SGPC General House Session to Be Held on November 20 for Election of President and Office-Bearers – Advocate Dhami

• Executive Committee approves installation of Bhai Parvinder Singh Jhotta’s portrait in the Central Sikh Museum.

• Financial assistance of Rs. 2.5 lakh approved for the family of Bhai Manpreet Singh, who lost his life due to electrocution during a protest.

• Executive Committee meeting held under the leadership of Advocate Dhami.

Amritsar, October 30, KANWAR PARTAP SINGH

The General House session of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has been convened on November 20 for the annual election of the SGPC President and other office-bearers. This decision was taken during a meeting of the SGPC Executive Committee held today under the leadership of SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami.
The General House session will be held at 12:00 noon at S. Teja Singh Samundri Hall, located within the SGPC headquarters. During the session, elections will be conducted for the posts of President, Senior Vice-President, Junior Vice-President, General Secretary and members of the Executive Committee. Several other important decisions were also taken during today's Executive Committee meeting.
Through a resolution passed by the Executive Committee, the murder of Bhai Parvinder Singh, who had been actively campaigning against drug abuse, was strongly condemned. The resolution stated that the growing menace of drugs in Punjab is a matter of grave concern. However, instead of taking effective action against the drug menace, the government is acting against those who raise their voices against it. Bhai Parvinder Singh also fell victim to this government failure.
To ensure that the struggle undertaken by Shaheed Bhai Parvinder Singh to save the youth of Punjab from the scourge of drugs, and his supreme sacrifice for this cause, remain forever remembered, the Executive Committee approved the installation of his portrait in the Central Sikh Museum, located within the Sri Darbar Sahib complex.
The Executive Committee also strongly condemned the registration of an FIR against approximately 40 youths who participated in a protest against drugs in Mansa recently, the arrest of some of them, the removal of turbans of Sikh protesters and the alleged mistreatment of women during the incident.
The resolution stated that rescuing the younger generation of Punjab from the grip of drug abuse is an urgent necessity, and it is the responsibility of the government and administration to encourage young people who raise their voices for this cause. However, police action against youths participating in such a movement, removal of turbans worn by Sikh protesters and mistreatment of women are acts that undermine democratic values and suppress the legitimate voice of the youth.
The Executive Committee strongly urged the Punjab Government to immediately withdraw the FIR registered against the youths, release those arrested without delay and take strict action against those involved in the drug trade instead of targeting individuals who raise their voices against drugs.
Similarly, expressing grief over the death of Bhai Manpreet Singh, who was electrocuted while removing a poster during a protest held to condemn the murder of Shaheed Bhai Parvinder Singh, the Executive Committee approved financial assistance of Rs. 2.5 lakh for his family.
The meeting also approved financial assistance of Rs. 50,000 each to 479 Sikh Dharmi Fauji (religious soldiers) who had revolted in protest against the attack carried out by the then Congress government on Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib in June 1984.
The Executive Committee also decided to grant a 3% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) to SGPC employees.
Before the commencement of the meeting, tributes were paid to the departed souls of SGPC members S. Amarjit Singh Bhalaipur, Jathedar Suba Singh Dabbwala and Shaheed Bhai Parvinder Singh through the recitation of the Mool Mantar and Gur Mantar.
Besides SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, those present at the meeting included Senior Vice-President S. Raghujit Singh Virk, Junior Vice-President S. Baldev Singh Kalyan, General Secretary S. Sher Singh Mandwala, Chief Secretary S. Kulwant Singh Mannan, Executive Committee members S. Surjit Singh Garhi, S. Surjit Singh Tugalwal, S. Surjit Singh Kang, S. Daljit Singh Bhinder, Bibi Harjinder Kaur and S. Major Singh Dhillon; OSD S. Satbir Singh; Secretary S. Balwinder Singh Kahlwan; Personal Secretary S. Shahbaz Singh; Additional Secretaries S. Bhagwant Singh Dhangerha, S. Tejinder Singh Padda, S. Pritpal Singh and S. Jaswinder Singh Jassi; Deputy Secretaries S. Gurdial Singh, S. Gurnam Singh, S. Manjit Singh Talwandi, S. Harbhajan Singh Wakta and S. Azaddeep Singh; Sri Darbar Sahib General Manager S. Major Singh; Legal Advisor Advocate Amanbir Singh Siali; XEN S. Jatinderpal Singh; and In-charges S. Parjinder Singh, S. Gurpreet Singh Rode, S. Jagdish Singh Buttar, S. Gurpartap Singh and S. Tarsem Singh, among others.