AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has clarified that as per the order of Sri Akal Takht Sahib in the matter of 328 sacred forms of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Shiromani Committee will not provide any kind of cooperation to the police administration nor will any records be provided.
In a statement issued after a meeting of officers led by Shiromani Committee Secretary Pratap Singh here today, it was clarified that the Sikh organization's position on the entire matter was clarified that the action has been completed by the Shiromani Committee regarding those who were the accused employees in this matter as per the investigation report of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The order of Sri Akal Takht Sahib on this matter is final for the Sikh organization, according to which no cooperation can be provided to the government.
Secretary of the Shiromani Committee Partap Singh said that the three employees who directly used the offerings of the holy forms of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji for personal interests and tampered with the records were Kanwaljit Singh, Baj Singh and Dalbir Singh.
They defamed the entire administration of the Shiromani Committee for the sake of their greed. According to the Shiromani Committee's statutes, when devotees or Gurdwara committees demand holy forms, then according to the rules, approval is given by the secretary-level officer after the investigation report of the preacher and the recommendation of the Shiromani Committee member. After this, at the time of giving the holy form, a receipt is deposited and it is recorded in the record. By ignoring this process, this responsibility was not performed by the then employees posted in the Publication Department. Thus, strict action was taken against them because they were directly guilty and along with this, many senior officials had to face administrative action.
He said that the Sikh organization works in accordance with the spirit of the Sikh Gurdwara Act and every employee working in it has his own specific responsibility. If anyone disobeys it, then it is the right of the organization to take departmental action against him as per the service rules.
The Shiromani Committee officials also termed the baseless statements being made by the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, which is running the Punjab government, as a deliberate act to defame the Sikh institution. S. Pratap Singh said that the Shiromani Committee belongs to the entire Sikh community, and false propaganda against it is going to hurt a respected institution of Sikhs.
He said that while talking to the media, Aam Aadmi Party leader Mr. Baltej Pannu is not keeping in mind that his words are not logical in any way. The traditions and aura of the Sikh institution are being severely damaged by arbitrary statements.
He said that the holy forms of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji are given to the Sangat as per the prescribed rules. The AAP leader's statement that the Shiromani Committee President has a diary regarding the holy forms is misleading the Sangat. There is no such law, as is being propagated about the diary etc.
Gurinder Singh, Gurnam Singh and Manjit Singh, who served as in-charge and deputy secretary in the Publication Department at different times, said that keeping in mind the respect for Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, there is no provision of diary or slip for giving holy Saroop. The recording of holy Saroops is done in the departmental ledgers only and the receipt of the offering is cut.
The SGPC officials appealed that the government should refrain from directly targeting the SGPC because according to the investigation conducted by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the Sikh organization did not show any laxity in taking action on this serious matter. They once again clarified that as per the orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib regarding this matter, the SGPC cannot provide any cooperation to the government and the police administration, which the government should understand.
On this occasion, SGPC Secretary S. Pratap Singh, S. Balwinder Singh Kahlwan, OSD S. Satbir Singh Dhami, Additional Secretary S. Gurinder Singh Mathrewal, S. Bijay Singh, Personal Secretary S. Shahbaz Singh, Deputy Secretary S. Jaswinder Singh Jassi, S. Gurnam Singh, S. Balwinder Singh Khairabad, S. Manjit Singh Talwandi, S. Harbhajan Singh Wakta, Superintendent S. Nishan Singh, Publicity Assistant S. Jagtar Singh Khodebet etc. were present.