Vijaypur Jammu, Feb 2: The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee Amritsar President, Avtar Singh Makkar Tuesday appealed to the government to demarcate land for the construction of a Gurudwara and welcome gates on Jammu-Rajouri highway in memory of great General, first Sikh Ruler and son of soil Jathedar Banda Singh Bahader.
 Addressing the media here today, he said the Sikh world was observing the year 2010 as first Sikh kingdom and would observe the birthday of great Sikh general and founder of Sikh kingdom in seventeenth century.
  “The Sikh Sangat of Jammu and Kashmir in particular and of the whole world in General is observing the year 2010 as the tercentenary of the foundation of first Sikh rule in India, which was established by the great Sikh general Baba Banda Singh Bahader, who was the native of Rajouri area of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
 SGPC President appealed to the chief minister, Omar Abdullah to identify the government land on Jammu-Rajouri highway for constructing a memorial Gurudwara and memorial gates. He said that SGPC would bear the expenditure of construction of memorial gates and Gurudwara but would need land, which the government should demarcate.   
 He said that in Punjab and other states the SGPC had made various programmes with regard to the celebrations of tercentenary of Sikh kingdom.
 Replying to a question regarding the controversy of Nanaksahahi Calender, SGPC President said the new calendar, which is to come in effect from 1 Chet, (March 14), would become “a catalyst for unity amongst Sikhs by bringing together the two Takhts who were till now not following the Nanakshahi Calendar.”
 SGPC could also affect more changes in future to make it more convenient for the Sikh Sangat of entire world, he added.
 He denied any controversy or hidden role played by RSS and other Hindu agencies or organizations and said that SGPC was an “independent and supreme body of Sikhs of the world and never act under the influence of any external pressure whatsoever.”

Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST