AMRITSAR SAHIB—On March 18, SGPC President Avtar Makkar thanked the government of India for passing the Sikh Gurdwara Amendment Bill of 2016. He said that the passage of the bill was due to the tireless efforts of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) in the Rajya Sabha. This bill would deny sehajdhari Sikhs the right to vote in SGPC elections.
Makkar said he hoped that the Supreme Court would be strict in their ruling in the lawsuit seeking to ban jokes made about Sikhs. He said that the Sikh community has made incomparable sacrifices for humanity and that the majority of Sikhs contributed to the freedom of India, so anti-Sikh powers should take note.
S. Harjap Singh (Member, SGPC), S. Gurpreet Singh Jhabbar (Member, SGPC), S. Diljeet Singh Bedi, S. Harbhajan Singh Manawa, S. Balwinder Singh Jaura Singha, S. Bijay Singh (Additional Secretary, SGPC), S. Sukhdev Singh Bhoora Kohna (Additional Secretary, SGPC), S. satinder Singh (Personal Secretary), S. Sulakhan Singh (Manager, Sri Harmandir Sahib), Superintendent S. Harjinder Singh, Assistant Superintendent S. Malkit Singh and Personal Secretary S. Gurwinder Singh etc. were also present.