Day after CM’s offer, Jathedar says will review SGPC events

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 16

Acting on Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s initiative for joint celebrations of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at Sultanpur Lodhi, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh today directed the SGPC to submit the detail of programmes chalked by it to mark the occasion.

The issue is expected to reach a conclusion as the Jathedar has announced to take the viewpoint of five high priests, who are scheduled to meet at Akal Takht secretariat on October 21.

He stated that the SGPC had planned various programmes commencing from November 1 to 12, which would be reviewed. He also said as per Guru Nanak’s philosophy of “Sanjhi Varta” (collective voice), efforts would be made to hold joint programmes for one or two days.

As of now, there are separate venues at Sultanpur Lodhi. The SGPC has hired Guru Nanak Stadium, located at a distance of 100 yards from Gurdwara Ber Sahib to hold the key events. The government has erected a tent city by spending Rs 52 crore at the backside of the historical gurdwara for the event. It is for Akal Takht to decide the final stage where the main event of November 12 would be held.

The CM had yesterday proposed to hold the main events for two days at Sultanpur Lodhi on November 11 and 12 under the patronage of Akal Takht and in collaboration with the SGPC. As per the proposal, no political speeches would be allowed at the main function, during which only the jathedars of the five Takhts, the head priest of Golden Temple, the PM (or any senior representative of the Centre), former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, the CM and SGPC president would be present on the stage.

The SGPC has scheduled various gurmat programmes and dharmik sammelans at Gurdwara Ber Sahib, which is expected to be attended by Chief Ministers of various states.

Meanwhile, SGPCchief Gobind Singh Longowal today said all VIPs would be treated as ‘sangat’. The stage would be set from November 1, he said, adding that the government and the SGPC were together in celebrating the historical event. He said the SGPC would act as per directions of the Akal Takht Jathedar.

He, however, stressed that the SGPC had been organising religious programmes and key representatives of ruling state government, irrespective of the party lines, participated in it.