Takht backs gurdwara ban on Indian officials Canadian gurdwaras divided
Claims ban is only confined to making speeches, receiving siropas or related activities on premises of places of worship; Akali Dal condemns move
AMRITSAR: Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh on Monday justified the decision of the managing committees of gurdwaras in Canada, UK and the United States to impose a ban on Indian officials from entering these places of worship.
He clarified that the ban is only confined to making speeches, receiving ‘siropas’ (robes of honour) or related activities on the gurdwara premises. “We enquired about it and found that there is no ban on paying obeisance, listening to gurbani, discourse, kirtan, doing ‘sewa’ (voluntary service) or partaking langar. That Indian officials have been disallowed from entering gurdwara, is misinformation”, he elaborated.
“As far as the ban on certain activities is concerned, I will say it is the prerogative of the gurdwara managing committees whether they will allow someone to speak on the stage or not. The gurdwara bodies had a reason to take such step. After all, nobody can interfere in the affairs of any religion,” the head of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, said. The representatives of gurdwara bodies had also accused the Indian consul officials of interfering in Sikh affairs.
He endorsed the rationale of the managing committees of some gurdwaras in Canada, United Kingdom and the US wherein they had claimed that “Sikhs have not been able to get justice in India on the issues of the 1984 anti-sikh violence, operation Bluestar and other human rights violations”.
The unusual move was initiated by the management committees of 14 gurdwaras in Ontario province of Canada invoking a local law against trespassing.
On Monday, Sikh representatives in a Facebook page ‘News Punjab 2020’ announced that the committees of 96 gurdwaras in different states of the US have also resolved to impose a similar ban.
SGPC SILENT ON BAN Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal was silent over the move. HT made several attempts to get his reaction, but he did not respond.
SARNA SLAMS BAN:
‘IT’S SGPC’S FAILURE’ Opposing the move, Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) president and former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said, “It is failure of the SGPC as it could not coordinate with the management committees of the overseas gurdwaras on the issue.” TORONTO: Deep divides have emerged within gurdwara managements in the Canadian province of Ontario over a decision taken by the Ontario Gurdwara Committee or OGC to ban Indian officials from the premises of the places of worship.
The Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council or OSGC held a meeting on Saturday at the Gursikh Sabha gurdwara in Scarborough, a suburb of Toronto.
The matter of the ban on Indian officials figured in the discussions. Former OSGC president and Council member Harbans Singh Jandali, who was at the meeting, later told HT, “We have not imposed any ban because this isn’t issue for us.”
Asked about the OGC decision, he said, “That is their opinion; it is up to them. We have never seen this interference.” He was referring to the OGC charging Indian officials with interfering in affairs of gurdwaras and Sikh community and making that one of the reasons for the ban.
The OGC, meanwhile, has doubled down on the ban. In a release, it said “due to increased interference from Indian Consular and Government officials, it was felt that this notice be put in writing so gurdwaras can place this in plain view”.
There also appears to be differences within the community on this matter. Yudhvir Singh Jaswal, group editor of the Y Media Group and host of popular talk shows, said audience members who called in had a “mixed response” to the OGC decision. “It’s safe to say that opinion is divided,” he said.
He said “certain people are welcoming (the decision), some opposing. They want more consultation on the issue. People are fearing more visa issues and they wonder whether this will further affect relations between India and Canada.”
The release, though, also underscored a reality: That representatives of India were not welcome at many gurdwaras for years and the announcement on December 30 was to “formalise a long-standing policy”.
As far as India’s engagement with many hardline gurdwara managements goes, the situation on the ground is unlikely to alter. But the OGC move may set off a chain reaction within Canada and even beyond its borders. Other than gurdwaras in Ontario, a release issued by the OGC also stated that three gurdwaras in the province of Quebec are part of the coordinated effort to boycott Indian officials.