Siropas only for a select few, says SGPC chief
AMRITSAR : The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Tuesday resolved to stop staff recruitment for the next six months and curtail the ‘excessive’ use of presenting a ‘siropa’ (robe of honour) in gurdwaras and other institutions managed under it.
The decision was taken during the first meeting of the newly elected executive committee of the SGPC held under its president Harjinder Singh Dhami.
“There will be a complete ban on recruitment within the SGPC for the next six months. Only temporary labour can be employed as per the requirement,” Dhami said after the meeting.
As per SGPC secretary Partap Singh, nearly 20,000 employees work in the SGPC and “There is no specific reason behind the ban. We don’t need to recruit more staff. The staff, at present, is enough to keep the body operational.”
The SGPC general secretary
Gurcharan Singh Grewal, said, “One of the reasons for this decision is that SGPC wants to focus on the Sikh concerns including the release of the Sikh prisoners.”
However, sources in SGPC said on condition of anonymity that the top brass remains under constant pressure from the SGPC members and Akali leaders who want their persons to be recruited or adjusted in the gurdwara body. “To get rid of this situation, the president got the resolution passed in the meeting. Besides, the SGPC top brass does not want to give the opposition, which has got stronger after the elections, a chance to corner and allege that staff was being recruited in violation of the rules,” the source said. Others are also seeing it as administrative reform aimed at avoiding further burden on the SGPC.
In another resolution, the SGPC stopped the excessive use of presenting ‘siropa’ (robe of honour) in gurdwaras and other institutions managed under it.
“Many of the siropas are presented unnecessarily in violation of Sikh maryada. Besides, it is presented to those who don’t deserve for same. In place of it, a set of books will be given during special or ordinary occasions,” Dhami said, adding, “Rules have also been framed for the proper use of siropa in the future. Only those who have contributed to Panthic (community’s) causes will be honoured with siropa, while books will be given to other respected personalities.”
The committee also decided to launch a signature campaign from December 1, 2022, demanding the release of Sikh prisoners. The campaign will be held nationwide, said Dhami.