Amritsar, Punjab (February 05, 2014): It is learnt that five Singh Sahibs: Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Mal Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Gaini Balwant Singh Nandgarh, Head Granthi of Darbar Sahib Gaini Jagtar Singh and Granthi Giani Maan Singh held a meeting at Amritsar today.
The meeting reportedly observed that too many Sikh groups or organizations were being floated for vested interests, and it decided to impose restriction on forming any Sikh organizations without the approval of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC).
According to certain media reports, while informing about the decision Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said: “We’ll recognise religious groups only if the SGPC approved them and the Akal Takht also agreed. Only then will they qualify for assistance from the two authorities.”
He said that the decision was based on complaints received by them in this regard.
According to Ajit newspaper: Jathedars declared that it was necessary for any Sikh organization to present it’s aims/ objectives along the full details of it’s members to the SGPC in order to get approval for floating such organization.
On the other hand, Jathedars did not discuss the Nanakshahi Calendar issue. Giani Gurbachan Singh reportedly stated, in a media interaction after the meeting, that they ‘did not touch the topic’.
According to Hindustan Times (HT) there was also no discussion on the 7 January Gurpurb clash at Takht Patna Sahib.
“We received the CD (compact disc) containing a video of the clash only a few minutes ago. We’ll view it first,” the jathedar said in reply to a query.