On the suggestion of the Sikh Sangat of Virginia, a committee of five Sikhs was appointed on May 9 to resolve the dispute between the Management and the Sikh Sangat of the Sikh Foundation of Virginia.

The committee after studying the Causes of the strife and holding discussions with the affected parties submitted a list of recommendations designed to amicably settle the embarrassing dispute which “India Today” described as a “Clash of Kirpans.

The recommendation of the *Panj Pyaaras’ have been listed out in a lengthy letter addressed by them to the World Sikh Community with copies to the Akal Takhat Jathedar and SGPC. In this they have called for the immediate withdrawal of the case from the court, and the police stationed during congregations. Appointment of a nine member mediation committee consisting of three members each from the Board of Trustees, ad hoe committee and neutral members of the Sangat “which will look into matters at the center of the conflict, including amendment of bylaws. The committee should report its findings within a period of three weeks; the findings should be binding on both parties and should be adopted by the membership of the Gurdwara (General Body) by a simple majority.

The Panj Pyaaras who handed down their recommendations are:

Q/) Bhai Jeevan Singh ji, Vancouver, BC (2) Dr.Balwant Singh, Mississippi (3) S: Amarjeet Singh, Connecticut (4) S.Tejpreet Singh, Massachusetts (5) Bibi Parminder Kaur, North Carolina

They have also recommended the limiting of General Body membership of the Gurdwara to legal residents of Northern Virginia and that too only to Sikhs who meet the “definition of Sikh as in the “Sikh Rehat Maryada.”

The remaining recommendations listed in the letter read as follows;

“Immediate formation of an Ad hoe management committee consisting of five members. Two from the B.0.T, two from the current Ad hoe committee and one neutral member from the Sangat.

*This committee should run the day today affairs of the Gurdwara till the resolution of the conflict based on the mediation committee is reached. *Public apology by all members who are identified in the involvement of physical violence, from either side of the conflict.

*The new bylaws should be in accordance with Gurmat Rehat Maryada, published by Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC).

*Since the World Sikh Community is watching and taking a keen interest in this conflict, the matter should be resolved in a timely manner, ie. within a 60 day period.

The month long efforts of the Committee of five respected Sikhs is a bold attempt to amicably settle a thorny issue out of court. It remains to be seen how conflicting parties of Sikh Foundation of Virginia are going to react to the moral edict of the “Panj Pyaaras” handed down to them as their recommendations.

 

Article extracted from this publication >>  June 25, 1993