Amritsar, Feb 19 (PTI) SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami asked Giani Raghbir Singh to substantiate his allegations within 72 hours on Thursday, a day after he, the head ‘granthi’ of the Golden Temple, alleged corrupt practices and irregularities in the apex gurdwara body.
Dhami said Giani Raghbir Singh, who is currently on leave, defamed the institution and its administration by making allegations from a position of respect without solid evidence.
Singh has therefore been directed to submit written proof within the stipulated time, failing which action will be taken against him, said Dhami, announcing the decision taken in the executive meeting of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee held here.
On Wednesday, Raghbir Singh alleged corrupt practices and irregularities in the SGPC, claiming that money was being pocketed from the unauthorised sale of gurdwara land and the sale of dry ‘langar’.
Raghbir Singh, a former Akal Takht Jathedar, also claimed that, against the fixed amount of Rs 8,500 for holding ‘Akhand Path Sahib’ programme at gurdwaras, a sum of Rs 5 lakh was being taken from some devotees.
Dhami on Thursday dismissed as baseless the allegations of former Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh concerning proceeds from land acquired under a GMADA scheme at Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib, Mohali, and the sale of land belonging to Gurdwara Sri Bhatha Sahib in Ropar.
He said all transactions related to the sale and purchase of land at Gurdwara Sri Bhatha Sahib were carried out strictly in accordance with rules and in a transparent manner, and so was the case with land under GMADA at Mohali’s Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib.
He said making unfounded allegations to defame SGPC management and mislead the Sikh ‘sangat’ is unjustified, and thus, Harpreet Singh must issue a public apology.
Dhami said an inquiry into land “fraudulently” sold by the manager of Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib is underway.
Meanwhile, the SGPC executive committee condemned the “continued injustice” being done to ‘Bandi Singhs’ (Sikh prisoners) by successive governments.
Dhami said the recent rejection of the release plea of Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, a 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict, by the Sentence Review Board of the BJP government in Delhi was deeply unfortunate.
He said earlier the Aam Aadmi Party government followed the same approach, and now the BJP government is also walking on “anti-Sikh lines.” He questioned the silence of Sikh leaders in the BJP on the issue, stating that it has “exposed their double standards.” Dhami said the Centre’s “failure” to release ‘Bandi Singhs’, even after they have served long sentences, amounts to a violation of human rights.
The SGPC president said that the executive committee also took note of anti-Sikh actions being carried out using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. He stated that the SGPC is working proactively to curb the misuse of modern technology for activities targeting religions. PTI CHS VN VN
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