For the third time, the prominent Sikh personalities and representatives of the Sikh bodies are organizing a Panthik Assembly session from June 12 onward. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Assembly is being held virtually this time.
Two such Panthik Assemblies—one at Amritsar Sahib and the other at Ludhiana—have already been organized. At Ludhiana, the Panthik assembly also issued a white paper on Bargari Guru Granth Sahib’s sacrilege case in which the Sikh community is still waiting for justice.
As this is being held online, the Sikh dignitaries worldwide will attend it to discuss various issues concerning the Sikh nation. “The Panthik Assemblies held earlier created awareness on Panthik issues and played a constructive role in finding out the way out to tackle with the challenges before Panth”, said Giani Kewal Singh, former Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Jathedar and convener of Panthik Talmel Sangathan.
He said, “Once again, the Sikh nation is facing some serious issues. In the circumstances prevailing since sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib during the SAD-BJP regime, the role of the political parties of Punjab in this matter needs to be reviewed. Sikh think tank must discuss the point of view of the community”.
“Other major issues include management of Akal Takht Sahib, necessary changes in the methods of the election of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), education, farmers and other economic issues. The assembly will prove to be meaningful as an initiative in evolving and spreading national policy of the Sikhs”, said the former Jathedar.
He said, “The assembly will pave the way for uniting the Sikh organizations across the world. Efforts will be made to instil Panthik thinking in the Sikh personalities contributing in their respective fields”.
Accompanied by SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, Advocate Navkiran Singh, Jaswinder Singh Advocate, Dr Khushhal Singh and Satnam Singh Khanda, Giani Kewal Singh said, “Panthik Assembly is a sincere effort to revive the tradition of Gurmata, through which solutions of Sikh issues will be found out.”
On the lines of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, in which sacrilege and police firing instances were tabled, representatives of several Sikh organisations, including two SGPC members, held a first parallel “Panthik assembly” on October 20 and 21 in Amritsar. They resolved to publish a WHITE PAPER to go into the entire gamut of the Bargari, Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura firing incidents.