Chandigarh, Feb 18: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and MLA Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar has voiced serious alarm regarding the recent disclosures by former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh concerning the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. During a press briefing on Wednesday, Nijjar stated that the revelations point toward a significant moral and administrative decline within the premier Sikh body and the Akali Dal.
The MLA addressed several allegations of financial misconduct, asserting that valuable lands belonging to the gurdwara are being sold at negligible prices to benefit favored individuals. He maintained that internal contracts managed by the SGPC are being awarded to close associates and subsequently sublet for profit, a practice he described as a looting of the community’s resources. Nijjar also noted reports of commercial interference in the sacred langar tradition, where food intended for the needy is allegedly being sold.
“These allegations made by a respected personality who is thoroughly aware of the institution’s internal workings are extremely painful and disturbing for the Sikh community,” Nijjar affirmed. He declared that the gravity of these matters is compounded when they are brought to light by a high-ranking official of the supreme Sikh institution.
Beyond financial matters, Dr. Nijjar raised the issue of 328 missing hand-written and historic swaroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. He questioned the whereabouts of this priceless heritage and demanded accountability from those responsible for their disappearance. Furthermore, he stated that the practice of demanding large sums of money for arranging religious services at Sri Darbar Sahib is a direct violation of the faith.
In his concluding remarks, the AAP leader appealed to the Sikh community to seek reforms within the SGPC. He maintained that the institution must be freed from the control of a single family to restore its dignity and transparency.
