If Covid situation improves, events to be reorganised: SGPC chief

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 20

The executive committee (EC) of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Tuesday decided to organise special gurmat samagams (religious congregations) dedicated to the 400th Parkash Purb (birth anniversary) of Guru Teg Bahadur.

The events would be organised in Punjab as well as other states of the country.

SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur said due to the pandemic, the events related to the 400th Parkash Purb of the ninth Sikh Guru were conducted with limitations and it has been decided that if the situation becomes favourable, the deferred events would be organised again.

She said the EC has decided to open stores of generic medicines along with laboratories at historic gurdwaras under the management of SGPC. She said earlier it was decided to open such a store and laboratory at Darbar Sahib and preparations of the same were being done.

In a boost to provide free education (higher) along with hostel facility to Amritdhari (initiated) Sikh girls at Mata Sahib Kaur Girls College and Collegiate Senior Secondary School, Talwandi Sabo, Damdama Sahib, the SGPC has decided increase the number of students from 200 to 400.

“These girls will be provided hostel facility along with food. The SGPC will also give a scholarship of Rs 30,000 to Amritdhari students taking admission in engineering colleges,” said Bibi Jagir.

“So far, the SGPC has spent around Rs1.75 crore to combat the pandemic,” she said.

Talking about the aid provided to families of farmers who got martyred during the ongoing agitation against the Centre’s three agri laws, Bibi Jagir said, “The SGPC has provided aid of nearly Rs3 crore to the families of the farmers who got martyred during kisan andolan and those who got injured in accidents while participating in protests.”

She said the SGPC would soon construct new Sarais to extend the accommodation facility for pilgrims.

“New rooms will be constructed at Guru Ramdas Sarai, but exterior will stay intact. Many Sikhs were martyred in Guru Ramdas Sarai during the June 1984 holocaust and their names will be inscribed to commemorate them. Moreover, rooms of all the other sarais in the complex, including Mata Ganga Niwas, Guru Hargobind Niwas and Guru Arjan Dev Niwas will also be renovated,” she said.

The EC also approved display of portraits of former Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, former head granthi Giani Bhagwan Singh and former vice-president Dalip Singh Malunangal at Central Sikh Museum. A resolution to thank Giani Mohan Singh, former head granthi of Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib was also passed for naming his house to Sri Darbar Sahib.

The SGPC paid tributes to the departed souls, including Sikh scholar Dr Jodh Singh and Flying Sikh Milkha Singh. SGPC’s senior vice-president Surjit Singh Bhitewad, junior vice-president Baba Buta Singh, general secretary Bhagwant Singh Sialka and chief secretary Harjinder Singh Dhami, among others, were also present.