AMRITSAR : Baldev Singh Sibia, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, said that the elections to the President of the SGPC for the next year term should be held unanimously, The elections to the president ship and other office-bearers of the SGPC for the year 1991-92 is slated here on November 13.

Talking to newsmen here Sibia Said that   he would not shirk the responsibility it. He was re-elected by the general house as president. Sibia alleged that the government did not want that he (Sibia,) should be re-elected as president of the SGPC as he refused to become a tool in the hands of the government.

Strongly refuting the allegations leveled by Puran Singh Josh, former executive member of the SGPC, charging Sibia with misusing of his authority and financial irregularities, Sibia described Josh as a government agent” who wanted that he (Sibia) should not return as president of the S.G.P.C in the next term. Sibia appealed to the militant organizations to set up a committee which would Probe the allegations made by Josh against him.

Sibia said he would face the consequences if found guilty by the enquiry committee, otherwise Josh should be awarded a suitable punishment.

While highlighting the achievement of the SGPC during his tenure of one year, Sibia said it was he who discontinued the practice of giving “sarop as” to “governors” and other government dignitaries during their visit to the Golden Temple complex.

One of the achievements of the S.G.P C during his tenure was restart of kar seva at the Akal Takht by handing it to a committee of five Sikh priests headed by the Damdami Taksal chief, Baba Thakur Singh He expressed satisfaction over the progress of the kar seva.Sibia denied that about 20 doctors of the Guru Ram Dass Medical and Research Institute run by the SGPC had resigned in protest against the “interference” in the hospital affairs. He said he had served as how-cause notice 9 the Medical Superintendent of the college, Hardas Singh, for airing wrong news.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 15, 1991