CHANDIGARH, Punjab—An SGPC delegation headed by its Senior Vice President Baldev Singh Qiampuri on September 9 met the Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore to raise the issue of Gurdwara Guru Dangmaar Sahib in Sikkim. This historical Gurdwara is facing eminent demolition.
SGPC Junior Vice President Baba Buta Singh, SGPC member Bibi Paramjit Kaur Landran, Secretary S. Avtar Singh Sainpla and Additional Secretary Dr. Paramjit Singh Sarora were also part of this delegation.
As part of their visit, two memorandums were handed over to the Governor by the SGPC delegates. In the first memorandum, the Punjab Governor has been appealed by the SGPC President Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar to resolve the issue of Gurdwara Guru Dangmaar Sahib at the earliest. Apprising the Punjab Governor about historic importance of Gurdwara Guru Dangmaar Sahib, he has asked him to rake up the matter with Sikkim’s Governor Sriniwas Patil and defend the existence of this historic Sikh shrine.
In the second memorandum, the SGPC President Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar has raised four other Sikh issues. In the memorandum, Prof. Badungar asked the Governor to waive off property tax on Sri Kalgidhar Niwas in Chandigarh and return back the fine deposited by the SGPC. He has said that the building of Sri Kalgidhar Niwas was being used as a rest house for pilgrim and other community welfare tasks.
Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar has raised the issue of alterations made in the republished edition of Punjabi Encyclopaedia ‘Mahan Kosh’ authored by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha. Seeking a high level probe into the blunder committed by Punjabi University authorities, he has sought disposal of 20,000 copies of republished edition of ‘Mahan Kosh’.
Beside it, the SGPC President has also raised the issues of GST imposition on the free food being served in free community kitchens (Langar) of Sikh shrines and attack on Sikh faith by miscreants via social media.
