AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections are likely to delay the construction of Operation Bluestar memorial, which had been promised by the Sikh body.
The reason for the delay is being attributed to the preoccupation of the SGPC members and the head of the sub-committee constituted for the purpose.
The SGPC, on June 8, had formed a five-member subhttp://panthicdal.com/wp-admin/post-new.php-committee under the chairmanship of Damdami Taksal head Harnam Singh Khalsa to make a draft proposal for erecting the memorial and identifying the place where the same could be raised. Other members of the committee included Jaspal Singh, Prof Prithipal Singh, SGPC senior vice-president Ranjit Singh and SGPC executive member Rajinder Singh Mehta. The committee was to submit its report before August 8.
Khalsa, who is also the president of Sant Samaj, has formed alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (B) to contest on 30 SGPC seats. Rajinder Singh Mehta is also contesting the elections while Ranjit Singh is reported to be busy with the election process due to which the meeting of the sub-committee, which was scheduled to be held on Tuesday, was postponed.
While talking to The Times of India, Khalsa said: “Due to the election activities, the meeting was postponed. We will try to submit the report soon.”
Expressing similar views, Mehta said: “Erection of the memorial may not be possible in the near future due to the implementation of the election manifesto, but we will try to submit the report as soon as possible.”
Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh said the report was ready and the same would be submitted with the sub-committee in the next meeting.
Sikh organizations, including the Dal Khalsa, Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), Khalsa Action Committee and the Panthic Sewa Lehar have constituted a parallel committee for making their own draft proposal. The committee members include Gurtej Singh, Ajmer Singh, A R Darshi and Jagmohan Singh. The committee had already visited Golden Temple to identify the place.
News Source: The Times of India
