Amritsar (Punjab): The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) unveiled the Sikh body's budget, which totals over Rs 1,260 crores, on Friday, marking a significant milestone.
In the Teja Singh Samundri Hall of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami delivered the budget for 2024–25 while joined by a number of ex-officio members.
Prior to introducing the SGPC Budget 2024, Harjinder Singh Dhami offered condolences for the tragic deaths. The budget for the SGPC for the fiscal year 2024–2025 has exceeded Rs 1200 crores.
On the other hand, Rs 30 lakhs have been allocated for legal expenses while Rs 1 crore has been allocated for the General Board Fund, Rs 10 lakhs for Martyrdom Fund, Rs 80 lakhs for various purposes and Rs 40 lakhs for honor allowances for Singhs in jails.
As much as Rs 6 cr have been set aside to help the needy and Rs 7cr for the purpose of scholarships. Dhami said that Rs 67 cr has been alloted for education funds, Rs 41 cr for renovation of buildings.
The release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh inmates) was one among the resolutions that SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami proposed.
In addition, he called for opposition to government meddling in Gurdwara Sahib management, the arrest of Dera Sirsa chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and his follower Honeypreet in the Bargari sacrilege case of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and attention to be paid to the preservation of Sikh heritage in Pakistan.
According to a resolution approved on Bandi Singhs, the government's disregard for the release of Sikhs who had been imprisoned for thirty years constituted serious prejudice against the community within their own nation, Dhami alleged.
The Committee also demanded that the Government of India contact the five-member committee formed for the release of the Bandi Singhs. Ram Rahim and Honeypreet, who were accused of blasphemy at Bargari in 2015, should be immediately arrested based on the statements of Pardeep Keller.
The Government of India should give up its position and announce that it will accept the demands of the farmers, the committee asserted. Due to the fact that Sikh prisoners have received twice the maximum sentence allowed by the Constitution—life in prison—injustice is being done to them by disregarding their human rights.
This resolution also referred to the Center government's lackadaisical attitude toward the primacy and dignity of Sri Akal Takht Sahib as well as its disapproval of the high-level, five-member committee that Sri Akal Takht Sahib had established.
The resolution encouraged the Central government to honor Sri Akal Takht Sahib, initiate communication with the Bandi Singh issue through the five-member committee, and refrain from pressuring the Sikh community to take a path of resistance.
According to reports, Pakistan's government is in charge of overseeing and maintaining the numerous Sikh cultural monuments that are believed to be remnants of the Gurus. The resolution passed by the SGPC further declared that all forms of help will be provided for the upkeep and conservation of the Sikh legacy in Pakistan.
Through a resolution, the general house session asked that the Government of India and the corresponding states promptly settle all outstanding lawsuits and conflicts pertaining to the historical sites of the Sikh community in the states outside of Punjab.
In a resolution, the general house session urged the governments to carry out their obligations in stopping coordinated conspiracies and hate speech directed towards Sikhs on social media.
There were rumors that some individuals are constantly spreading incorrect information about Sikhs. Governments are observing in silence while social media is used as a weapon against the society to sow division and hatred.
The Center was requested to investigate such social media accounts and adopt harsh measures in order to guarantee respect for all religions in the nation.
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