:dateline:Former SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar has passed away this evening in Gurugram. He was 78 years old.�
He was under ailment at Fortis Hospital in Gurugram from the past few days. His mortal remains will be consigned to flames in the crematorium of Model Town Extension, Ludhiana on December 22.
Avtar Singh Makkar remained appointed as a president of apex Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee from November 23, 2005, to November 4, 2016.
During his tenure, a historic decision was taken to install portrait of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale in the central Sikh museum in 2008.�Nod to make animation movie “Chaar Sahibzaade” was also given during his tenure.
In 2015, he had come under fire for spending SGPC’s Rupees 9 million on advertisement to justify the exoneration of rapist Gurmeet Ram Rahim in blasphemy charges by the then Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.�
In November-2016, the Badal family had replaced him with Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar to get rid of Sikh outrage against them.�
