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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Takht ex-jathedar alleges illegal selling of Tarn Taran gurdwara's land; SGPC rubbishes allegations
Akal Takht former jathedar Ranjit Singh on Wednesday accused the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) of committing misappropriation in the sale of Tarn Taran historic Sikh shrine's land worth crores of rupees. While addressing a press conference here, he alleged that this property was donated by the devotees to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Tarn Taran, but SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, along with member Alwinderpal Singh Pakhoke, is selling it off to their favoured individuals at throwaway prices. Speaking to journalists, Ranjit Singh said the property adjoining the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Tarn Taran Sahib is worth crores. He claimed that attempts have been made to sell this property 40 times before, but the bids were always cancelled. 'This time, however, without any public bidding process, Dhami and the Badal group are selling the property to their close associates at extremely low prices,' he said. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) refuted the allegations made by the former jathedar regarding the alleged sale of certain plots belonging to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at undervalued prices. SGPC secretary Pratap Singh and assistant secretary Gurnam Singh, clarified that the land in question was not in use by the Gurdwara Sahib and had been facing frequent encroachments. Based on the recommendations of the SGPC's Property Sub-Committee, the executive committee took the decision to sell the land. They stated that the SGPC sold the land through a proper open bidding process after issuing public advertisements.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Scam in SGPC, it sold land worth Rs 50 lakh for Rs 9 lakh: Former Akal Takht jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh
1 2 Amritsar: Former Akal Takht jathedar and Panthic Akali Lehar founder Bhai Ranjit Singh has accused the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) of allegedly usurping gurdwara property worth crores of rupees in Tarn Taran, a charge the SGPC has denied. Talking to mediapersons on Wednesday, Ranjit Singh alleged that the SGPC sold the property at throwaway prices to those closely associated with its president. "The SGPC is not the property owner but only its custodian," he said. He alleged that the land with a market value of Rs 50 lakh was being sold for just Rs 9 lakh, and the Rs 60 lakh property was being sold for Rs 16 lakh. On the other hand, SGPC secretary Partap Singh and assistant secretary Gurnam Singh, in a joint statement, claimed that if Ranjit Singh believes the property was worth Rs 60 lakh, he himself should deposit Rs 55 lakh in the gurdwara account, and the SGPC will cancel the previous bid and transfer the property to him. They further said that the SGPC sold the land through an open bidding process after publicly advertising it. Although the land is close to the city, according to them, its market value was lower due to narrow lanes and limited accessibility.
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
No Sikh group to Pakistan for Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Death Anniversary this year: SGPC
Amritsar (Punjab) [India], June 17 (ANI): Stressing the current situation between India and Pakistan, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) announced on Tuesday that no Sikh pilgrim group will travel to the neighbouring country this year to observe Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary. Speaking to ANI, SGPC official Harbhajan Singh Vakta said the decision was made due to the current diplomatic situation between India and Pakistan, following the April 22 Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, conducted by the Indian Armed Forces on May 7. 'Every year, the SGPC sends a group of Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan for religious visits. One of these visits is for Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary, which is observed there on June 29. This year, we sent a batch of passports to Delhi for clearance to go to Pakistan. But now, SGPC has decided not to send the group. Our secretary officially announced this decision yesterday. Due to the current situation between the two countries, the group will not be sent this time,' Vakta said. 'We had sent 249 passport applications to Pakistan for this visit. Since the trip is now cancelled, these passports will be returned after June 20. People can collect their passports from our travel department after that date,' Vakta said. Last year, Pakistan issued 509 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to attend the Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's death anniversary. Led by interim committee member Khushvinder Singh Bhatia, the delegation, comprised of 317 pilgrims, was sent for this spiritual voyage. In addition to Sikh pilgrims from all over the world, including India, tourists from other countries visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib. Maharaja Ranjeet Singh was the first king of the Sikh Empire in the 19th century. He is popularly known as 'Sher-e-Punjab.' Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born on November 13, 1780, in Budrukhan, or Gujranwala (now in Pakistan), and died on June 27, 1839, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). According to Sikh beliefs, he ruled Punjab for 40 years. It is said that Maharaja Ranjit Singh fought against the Mughals and also conquered Lahore. Also, religious tolerance was promoted during his time, as many important ministers of his were Muslims. (ANI)
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
With Shimla Agreement in suspension, SGPC cancels Sikh pilgrimage to Pakistan for Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Sunday announced that it will not send a Sikh pilgrimage group (jattha) to Pakistan this year to mark the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire, on June 27. The decision follows the diplomatic stand-off between India and Pakistan and the suspension of the 1972 Shimla Agreement in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. The pilgrimage is undertaken as part of a longstanding arrangement under the Shimla Agreement, which permits Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan four times a year. Harbhajan Singh Vakta, a representative of the SGPC, confirmed the cancellation on Monday and said, 'Every year, a few 'jatthas' are sent by SGPC to Pakistan for darshan. One of these is the 'jattha' for Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary… Now, the SGPC has decided not to send the 'jattha' this time. We had made an official announcement yesterday. Looking at the situation between the two countries, this time no 'jattha' will be sent,' Vakta said. There has been no immediate response from Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board, which typically hosts the Sikh pilgrims. According to the agreement, up to 3,000 pilgrims are allowed to travel for Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary, 1,000 for the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, and 500 for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The sites of religious and historical importance to Sikhs in Pakistan include Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, and Lahore, where Guru Arjan Dev was martyred. The SGPC's decision follows India's recent diplomatic actions against Pakistan, which included scaling down diplomatic missions, sealing the border, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. These steps were taken after the April 22 Pahalagam terror attack in Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. In the last week of April, Pakistan suspended the Shimla Agreement in response to India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, its military action targeting terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), leading to a military conflict between the two nations before a ceasefire was announced on May 10.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: No jatha to be sent to Pak amid restrictions: SGPC
In the wake of the restrictions imposed by India amid tension with Pakistan, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Monday decided to scrap the process of sending a Sikh jatha to Pakistan on the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on June 30. SGPC secretary Partap Singh said that this year the jatha is not being sent amid the tension between both countries and restrictions imposed by the Indian government on the pilgrimage. 'For more information, the devotees can contact the pilgrimage department of the SGPC,' he added. After the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, India debarred its citizens from going to the neighbouring country through the Attari-Wagah border checkpost. HTC
