CHANDIGARH, September 6: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandik Committee to explain the deficit of Rs 23 crores in the Darbar Sahib accounts. He said, it was shocking that Darbar Sahib was running deficit despite a large inflow of devotees.
In a statement issued here today, Capt Amarinder maintained that the finger of suspicion points towards the people who control and are at the helm of affairs at the SGPC. He pointed out, there have always been reports of the SGPC funds being misappropriated and the Durbar Sahib, deficit proves the charges. “It only reinforces the suspicion among people that the people controlling the SGPC are golak chors”, he remarked.The former Chief Minister said, from the information he had got, the cable channels being controlled by Sukhbir’s henchmen had also withheld about Rs 12 crores which was due to Darbar Sahib for the daily kirtan telecast live from the channel. “It is shameful on part of the people who own these channels that while they are minting money in the name of the Guru, they are not ready to pay anything in return”, he observed.
Maintaining that the issue was scandalous and extremely serious, he said, it reflected extremely poorly on the management of the SGPC. Of the 86 gurdwaras, 42 were running in deficit. He said, this is because the SGPC has failed in its Dharam Prachar Mission. The current SGPC election has alienated people like Sahajdharis and Patits who add up to over 62 lakhs out of 1.22 crore Sikh voters. He asked the SGPC to explain as to how much money has been spent on Dharam Prachar in the last presented budget.
Meanwhile, the PCC President welcomed the cabinet approval to the farmer friendly central Land Acquisition Bill. He said, when the Congress government comes to power, the bill will be implemented in Punjab in letter and spirit and the Gobindpura farmers will also be compensated according to this bill only, as he did not have much expectations from the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is only biding the time to get the farmers’ protests postponed.
Capt Amarinder lashed out at the Chief Minister and his Deputy Chief Minister son for getting themselves busy with the SGPC electioneering while half of Punjab is under floods. “When people are clamouring for relief, the father-son duo is busy roaming round the state seeking votes for the SGPC”, he pointed out, while asking the government to take immediate measures for flood relief.