Barinder Saluja, Chandigarh,May 05 : The National Executive Council and the General Council of the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation, which is a registered Political Party by the Election Commission of India, has unanimously resolved to change the name of the party by replacing the word ‘Federation’ with ‘Party’ and now it will be Sehajdhari Sikh Party. Addressing a press conference at Punjab Press club Jalandhar, the Party’s National President Dr.P.S.Ranu in the presence of his party office bearers announced the new name of the young Political Party, whose youth wing is very active to bring a sea change in politics and governance.The Sehajdharis have filed a case in the Punjab & Haryana High Court for their voting right in the SGPC elections which is pending for final adjudication before the Ist Division bench of the High Court and the next date of hearing is 19 July 2011. Dr.Ranu stated that 85% of the world Sikh population is of the non-Amritdhari Sikhs and are on the increase as any one can see. This unfortunate approach of SGPC has created a minority within a minority. Due to vested interests the SGPC has disfranchised the voting right of the sehajdharis.
Dr.Ranu said that the Sehajdharis have been a balancing vote factor in the last four general elections and it is a matter of record that whomsoever Sehajdharis supported on common issues, that party succeeded to form Govts. in the State or Centre. In 2002
Sehajdharis supported Congress to form Govt. in Punjab and in 2004 again, supported Congress in Lok Sabha elections thus UPA came to power. In 2007 with the mediation of former Advocate General H.S.Mattewal and Nanaksar Sect, Sh. Badal compromised to nominate five Sehajdharis in SGPC and sought support from Sehajdharis, thereafter Badal Govt. came to power in Punjab. Though, after forming his govt, Sh.Badal failed to keep the promise. Then in 2009 Lok Sabha elections the support was extended to Congress where the UPA came to power again. Thus Sehajdharis had been a balancing power to support common issues with the political parties to bring developmental changes in the region and country. This brought results due to grass root work done by the party workers in the rural and urban areas of the region.
Recently the Sehajdharis supported the Former Finance Minister S.Manpreet Singh Badal on common issues. The Youth wing of Sehajdharis effectively participated in all the rallies of Manpreet Badal with their supporters making them a grand success. The SSP leaders stressed on the issue of voting rights of sehajdharis specifically. They questioned that according to which religious rights; SGPC could declare Sehajdharis as non Sikhs? Why a child born in Sikh family, who has faith in Guru Granth Saheb as their Guru, believe in teachings of Ten Gurus, but do not keep unshorn hair, be not called a Sikh? Does Sikh religion put a ban on such a child? The question raised was pertinent that which religion should they own if they are not Sikhs as per the new definition of Sikh; ill framed by the SGPC which has no religious bases? Guru Gobind Singh the Tenth Guru had declared ‘Manas ki jaat sabhey ekey pehchanbo’ How then SGPC can claim of propagating/developing Sikh religion in the world over while it is trying to disintegrate Sikhs? Even our freedom fighters Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and their companions were all sehajdharis. It is open to all publicly, that Akalis misuse their names for garnering votes, but do not wish even to recognize them as Sikhs. The members of the SSP were seen wearing maroon red turbans as a brand color of the party and a symbol of unity, strength and sacrifice.
Present during the Press Conference were Baba Jasbir Singh Organizing General Secretary, Prith Pal Singh khemkaran Secretary General, Dr.Balwant Dhaliwal General Secretary, Jagtar Singh Dhaliwal General Secretary , Jagtar Singh Hissowal Youth President Punjab, Kiran Bedi President Ladies Wing, Sarvarinder Singh District President Ludhiana, Swarn Singh District President Faridkot, Gurmeet Singh District President Moga, Jarnail Singh District President Mohali, G.S. Sandhu District President Barnala, Paramjit Sitara District President TarnTarn, Dimple Distric President Amritsar, Satish Rana District President Kapurthala, Dr.Kohli District President Patiala, Manjit Sanghera District President Gurdaspur, Gurpreet singh Vice President Youth Wing Punjab, Amandeep Sekhon General Secretary Youth Wing Punjab, Gurvinder Singh National Council Member&Vice President Youth wing Punjab, Gurcharan Singh Jaito National Chief Advisor, Sadhu Singh Mohali, G.S.Sidhu ,Preet Pal Singh Rai all National Council members,J.S.Bhatti President UT Chandigarh, Ranjit Singh Advocate National secretary, Rakesh Punj Media Advisor, Madhur Mehta IT & Media Co-ordinator, Nirmal Singh National General Secretary and Manpreet kaushal Youth General Secretary Punjab were duly present along with many workers of the party.