AMRITSAR: In a significant decision, the SGPC accepted in principle to allow women to perform all of “sewa’ (service) in the Harimander Sahib besides being absorbed as “granthis,’ ‘Ragis’ and preachers.
G.S. Tohra, the SGPC president stating this to newspersons, said that such services for women were not allowed in the past because no such situation arose earlier; As such it became a tradition to keep away women from such duties.
He said that due to awakening in women this matter was raised in letters and representations to the body which had already accepted in principle to associate women for such duties.
Tohra’s announcement came in the wake of a high tension controversy in the temple, March 9th, when some. American women led by the acting head priest of Akal Takht Manjit Singh, tried to perform *sewa’ (service) during night hours in the sanctum sanctorum and it was strongly objected by certain volunteers of a ‘Sewa society, responsible for the sewa. Tobira said that the acting head priest, Manjit Singh who was visibly perturbed over the incident had informed him on the telephone about the incident and strongly pleaded the case of Sikh women. He had also written a letter.
Manjit Singh further told the SGPC president that the Sikh clergy had no objection of women being associated ‘sewa” but suggested that in order to get consent of the whole Sikh panth this matter be referred to a religious advisory committee for approval in order to check triggering another Controversy among the Sikh community, He said that it was a matter of regret that despite the basic ideology of the Sikh religion of equal status for men and women, the “women and the Scheduled Castes were treated equally and denied such rights in the practical way.” ‘Tohra took strong exception to certain persons raising slogans in the sanctum sanctorum when rising of slogan are not allowed even in the “parikarma” of the temple.
Earlier G.S, Tohra said that the SGPC had handed over the case of construction of a parallel Harmandir Sahib at Mastuana Na in Sangrur district to the Jathedar of Akal Takht.
Tohra said the government was encouraging the sants who are responsible for the construction of the Gurdwara at Mastuana Na in Sangrur district… Tohra said the SGPC would take every possible step to stop such menace.
Ho clarified about the Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa that he was not president of the Akal Council, but he was president of the education trust of Mastuana Sahib.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 13, 1996
