STATUTES ROW: SGPC backs Sikh bodies’ demand

Blurb:

The Akal Takht-formed panel to call on Amritsar DC today, submit report to jathedar in five days

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday supported the demand of Sikh bodies for removal of folk dancers’ statues raised by the previous SAD-BJP government on Heritage Street in Amritsar.

On January 15, eight men were arrested for trying to vandalise statues of folk dancers on Heritage Street. Later, various Sikh organisations have demanded that the statues be replaced with that of Sikh warriors and martyrs. They say Punjabi and Sikh culture are different and both should not be mixed.

The SGPC decision came after a meeting of a four-member committee constituted by the Akal Takht, highest temporal seat of Sikhs, to resolve the issue. The committee has three SGPC members — apex gurdwara body chief secretary Roop Singh, additional secretary Sukhdev SIngh Bhoora Kohna and Mehta. The fourth member is Nirmal Singh, who is president of the Chief Khalsa Diwan.

Disclosing the proceedings of the meeting, SGPC senior vice-president Rajinder Singh Mehta, one of the members of the committee, said they respect the sentiments of the Sikh community on this issue. He said the administration should take decision on the statues at the earliest, but did not say what kind of decision the committee wants.

To a question why the issue was not raised during SAD-BJP tenure, Mehta said: “We are not concerned about the past. We are talking about the present. It has courted controversy recently.”

The subcommittee will meet Amritsar deputy commissioner Shivdular Singh Dhillon on Friday and give its report to Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh in five days, said Mehta, adding: “We will talk to the DC and urge him to find a solution to the problem,” he said.

When asked if the SGPC wants the statues to be removed from Heritage Street, Mehta said: “The decision has to be taken by the government. This matter does not come under the jurisdiction of the SGPC.”

He opposed the attempt to murder case registered against the eight men arrested for vandalising the statues, he said: “It is unfair to book them under such a harsh section of the IPC. If they want the statues to be replaced, the government should listen to them, respect to their emotions and take decision keeping the historical importance of the Heritage Street that leads to Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in mind.”

SIT-IN CONTINUES ON DAY 2

Protesting against the statues and police action against those who vandalised statues, members of Sikh organisations continued their sit-in on the Heritage Street on the second day on Thursday. The sit-in was addressed by various Sikh leaders.

The protesters have given an ultimatum to the administration till January 30 to remove the statues from Heritage Street and cancel the FIRs against Sikh youth for damaging statues.