Akal Takht Sahib announces sarkarekhalsa.org website for organized relief and rehabilitation of Punjab’s flood-affected people

Decision taken on basis of suggestions received from organizations, groups and individuals engaged in flood relief services

Sri Amritsar, September 13:, Gurjit Singh Azad

Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, Officiating Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, convened a special meeting at the headquarters of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) with various Sikh organizations, groups, individuals, Punjabi artists and actors who were engaged in flood relief efforts across Punjab.

After the meeting, Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj announced that by Monday, a website – sarkarekhalsa.org – would be launched under the banner of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to bring all organizations doing Sewa (voluntary service) together on a platform in an organized manner and to implement a policy-based approach for holistic relief and rehabilitation work. He stated that all organizations doing Sewa and relief work shall register with Sri Akal Takht Sahib through this website, and their services would be allocated accordingly as per demand and need of the affected people. Organizations willing to work collectively were also asked to submit their information. He made it clear that the entire management of the website would remain under Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

Jathedar Gargajj further said that every organization should provide two volunteers to coordinate with Akal Takht Sahib for relief work. By Tuesday, a control room would also be set up to facilitate information exchange between organizations and service activities. Initially, one volunteer would be deployed for every 20 villages, and organized outreach would be extended to about 1,600 flood-affected villages of Punjab.

Strongly refuting allegations, Jathedar Gargajj condemned false propaganda spread by a self-styled Nihung, Harjit Singh Rasulpur, who alleged through media that Sikh organizations were practicing caste-based discrimination during relief work. He asserted that no volunteer of Sikh organizations had engaged in such discrimination and declared today’s gathering as a collective rejection of Harjeet Singh Rasulpur, branding him a Behroopia (person of different disguises). He urged that such individuals who speak against their own people, the Panth and Punjab, must be identified and exposed. He also appealed to media houses not to provide a platform to such elements, as they do not represent the Sikh community.

Highlighting the spirit of selfless service, Jathedar Gargajj said Sikh youth and organizations have rendered humanitarian relief during floods, even sacrificing their lives. He emphasized that the compensation announced by the government for lives lost in the floods is very low and must be increased, including for those volunteers who died while serving. He asked Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sawhney, present on the occasion, to push for legal action against people spreading false narratives.

Jathedar Gargajj stated that the Khalsa Panth is progressing in Chardi Kala (ever-rising spirit), and all Sikh organizations including the SGPC performed commendable service during the floods. He advised that Sikh institutions should not be maligned. Any Sikh organization that collects dasvandh by sharing its bank account must also maintain financial transparency. He cited the example of the SGPC’s Gurdwara Gazette, which publishes monthly financial accounts, and urged all Sikh organizations to bring transparency in their work and spend dasvandh meaningfully.

Representatives, spokespersons and dignitaries of various organizations suggested that relief and rehabilitation work for Punjab’s flood-affected people should be carried out in a coordinated and systematic manner by bringing all organizations on a common platform. They emphasized that efforts must ensure that services funded by dasvandh do not go waste due to lack of coordination. The gathering also felt that relief and rehabilitation measures carried out by the Punjab and Central governments were inadequate, and that the services rendered by voluntary organizations were also not being systematically delivered to affected people. The governments, they said, must provide rightful compensation for losses suffered by farmers in crops, homes, land and lives, and the governments’ work should be clearly identified.

Nearly 100 leaders, representatives and dignitaries of organizations from India and abroad participated in this meeting.