CHANDIGARH: Taking up a petition seeking directions to allow Sehajdhari Sikhs as voters in the SGPC elections, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Gurdwara Election Commission, Union government and the Punjab government among others.
The petitioner has challenged amendments to Section 49 and Section 92 of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, whereby Sehajdhari Silchs are not being considered as “Sikhs”. “Sehajdhari Sikhs are those persons, who though not born in Sikh families, follow the religion for all intents and purposes,” reads petition.
The petition filed by Hans Raj through advocates Mansur Ali and H.S. Deol highlighted that in 2002 special voting rights were given to Sehajdhari Sikhs by the respondents, the same clearly showed that Sehajdhari Silchs were recognised as Sikhs.
“It is surprising as to how till 2003 Sehajdhari Sikhs were considered Sikhs, and at present the respondents are restraining the definition of Sikhs by ousting Sehajdhari Sikhs,” the petition said.
with thanks : punjab news : link in headline above for the detailed story.
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“The SGPC has been asked to constitute a censor board. Any book, published material and films related to the Sikhism, history and culture will have to be subjected to examination by the board before their release. This is being to done to avoid any controversies in the future,” said Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.
The five Sikh high priests, led by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, have also asked the SGPC to divide Punjab into three regions-Majha, Malwa and Doaba-to spread message of Sikh Gurus and that of “Gurbani” in a better way.
The Dharam Parchar Committee of the SGPC will distribute published material like books on the Sikh religion among Sikhs through Akhand Kirtani Jatha head Baldev Singh and other Sikh religious preachers.
The three regions, according to Giani Gurbachan Singh, will also have SGPC-operated missions on lines of the similar institutions operating in Jammu. “The Sikh high priests will also visit these regions from time to time,” said Giani Gurbachan Singh.
The idea to set-up an SGPC-operated “censor board” came up for discussion among the Sikh high priests after a recent controversy of the publication of two books “Gian Sarovar”- an encyclopedia for primary classes in Punjab-and “Balu De Wal”.
SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Maan had raised objections over the books following which Director-General (School Education) Krishan Kumar had tendered an apology.
The Akal Takht Jathedar had accepted the apology and had asked the Sikh sangat to consider the issue “as closed”.
with thanks : source : SikhSangat.org
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