SGPC House passes resolution condemning Ayodhya verdict
GURDWARA BODY OBJECTS TO REFERENCES IN SC JUDGMENT SAYING GURU NANAK WENT TO RAM JANMABHOOMI IN AYODHYA FOR ‘DARSHAN’
AMRITSAR:In a significant development, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) general house on Wednesday passed a resolution condemning the Supreme Court’s judgment over the Ram temple issue in Ayodhya in the context of some references to Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak in it.
Sikh sections are angry over the ‘janam sakhis’ or biographical writings about the Guru that have been taken on record by the apex court from the evidence presented before the Allahabad high court.
These state that Guru Nanak went to the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya for ‘darshan’. However, Sikh intellectuals are of the view that Guru Nanak went to religious places like Mecca or Ayodhya to preach and spread the message of one formless God.
During the poll session of the general house of the apex gurdwara body, SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bhaur demanded a resolution be passed in the session against the judgment. His demand was endorsed by some other members. Following this, Gobind Singh Longowal, who was re-elected as president of the SGPC during the session held at Teja Singh Samundri Hall here, added a resolution verbally to the list of other resolutions.
“As per the demand raised by
Bhaur, we also condemn Ayodhya judgment and this resolution is passed in this house”, said the SGPC president. The resolution was passed unanimously.
Sharing details of the resolution after the session, SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh told HT that the resolution is about the references of Guru Nanak in the judgment against which petitions have already been filed by others.
“After passing this resolution, the SGPC will also take legal action in the matter raised by Bhaur. It was passed verbally in the House and will take a written shape later on”, he added.
SGPC member Surinder Singh said the demand raised by Bhaur was very genuine, so they also supported it. “Our objection is that the apex court added statement of a worker of RSS. The court asked an RSS worker about visit by Guru Nanak, instead of asking the SGPC or Akal Takht. Was the SGPC sleeping when this kind of exercise in the court was going on?” said Bhaur.
Notably, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) also formed a panel of senior lawyers to analyse the complete judgment in the light of Sikh tenets on November 15. Noted lawyer and former AAP MLA HS Phoolka had also objected to the use of the term “cult” for the Sikh religion in the addendum of the judgment.