All eyes are now set on a meeting of Sikh priests convened at Akal Takht on July 22 to discuss the issue of errors in printing of Birs (replicas of the Granth). Various panthic bodies have been putting the blame on Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Avtar Singh Makkar for allowing the printing of the Birs in golden colour.
The meeting, to be presided over by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, at the Sikhs’ highest temporal seat would take up several other issues too. However, the focus would remain on the grave errors in the Birs, found at Phagwara and Jalandhar Gurdwaras last month. The Birs were printed in Mumbai on the request of the some non resident Indians.
“The issue will be discussed by the five Jathedars,” said Giani Gurbachan Singh, adding that they have sought details from SGPC functionaries regarding the whole affair.
On the other hand, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGPC), Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi), SAD (Panch Pardhani), SAD (1920), factions of Sikh Students Federations and Dal Khalsa, have written letters to Akal Takht Jathedar demanding action against the guilty. “We hope that the guilty will not be spared, however big post he may be holding,” reads a letter addressed to Giani Gurbachan Singh. It added that the act of sanctioning the printing of Birs in itself is a sacrilege and Takht should act against Makkar.
Makkar, meanwhile, has denied that the SGPC gave the rights to any one to print Birs. “DSGMC head Paramjit Singh Sarna and his supporters are trying to exploit the issue. Let the Jathedars discuss it,” Makkar said, adding it was the SGPC that had detected the printing errors in the Birs. He said the a three-member was also set up to examine the replicas of the Birs which were withdrawn from Gurdwaras.
Sarna, however, said that the responsibility must now be fixed and guilty punished.
Meanwhile, a CD in which one Ragi of the controversial Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda is supposed to have equated himself as Bhai Mardana, a dedicated hymn singer and a close associate of Guru Nanak has also reached the Takht. The Sikh priests may discuss the matter in detail. Dera head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has already courted troubles for emulating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007. The issue relating some Birs being sent to Italy by DSGMC head PS Sarna could also be taken up in the meeting, the sources said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/errors-in-birs-all-eyes-set-on-takht-meet/820673/0
The meeting, to be presided over by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, at the Sikhs’ highest temporal seat would take up several other issues too. However, the focus would remain on the grave errors in the Birs, found at Phagwara and Jalandhar Gurdwaras last month. The Birs were printed in Mumbai on the request of the some non resident Indians.
“The issue will be discussed by the five Jathedars,” said Giani Gurbachan Singh, adding that they have sought details from SGPC functionaries regarding the whole affair.
On the other hand, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGPC), Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi), SAD (Panch Pardhani), SAD (1920), factions of Sikh Students Federations and Dal Khalsa, have written letters to Akal Takht Jathedar demanding action against the guilty. “We hope that the guilty will not be spared, however big post he may be holding,” reads a letter addressed to Giani Gurbachan Singh. It added that the act of sanctioning the printing of Birs in itself is a sacrilege and Takht should act against Makkar.
Makkar, meanwhile, has denied that the SGPC gave the rights to any one to print Birs. “DSGMC head Paramjit Singh Sarna and his supporters are trying to exploit the issue. Let the Jathedars discuss it,” Makkar said, adding it was the SGPC that had detected the printing errors in the Birs. He said the a three-member was also set up to examine the replicas of the Birs which were withdrawn from Gurdwaras.
Sarna, however, said that the responsibility must now be fixed and guilty punished.
Meanwhile, a CD in which one Ragi of the controversial Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda is supposed to have equated himself as Bhai Mardana, a dedicated hymn singer and a close associate of Guru Nanak has also reached the Takht. The Sikh priests may discuss the matter in detail. Dera head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has already courted troubles for emulating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007. The issue relating some Birs being sent to Italy by DSGMC head PS Sarna could also be taken up in the meeting, the sources said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/errors-in-birs-all-eyes-set-on-takht-meet/820673/0
