Tanda/ Hoshiarpur, Punjab (May 15, 2014): The crisis within the Sikh community does not seems to come to an end on the issue of Nanakshahi calendar as Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) has stick to its original version of 2003 refusing to accept the amended one thus giving setback to the Shiromani Akali Dal Badal’s sponsored move to convince the Pak body to fall in line.
Dal Khalsa and Sikh Youth of Punjab leadership
Hailing the stand of PSGPC, Dal Khalsa has urged the SGPC chief and Jathedar Akal Takht to build consensus on the issue instead of playing partisan role. Both should rise above the partisan politics of Badals, said the organization’s secretary Ranbir Singh. Dal Khalsa is of the firm belief that implementing the original calendar adopted in 2003 was vital for the unity of the Sikhs.
Ranbir Singh said the Nanakshahi Calendar was an identity marker for the Sikh community and the changes have killed the spirit of the almanac.
He said these so-called changes in the Calendar have diluted the uniqueness of the Sikh almanac.
The party released a statement on vital issues pertaining to socio-religio concerns of Punjab and Panth after the meeting was held to finalize series of programmes to observe and commemorate the 30th anniversary of army attack on Darbar Sahib. The release said the Dal Khalsa would organize a ‘conference followed by Genocide Remembrance Parade on 5th June in Amritsar.
The activists participating in the meet felt that drug menace has reached at alarming position ruining the younger generation. Politicians are interested only in votes and they damn care about the social evils that has plagued our society, said Ranbir Singh and added that the successive governments react only when there was hue and cry.
Nobeljit Singh, head of Sikh Youth of Punjab (SYP) condemned the lawlessness in Amritsar, where lawyer was beaten up in full public view by hooligans associated with a local BJP minister. He said Punjab is not governed by ‘rule of law’ but by ‘law of rulers’.
SYP condemned the burning of Nishan Sahib in Hyderabad that led to Sikh-Muslim clashes and caution the people of both the communities against escalating the tension.