India Badal To Corner Sarnas In DSGMC Polls Over Nanakshahi Calendar

[spnadmin]

Badals' SAD to corner Sarnas in DSGMC polls

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punja...-Sarnas-over-calendar/SP-Article1-985133.aspx

Gurpreet Singh Nibber , Hindustan Times

The Shiromani Akali Dal-Badal (SAD-B), which is fighting hard to regain control over the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), has decided to corner the ruling SAD-Delhi over its refusal to follow the Akal Takht's edict to use the modified Nanakshahi calendar. The DSGMC is finally scheduled to go to polls on January 27. The current DSGMC's four-year term had actually ended in 2011, but the polls were not held.

The Akal Takht based in Amritsar, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, had issued the original Nanakshahi calendar in 2003 to determine gurpurbs and other religious dates. It was altered in 2009 to align with the lunar calendar, but the DSGMC follows the original 2003-issued calendar.

"Sikhs across globe are confused because the DSGMC doesn't accept the (2009-issued) Nankshahi calendar. The anger of the Sikhs over this is going to be a big issue," said Manjit Singh GK, president of Delhi unit of the SAD-B. Led by Punjab deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, the SAD-B plans to release its manifesto by next week. "On coming back to power in the DSGMC, we will switch to the calendar mandated by the Akal Takht," said Manjit Singh.

However, DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna, who heads the SAD-Delhi, said, "Yes, we have rejected the altered calendar. But what is wrong in that? Akal takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has sent a written communiqué that celebrating gurpurbs is important, and the difference in dates at different locations is not an issue," he claimed.

But Manjit Singh said, "Almost all 1,200 Singh Sabhas in Delhi celebrate gurpurbs as per the 2009-issued calendar. It has alienated the DSGMC, as only the 10 historical gurdwaras under its control follow the old dates."

Delhi has around 15 lakh Sikhs, of which 4.5 lakh are registered DSGMC voters.

Manjit Singh also listed "the deteriorating levels of education in DSGMC-run schools" as a major issue.

Candidates announced

Of the 46 DSGMC constituencies, the SAD-Badal has announced candidates for 35, while the Sarnas' SAD-Delhi has named 43 nominees. "Names for Jungpura, Rohini and Fatehnagar would be out on Sunday," said Paramjit Singh Sarna. SAD-Badal is expected to announce its remaining candidates by next week. The 51-member House has five nominated or co-opted members.

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

Using the TAKHATS for Dirty POLITICS again...

 

[spnadmin]

Nanakshahi Calendar again in debate – DSGMC followed unamended version to observer Gurpurb

By DALJEET SINGH

http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2013/01/...llowed-unamended-version-to-observer-gurpurb/

Amritsar/Ludhiana, Punjab (January 06, 2012): According to Times of India (TOI) once again the difference between Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) came to fore after the later celebrated the Parkash Utsav (Birth Anniversary) of Guru Gobind Singh on Saturday (January 5th) according to the Nanakshahi Calendar approved by SGPC in 2003, however the SGPC, after the amendments in the Nanakshahi Calendar, would be celebrating the day on January 18th.

The amendments were made on the recommendations of a two-member team comprising SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar and chief of Gurmat Sidhant Parcharak Sant Samaj Harnam Singh Khalsa on the suggestion of an 11-member committee in 2010.

The two member committee had decided that the birth and martyrdom day of Guru Gobind Singh, death anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, coronation (Gurta Gaddi Diwas) of Guru Granth Sahib and “sangrand” (beginning of every month) would be observed as per the tradition. While talking to DSGMC president Paramjti Singh Sarna told TOI that sticking to the original draft of Nanakshahi Calendar adopted by SGPC in 2003 they had celebrated the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on Saturday. He said they had organized a function at Lakhi Shah Vanjara Hall, at Gurdwara Rakabganj.

Meanwhile Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Avtar Singh Makkar has appealed to the Sikhs to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on January 18th, as approved by Akal Takht, and blamed on DSGMC for adopting a political agenda instead of religious one.

Both DSGMC and Dal Khalsa had been opposing the deciSon of SGPC to observe these religious dates as par traditional system. Reacting on the changes made in the Nanakshahi Calendar Prof Balwant Singh of department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University who was also one of the member of 11 member committee constituted to contemplate and carry out research on the Calendar in 2003 by the then Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti said that it was not unnatural to resist the change but the change had been made for good.

 

[spnadmin]

The lesson I draw: the 15 year discussion of the Nanakshahi calendar is not about coming up with a scientifically accurate calendar; nor is it about a calendar that is justified by tradition. It is about politics. Support for a calendar that is distinctively panthic is too clearcut and impossible given the governance of religious institutions in India. Choosing the 2003 Purewal Nanakshahi Calendar cannot be made by current leadership without concern for repercussions in voting blocs and polities, some of which are not even Sikh. This has been true since the original Nanakshahi calendar was rolled out in 2003.

That is why this particular round of the debate features the SGPC versus two unusual allies, DSGMC and Dal Khalsa. Not one combination thereof has championed its version of the calendar because it is a good idea.

Read Gyani Jarnail Singh's assessment of the alternatives at this recent thread/link Wonders of the Dhumma Sant Calendar http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/general-discussion/39854-the-wonders-of-dhumma-sant-calendar.html