Amritsar: Harjinder Singh Dhami, a well-known Sikh leader, was on Monday elected as the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for the fourth consecutive time.
Dhami won the top post by defeating former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur with a significant lead of 107 votes.
After being elected president today, he thanked God and criticised those who created a rift in the party.
Dhami has often spoken on serious issues related to the Sikh Panth.
Here are some lesser-known facts about Dhami.
Personal Life and Career
Born on August 28, 1956, in Pippalanwala village of Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district, Dhami has been associated with the Sikh organisation for a long time.
He has also studied law and practised law for four decades after passing his BA LLB.
In 1996, he became an SGPC member from Shamchurasi Constituency and continued to be associated with the organisation since then. He served in several top positions on the committee, including as General Secretary in 2019 and Honorary Chief Secretary in 2020.
Dhami’s Achievements
Dhami has often been vocal about the issues of Sikh Panth and highlighted problems of the Sikh community, especially youth, in the country and abroad. He is also known to voluntarily defend Sikhs booked for militancy charges over the last 40 years.
His other achievements include overseeing the construction, maintenance, and upgradation infrastructure of Gurdwaras across the country, promoting Sikhism and providing scholarships for deserving students, supporting community kitchen services and relief efforts during disasters, and promoting interfaith harmony events and debates.
Controversies
The SGPC chief also faced his share of controversies and criticism. He had been linked to the Shiromani Akali Dal-Badal, which was accused of influencing the decisions of the Akal Thakt.
He was also criticised for the controversial decision related to the transmission of Gurbani from Darbar Sahib Amritsar.
To recall, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had added a clause to the Sikh Gurudwara Act and said that the transmission of Gurbani from Darbar Sahib Amritsar should be free. This was strongly opposed by SGPC members, who even called Dhami “Badals parrot”, prompting him to take a strict stand to reverse the decision.
11-Member Executive Body
According to the Sikh Gurdwara Act, of 1925, the organisation of the Shiromani Committee should be renewed every year by electing its president, senior vice president, junior vice president, general secretary, and an 11-member executive. The body is elected during the General House or by voting if necessary.
Dhami will work alongside an 11-member executive body comprising: Raghujit Singh Virk (Senior Vice President), Baldev Singh Kalyan (Junior Vice President), Sher Singh Mand (General Secretary), Bibi Harjinder Kaur, Amrik Singh (late), Surjit Singh Tugalwala, Paramjit Singh Khalsa, Surjit Singh Garhi, Baldev Singh Qaimpur, Daljit Singh Bhinder, Sukhharpreet Singh Rode, Ravinder Singh Khalsa, Jaswant Singh Purayan and Paramjit Singh Raipur.
The body will oversee gurdwara management, including security, finance, and religious affairs, ensuring the continued growth and development of the Sikh community.
Read More
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- Harjinder Singh Dhami Relected President Of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
