GURDWARA ELECTION COMMISSION DIRECTS DCS TO ENSURE BAN ON LIQUOR, INTOXICANTS

The Gurdwara Election Commission today issued fresh directions to the Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners of the all three states Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory Chandigarh to ensure ban on sale of liquor, intoxicants few days before SGPC elections to conduct them in free and fair and in a peaceful manner. It may be added that elections of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee are to be held on September 18, 2011.

In a statement issued here Chief Commissioner, Gurdwara Elections Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners should ensure that the parties or their supporters would not distribute liquor, intoxicants and drugs including poppy husk, opium, heroine etc. to the voters for alluring the voters for a particular candidate. It was also stated that necessary steps should also be taken to ensure that there is no clandestine movement of liquor/intoxicants from the area adjoining in other states of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

Read More:http://www.punjabmailonline.com/Punjab_News_news2.aspx#52655

BRAR: NEW VOTERS TO BE REGISTERED TILL SEPT 2

The Gurdwara Election Commission has announced that new voters for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee elections will now be registers till September 2.

Earlier, the commission had announced that the new votes would be made till a day before the elections (September 18). Chief Commissioner of the Gurdwara Election Commission, Justice HS Brar, said the date has been advanced due to administrative reasons.

In a circular to the returning officers, the commission has said that anyone trying to cast a bogus vote or found to have given a wrong declaration on being a “keshdhari Sikh”should be arrested at the polling booth. This, he said, would send out a strong message and prevent “non-keshdhari” voters from trying to cast their vote.

Justice Brar said the commission had appointed 28 secretary-level IAS officers from Punjab and Haryana as poll observers. Punjab had 19 observers from Haryana, Haryana would have seven and both Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh one observer each. Officers from Punjab had been deputed out of the state and those from Haryana in Punjab.

Read More:http://www.punjabmailonline.com/#52534

Busy in SGPC polls, SAD overlooking flood crisis, allege Cong leaders

The Congress has alleged that the ruling SAD leadership is busy in the SGPC elections while the people living in flood affected villages along the Sutlej river are facing a tough situation.

After visiting the flood affected areas in the Ferozepur and Moga districts, former health minister and senior Congress leader Dr Malti Thapar said the SAD leadership should take care of the residents affected by the floods rather than drawing strategies to win over the religious sentiments of Sikh masses in the ensuing SGPC elections.

She said many villages in the Dharamkot tehsil of the Moga district and other adjoining villages of the Ferozepur district are surrounded by the flood waters.

"The local administration has not provided any help to the affected people," she claimed.

She said the local people of flood affected villages have informed her that the administration has not provided them with boats, fodder for cattle and medicines.

She met the sarpanches and panches of a few villages and inquired about their problems. "I would send a detailed report of your problems to the Union Government through a proper channel for immediate relief," she assured the people. Dr Thapar said the state government should deploy medical veterinary and officers for 24 hours in the flood affected areas with regular supply of medicines to check the spread of dreadful diseases.

Adding that the people were suffering from many kinds of skin ailments and viral fever, she alleged that the state government has not provided adequate medicines for them. She also demanded the government to order a special 'girdawari' for evaluating losses to the crops.

Read More:http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110823/bathinda.htm

AKALI DAL RELEASES AGENDA FOR GURDWARA PANEL POLL

The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab Saturday released its agenda for the next month's Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) poll calling for the supremacy of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion, and the use of Internet for preaching Sikhism.

Releasing the ‘Panthic agenda’ of the party at a function to mark the 26th death anniversary of Sikh leader Harchand Singh Longowal at his village (Longowal) in Sangrur district, Akali Dal patron and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that it was only their party which stood by the SGPC since its inception in 1920.

Through the agenda, Badal appealed to Sikh masses to maintain the supremacy of Akal Takht, management of Sikh Shrines in the best possible way and up-gradation of Sikh educational institutions. Seeking support for Akali Dal candidates for the Sep 18 SGPC poll, Badal urged Sikhs to defeat forces propped up by the Congress. He said that the Congress had been trying for a number of years to interfere in Sikh religious affairs.

He said that the SGPC was involved in a number of development projects for the gurdwaras managed by it in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh and educational institutions run by it. The SGPC, called mini-parliament of Sikh religion, has an annual budget of nearly Rs.580 crore.
Src.http://www.punjabmailonline.com/Punjab%20News_news2.aspx#52489

SGPC TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGN AGAINST SOCIAL EVILS: BADAL

The Shiromani Akali Dal Patron and Chief Minister, Punjab S. Parkash Singh Badal appealed to the sikh masses that to maintain Supremacy of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, management of Sikh Shrines in the best possible way, upgradation of Sikh educational institutions and to defeat the forces inimical to the panth, they should vote for SAD-Sant Samaj candidates in the general elections to the “Parliament of Sikhs”, the SGPC

Releasing the Panthic Agenda of SAD-Sant Samaj Combine at the 26th death anniversary of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal S. Badal said that Sikhs have made huge sacrifices and fought numerous battles to get Gurdwaras vacated from the “Mahants”. He said that a number of “Morchas” were organised by the community including Saka of Nanakana Sahib, Panja Sahib, Jaito Morcha, Guru ke Bagh Morcha and Chabian da Morcha besides others. He said that hundreds of Sikhs were martyred, thousands were imprisoned and thousands other were brutally tortured by the British regime.

