SGPC team to help Shillong Sikhs facing displacement

Committee had few weeks ago sent its panel to Meghalaya capital following tension between tribal Khasi community and Sikhs living in Punjabi Lane

THE APEX GURDWARA BODY HAS ALREADY GIVEN A FINANCIAL AID OF ₹25 LAKH TO THE SHILLONG GURDWARA AND WOULD ALSO EXTEND LEGAL AID TO THEM, SAYS SGPC SPOKESPERSON

AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will send a delegation to Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya, to address issue of displacement of Sikhs living there, said the apex gurdwara body’s additional secretary and spokesperson Daljit Singh Bedi on Tuesday.

A couple of weeks ago, the SGPC had sent its delegation to Shillong following tension between the tribal Khasi community and the Sikhs living in the Punjabi Lane locality of the town.

According to a release issued by SGPC publicity in-charge Harbhajan Singh Vakta, president of Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar, Shillong, Gurjit Singh visited the SGPC head office on Tuesday and met senior vicepresident Raghujit Singh Virk, junior vice-president Harpal Singh Jallah, chief secretary Roop Singh and Bedi.

He said the situation was still critical for Sikhs there.

“Gurjit said the erstwhile king had given Sikhs land on lease in Shillong. The Sikhs requested the government to register the land on their name, but only Guru Nanak Darbar and Guru Nanak School have been allotted the land. Now, the state government has constituted a high-level committee with an intention to displace Sikhs from the land. He appealed to the Punjab-based Sikhs and the SGPC to come to their rescue,” reads the release.

‘DELEGATION TO TAKE UP ISSUE’

Bedi said SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal has assured the Shillong Sikhs of every help. He said soon they would send a delegation that would also take up the issue with the Meghalaya government and the Shillong administration.

“The SGPC has already given a financial aid of ₹25 lakh to the Shillong gurdwara and would also extend legal aid to them. As per Sikhs of Shillong, more than ₹2 crore have been spent on the building of Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar. However, the work has not been completed yet. The matter will be part of discussion in next meeting of executive committee of the SGPC,” said Bedi.