The American Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (ASGPC) has appealed to Sikhs voting for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections for a written promise from candidates contesting elections that they would promote religious agenda of the community.
Speaking to TOI over phone from Fremont, US, ASGPC coordinator Pritpal Singh said since the SGPC was a religious organization, so Sikhs living abroad wanted that only upright and religious- minded candidates should be elected to manage the religious body. Sikhs settled in various countries faced numerous religious problems and most significantly among them identity crisis, for which they look upon the SGPC.
“We want that voters should first ask the candidates to promise that they would work for the propagation of Sikhism and solve their religious issues,” he said. He suggested that a performa could be devised to take written promise from the candidates. President of ASGPC, Jaswant Singh Hothi said the SGPC was a mini parliament of Sikhs and it was the duty of every Sikh to ensure that they elect candidates with clean images. He said the voters should also not give much consideration to the political party to which the SGPC candidate was aligned.
He said the ASGPC had also appealed to all candidates to not distribute liquor etc. He blamed it for not performing its duty in case of desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in Ropar district. He said Sikhs living in US were pinning their hopes on new SGPC body for redressal of their religious issues.
News Source: Times of India
