
He said that the rules of the centers running for competitive examinations will be amended and expanded further. At present, since the participation of Sikh youth in administrative services is essential for national interests, the administrative services centers run by the SGPC will be further strengthened. Although preliminary preparations are already being made for the NDA in the schools/colleges of the SGPC, now we will also expand the academy running at Bahadurgarh for this.
Advocate Dhami and other elected office bearers thanked Guru Sahib
After being elected as the President of the Shiromani Committee, Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami and other office bearers paid homage at Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib and thanked Guru Sahib, where he was given Guru Bakhshish Siropa by Chief Granthi Singh Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh. Advocate Dhami and other office bearers also went to Sri Akal Takht Sahib to thank Guru Sahib, where they were honored by Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj and Jathedar Giani Tek Singh. After this, Shiromani Committee President Advocate Dhami assumed his duties at the office.