SGPC seeks govt support to maintain peace at Golden Temple on Diwali

BANDI CHHOD DIWAS Says parallel jathedars can visit shrine, but not when Takht jathedar is delivering message

› We appeal all, including devotees and Sikh hardliners, to cooperate with us. We don’t want violence...the Bandi Chhod Diwas should pass off peacefully ROOP SINGH, SGPC secretary

AMRITSAR: In a bid to ensure that peace prevail sat the Golden Temple complex on Diwali,t he Shir omaniGurdwa ra Parbandhak Committee( S GP C) has asked the state government to ensure security at the shrine.

The move comes after parallel jathedars, appointed by the radical s ar batk hal sa in 2015, declared that they would read out “sandesh” at the Golden Temple on Bandi Chhod Diwas (Diwali). This may lead to clash between the radicals and the SGPC members.

In 2015, parallel “jathedar” of Akal Takht Dhian Singh Mand succeeded in reading out his message at the Akal Takh ton Diwali despite restrictions imposed by the police and the SGPC task force, leading to tension.

However, the police foiled the similar bid last year. On both these occasions, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which also controls the apex gurdwara body, was ruling the state.

But with the change of guard this year, the SGPC is taking no chances.

As the SGPC can only make security arrangements on the Golden Temple complex, it wants the government to deploy police, also in plain clothes, around the Golden Temple complex.

“Not only the government, we appeal all, including devotees and Sikh hard liners, to cooperate with us. We don’t want vio- lence...the Bandi Chhod Diwas should pass off peacefully,” said Roop Singh, SGPC secretary.

He also said the par all elja theda rs are welcomed to come to the Akal Takht, but not when the takhtja the dar GianiGu rb ac han Singh will deliver his “sandesh”. “Sri Darbar Sahib is pious place and centre of spiritualism, and no one is allowed to vitiate its peace,” he said.

Rep lying to a query, he said the parallel jathedar’s attempt to read out a message would be considered as in discipline and violation of mary ada.

Meanwhile, hitting back at Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, the parallel jathe- dars accused him of terrorising them. Giani Gurbachan Singh had strictly asked the SGPC and the state government to rein in parallel jathedars.

“This year too, parallel jathedar of Akal Takht Dhian Singh Mand will read out his sandesh peacefully on Bandi Chhod Diwas,” reads the press release issued by J ag meet Singh,spok esperson oft hep aral lelja theda rs.

“The state government should not entertain the SGPC. SGPC chief Kirp al Singh Ba dun ga rand Giani Gurbachan Singh will be responsible of vitiating the peace if Mand is stopped from delivering the message,” said the spokesperson.