Describing SGPC as “Parliament of Sikhs” the SAD Patron said that Shiromani Akali Dal has the honour to claim that right from the time of its inception in 1920 till today the sikh masses have always trusted the SAD for the management of sikh shrines. Releasing the agenda, Badal said that people were aware of the fact that right from the the establishment of SGPC, the Congress party had always tried to interfere in the religious affairs of the Sikhs with an intention to get the control of SGPC.

Briefing about the document released today Badal said that for the information of the masses, the achievements of the SGPC in the last seven years and earlier, have been included with self explanatory photographs of all important educational institutions, sikh missions, Gurmat Vidyalas and Sarai (inns) built for the convenience of pilgrims. Badal complemented SGPC for establishing Sikh University and described it as a historic achievement of the Khalsa Panth.


Read More:http://www.punjabmailonline.com/Punjab%20News_news2.aspx#52509

Former MP Mand injured in road mishap

Four passengers including former MP Dhyan Singh Mand were injured when their car collided head-on with a truck on the Dharamkot-Kot-ise-khan road, 20 kilometres from here, last night. Three of the injured including Mand were admitted to a private hospital while the other was discharged after being given the first aid, police sources said.

Mand, a close associate of Simranjit Singh Mann, is contesting the SGPC election from Dharamkot and his associates were returning in a car from Dharamkot to Kot-ise-khan after campaigning when a truck coming from the opposite direction collided with their vehicle.

The locals took the injured to a private hospital. Police registered a case against the truck driver who fled from the spot leaving behind his vehicle. The truck was taken into custody and a hunt has been launched to nab the driver. 

Src.http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110818/bathinda.htm

AKAL TAKHT'S JATEHDAR ISSUES DIRECTIVE TO SGPC CANDIDATES

Jatehdar of the Akal Takht (Highest Sikh Temporal Seat) Gyani Gurbachan Singh has issued directions to all the SGPC candidates contesting elections and their family members to come at Akal Takht to become baptised Sikh by August 25th.

The Jatehdar on Tuesday said that if candidate and his/her family members were not baptised, he or she could be declared ineligible candidate besides religious action from Akal Takht. He said that SGPC was a religious body since it manages Sikh Gurdwaras (Sikh shrines) and related religious affairs and here it was mandatory for the all candidate belonging to all political parties and its family members to be baptised Sikh besides following the Sikh religious tenets strictly in letter and sprit.

Gurbachan Singh said that elections of SGPC were meant to run the Sikh religious body (SGPC) with Sikh customs and to take the message of Sikhism across the world. On Monday, senior Sikh advocate practicing in the supreme court, H.S. Phoolka along with 40 Sikh organisations, held a marathon meeting with Jatehdar Akal Takht in this regard wherein the baptisation of family members of contesting SGPC candidates was discussed seriously and thereafter, the Jatehdar had made up his mind to issue directions for all candidates and their family members to adopt Sikhism as per the Sikh tenets before they contest elections.

Read More:http://www.punjabmailonline.com/Punjab%20News_news2.aspx#52408

SAD APPOINTS DISTRICT OBSERVERS FOR SGPC POLLS

Shiromani Akali Dal President and Deputy Chief Minister S. Sukhbir Singh Badal today appointed the District Observers of the party for the September 18, SGPC polls to smoothly run the election campaign with full enthusiasm.

In a statement issued here today party Secretary and Spokesman Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema disclosed that the senior leaders who have been appointed observers included S. Ranjit Singh Brahmpura for Tarntaran, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa for Sangrur, Gurdev Singh Badal Faridkot, Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar Faterhgarh Sahib, Balwinder Singh Bhunder Mansa, Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra for Patiala, Maheshinder Singh Grewal Ludhiana, Dr. Ratan Singh Ajanala for Amritsar, Ajit Singh Kohar Jallandhar, Bibi Parmjit Kaur Gulshan Moga, Varinder Singh Bajwa Hoshiarpur, Janmeja Singh Sekhon for Ferozepur and Fazilka, Sucha Singh Langah Gurdaspur and Pathankot, Jarnail Singh Wahad Nawanshehr and Kapurthala, Sikander Singh Maluka Bathinda, Parminder Singh Dhindsa Barnala, Chaudhary Nand Lal Ropar and Jathedar Ujagar Singh Badali for district Mohali.

Dr. Cheema said that these District Observers would coordinate with the leaders of their respective districts and work for ensuring the victory of the SAD-Sant Samaj Candidates.

