Sikh activists stage protest against SGPC in Amritsar over missing saroops’ issue

CHANDIGARH, Punjab—The Sikh activists owing allegiance to ‘Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee Punjab’ on Friday (September 4, 2020) protested against the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in the holy city for its failure to ascertain whereabouts of the missing Guru Granth Sahib’s saroops and selective action taken in this case.

Led by Bhai Sukhjit Singh Khose and Bhai Balbir Singh Muchhal, the Satkar Committee activists first took out a march on the streets leading to Sri Harmandar Sahib and then staged sit-in protest outside Teja Singh Samundari hall, headquarters of the SGPC, to demonstrate against the gurdwara body. They shouted slogans against those on the helm of the SGPC displaying several banners and placards.

The protesters said, “The SGPC had stated that 267 saroops were missing, but the inquiry conducted under the supervision of Akal Takht Sahib has found that the number of the missing saroops is 328. This difference has brought credibility of the SGPC under question. The SGPC no longer remains trustworthy for the Sikhs, now”.

“It must be pointed out that the SGPC held its executive committee meeting during which it took action against those indicted in the inquiry report, in haste. Secondly, timing of the meeting was changed thrice in a day. Were the members of the executive committee waiting for the order of the high command? Thirdly, only staffers were punished, not office bearers whose responsibility is bigger”, said the activists in the press release.

They rejected the action taken by the SGPC in this case citing that the office bearers were spared illegitimately despite their involvement in the matter. They also asked the SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal to tell the community about the fate of the missing 328 saroops. “Unfortunately, the SGPC is not taking this matter seriously, despite a lot of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib’s saroops having taken place across Punjab”, said Khose.

He said, “The SGPC has lost the moral right to remain as custodian of the Sikh community as it has failed in every respect to protect the interests of the community and address its concerns. If it is not able to tell about the fate of missing saroops, its members and office-bearers will be able to face the people. What happened in the publishing house of the SGPC, is bigger sacrilege of Guru Sahib than one took place in Bargari and other villages of Fridkot district”.

Notably, the SGPC is under fire on the row which is refusing to die down.