Amritsar, June 16:
A high-level delegation of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today held a meeting with S. Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) at New Delhi and raised important Sikh issues.
The SGPC delegation included General Secretary Jathedar Karnail Singh Panjoli, Executive Committee member S. Sarvan Singh Kular, members S. Gurcharan Singh Grewal and S. Satwinder Singh Tohra, Secretary of Dharam Prachar Committee, SGPC S. Balwinder Singh Kahlwan, Delhi Sikh Mission in-charge S. Surinder Pal Singh and Writer IT Department, SGPC S. Jaskaran Singh.
The delegation members handed over a letter regarding Sikh issues sent by SGPC President Advocate S. Harjinder Singh Dhami and demanded simplification of these issues.
SGPC delegation leader Jathedar Karnail Singh Panjoli while giving information said several issues pertaining to Sikhs have been raised with the National Commission for Minorities.
He said the issues raised before the NCM include giving self determination to Sikhs by amending Section 25 (B) of the Constitution of India; handing over management of Gurdwara Gian Godrhi Sahib Haridwar, Gurdwara Dongmar Sahib Sikkim and Gurdwara Mangu Mattha Sahib Odisha and other Gurdwaras to Sikhs; release of Sikh political prisoners Prof Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara, Bhai Gurdeep Singh Kherha and others; stopping fraudulent and by allurement conversion of Sikhs by so-called Christian missionaries in Punjab and outside Punjab; stopping the eviction/ruination of Sikhs at the hands of administration, living for long in different states and giving them rights of the lands; strict punishment to the perpetrators of 1984 Sikh Genocide.
S. Panjoli added that more issues include giving minority status to Sikhs living in Jammu and Kashmir and fixing quota for them in government jobs, education institutions and other organisations; making efforts at diplomatic level to stop racial attacks on Sikhs in foreign countries; creating employment opportunities for Sikligar and Vanjara Sikhs in their respective states for improving their economic condition; issue of forcing Sikhs candidates/students to remove Kakaars during recruitments/examinations and allowing to wear Kirpan in international flights like domestic ones; getting Sikh history recognised from SGPC before including it in syllabus of different state/centre boards of education and universities giving Indian citizenship to Hindus and Sikhs migrated from Pakistan and Afghanistan and assurance of protection of their lives and property in their respective countries.
S. Panjoli further added that similarly the demand has been made to abolish the condition of passport for Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor; giving permission to SGPC to EPF Trust for all its affiliated Institutions, Trusts, Hospitals, Educational Institutions; exemption to SGPC from ESI and all its affiliated Institutions, Trusts, Hospitals, Educational Institutions.
S. Karnail Singh Panjoli said that S. Iqbal Singh Lalpura has assured to seriously take up the issues raised by the SGPC.
Meeting held on conversion of Sikhs by so-called Christian missionaries
The SGPC delegation that reached the office of National Commission for Minorities at New Delhi, especially raised the issue of conversion of Sikhs by fraudulent means, miraculous healing, false promises and allurement, etc. by so-called Christian missionaries in Punjab and outside Punjab.
About this meeting, S. Karnail Singh Panjoli said this issue is extremely sensitive and Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib expressed concern over the same.
He said SGPC had already raised this issue before the Chairman of National Commission for Minorities, in view of the same; he (Chairman, NCM) had called in the meeting, the representatives from Christian community as well.
S. Panjoli said that the meeting between both the community members was held in a very cordial atmosphere and the Christian leaders gave a serious response to the issue raised by the SGPC. He said that during the meeting, the Christian representatives stated that they did not recognize the forcible, superstitious and deceitful conversion and they were against such a phenomenon.
S. Panjoli said that the issue was discussed during the meeting and the SGPC delegation stressed that both the Sikh and Christian communities are in the minority and the conflict between them is not normal.
“The spirit of Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the President, SGPC is to resolve this issue amicably. Under this, the National Commission for Minorities was approached, which has played a meaningful role and assured to continue the meetings of both the communities in future also”, said S. Karnail Singh Panjoli.