General Secretary Harjinder Singh Dhami Denies Giving Permission to Anyone for Printing Saroop of SGGS
Various Sikh bodies across the world are questioning the alleged printing of Guru Granth Sahib by a Canada-based Sikh society and the permission to print it.
Canada-based British Columbia Gurdwara Council (BCGC) spokesperson Moninder Singh on Friday said they had issued a notice to Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was acquitted for his role in the 1985 Kanishka airplane bombing, and Balwant Singh Pandher of Satnam Parchar Religious Society (SPRS), Surrey, British Columbia, for violating the Akal Takht directives on the printing of Guru Granth Sahib saroops (copies).
On April 9, 1998, then Akal Takht jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh had issued an edict to ban the printing of saroop, gutka (a small sized missal or breviary containing chosen hymns or banis from Sikh scriptures) and pothi (sacred book containing gurbani or scriptural texts and of a moderate size, larger than a gutka) by all private publishers and authorised only Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to do so. However, a concession to print the saroop and other holy books (mentioned in the edict) by a private publisher was given. It could be done only after an approval from the SGPC and the Akal Takht.
The BCGC has directed both Malik and Pandher to handover all saroops of Guru
Granth Sahib printed by SPRS and the material used for the purpose to Guru Nanak
Sikh Gurdwara, Surrey, by 4pm on August 22.
Taking cognisance of the violation of the Akal Takht edict, the American Sikh Council (ASC) has announced support of the coalition of Gurdwaras of western Canada against the printing of the Guru Granth Sahib by any individual or entity. An ASC official said they were concerned about the reports of printing of their holy book by a Canadian Sikh society.
“Apparently, Malik set up a printing press inside Pandher’s home in order to
start printing the Guru Granth Sahib. As of today, they may have printed over a
dozen copies to test their venture,” claimed ASC. “The real question is who
gave them the authority to take up such a task?” he added.
Despite repeated
attempts, Malik could not be contacted for his comments in the matter. He also
did not reply to a text message sent to him.