Src.http://www.punjabmailonline.com/Punjab%20News_news2.aspx#52385

Dr Gurnek Singh is acting VC of Sikh varsity

A major decision before SGPC poll, Dr Gurnek Singh, a former head of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala, was appointed acting Vice- Chancellor of Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, today.

Dr Gurnek Singh is the author of “Sri Guru Granth Sahib: Interpretations, Meaning and Nature” and has written five more books on various religious aspects of Sikh history. In an interview, Dr Gurnek Singh said his immediate priority would be to streamline the functioning of the university and boost the morale of his staff.

He refused to comment on his predecessor Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia’s style of functioning, maintaining that he would rather focus on his own job. Sources confirmed that his name for the top university post was proposed by SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar during his meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal yesterday.

read more :http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110810/punjab.htm

Mini Parliament of Sikhs

n The SGPC manages most gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, HP and Chandigarh

n With an annual budget of Rs 580 crore, its main tasks are maintenance of gurdwaras, running educational institutions and propagating religion

n For the SGPC poll, there are 120 constituencies; 110 in Punjab, eight in Haryana and one each in HP and Chandigarh

n 50 are double-member constituencies, reserved either for women or SC candidates

n In the existing SGPC House, there are 30 women members from double-member seats and three from single-member seats (33 in all)

n The double-member constituency system was first implemented in 1996

n The SGPC elections were first conducted on June 18, 1926, after the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, came into effect

n The House comprises 170 members, of which 100 come from 50 double-member constituencies

n There are 15 nominated members as well. Six slots are for five high priests and the head granthi of the Golden Temple, taking the total number of members to 191

READ MORE :http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110730/punjab.htm#12

Haryana court issues warrants against Sikh Jathedar, Akal Takht warns against arrest

 A court in Haryana has issued non-bailable warrants against Jatehdar of Takht Damdama Sahib Balwant Singh Nandgarh. Takht Damdama falls in Talwandi Sabo town of Bathinda district in Punjab. So far no Sikh Jathedar had ever appeared before any court of law in his official capacity.

Jatehdar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh talking to Punjabnewsline.com here today said, “Nandgarh would never appear in the court law in the capacity of Jatehdar Takht Damdama Sahib. Since, so far, no serving Jatehdar ever appeared in any of the worldly court. Moreover, no worldly court is above Akal Takht the highest Sikh Temporal Seat”.

Adding further, Gyani Gurbachan Singh said, “If Haryana police comes at Takht Talwandi Sabo, in such circumstances, the entire Sikh community would stand by Nandgarh at the time of arrest. It is not as easy as Haryana police thinks”.

Gyani Gurbachan Singh said that a complaint against Jatehdar Nandgarh was filed in the State of Haryana by one of the follower of Dera Sacha Sauda Sect falsely with the allegation that sentiments of followers of Dera Sacha Sauda Sect were hurt during religious discourse of Nandgarh.

Gyani Gurbachan Singh extending support to Nandgarh, said that he had never uttered anything wrong but whatever he had said was right as per the Sikh religious rituals and community always stands with him.

This is not first time wherein such situation occurred for the Sikh Community as well for Jatehdar Akal Takht, as earlier in 1980 Jathedar Akal Takht Amritsar Gurdial Singh Ajnoha was summoned in the court but he didn’t appeared in the court of law keeping in view the respect of highest Sikh temporal seat, and at last complainant himself had withdrawn his complaint and case was dismissed. 

 Second time, once Bhai Ranjit Singh Jatehdar of Akal Takht was also asked to appear in the court when he had come out from bars after spending 14 years for assassinating the chief of Narnkari Sect Baba Gurbachan Singh, but when final Session Court verdict was pronounced, he was asked to face eight months more jail, but Bhai Ranjit Singh had out rightly rejected the court order by saying he would neither appear in the court nor surrender to go jail. Then Chief minister of Punjab himself Parkash Singh Badal, alongwith other Akali stalwarts including Surjit Singh Barnala, then SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Torha met the then Prime minister I.K. Gujral who took up  the case before president whereupon his rest of the sentence was condoned. Ranjit Singh on April 24, 1980, had shot dead the then head of the Mission Baba Gurbachan Singh.

Third time, Gyani Kewal Singh Jatehdar of Takht Damdama Sahib Predecessor of Nandgarh was booked in murder case of her daughter-in-law was also slapped murder case and asked to appear in the court. At That time Kewal Singh appeared in the court and faced trial in the court but after tendering his resignation from post of Jatehdar. But later he was acquitted by the court of law.
src.http://punjabnewsline.com/

Sikh jatha to celebrate Baisakhi in Pakistan

The SGPC will send a group of Sikh devotees to pay obeisance on the occasion of Baisakhi at historic gurdwaras in Pakistan on April 11.

SGPC Secretary Dalmegh Singh Khatra today said that SGPC Executive Committee member Rampal Singh Bahniwali would lead the jatha. He said that passports of the pilgrims had been submitted at the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi.

 It was learnt that the External Affairs Ministries of India and Pakistan had not issued visas to some of the members of the jatha, adding that the names of these persons were yet to be informed.