SGPC to discuss French legislation on turban

[gupt faujaan]

SGPC to discuss French legislation on turban

The SGPC general secretary, Jathedar Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, said today that the Executive Committee of the SGPC would discuss in its meeting on December 30 at Amritsar the serious issue of the proposed French legislation to ban the tying of turbans by Sikhs in public schools and work places in France.

He was talking to mediapersons at the local Guru Nanak College after inaugurating a three-day zonal Gurmat training camp organised by Guru Gobind Singh study circle, Jalandhar-Kapurthala a zone, headed by Mr M.P. Singh.

Mr Jagat Singh Palahi, president of the host college, was the chief guest at the camp.

Jathedar Bhaur said the issue would also be discussed in the Dharam Parchar Committee of the SGPC and the Advisory Board of Akal Takht. After this, the issue would be taken up with the French Government through proper channel, he said.

It may be mentioned here that French President Jacques Chirac had justified the proposed legislation banning the wearing of “visible” religious symbols such as turbans by Sikhs claiming that these were “anathema to many French people..”.

Jathedar Bhaur disclosed that a high-powered delegation of the SGPC would soon visit Pakistan to take up with that government the Sikh issues of giving group visas to devotees, handing over the management of gurdwaras in Pakistan to Sikhs, running of Sikh religious places as per “maryada”, proper maintenance of historical and religious buildings and gurdwaras, increasing the revenue amount of the property in the name of gurdwaras, removing encroachments on Sikh religious p

laces and property and setting up either a university or a hospital in the name of Guru Nanak Dev.

Giving details of upcoming SGPC projects, Jathedar Bhaur said plans were afoot to have a tie-up with some other private TV channels for telecasting “gurbani kirtan” from other important gurdwaras like Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib.

The SGPC, at present, had kept in abeyance its plan to start its own channel as the project required atleast Rs 50 crore besides some other hassles, he informed.

A multi-purpose hall would be constructed in the Golden Temple Complex for giving information of Sikh heritage and Sikhism through internet and video clips, he disclosed.

A modern technology park would come up, preferably at Fatehgarh Sahib, in commemoration of the third centenary celebrations of the martyrdom of “sahibzadas” (sons) of Guru Gobind Singh, he said.