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Women Rights in Sikh maryada
make news at seminar
WSN Network
AMRITSAR:
This is one
issue with which the Sikh community will have to grapple soon in a
more engaged and serious way rather than allowing some loudmouths to
indulge in rabble rousing. A seminar organised by the Global United
Sikh Women Organisation here once again saw some bitter exchanges on
the question of allowing baptised Sikh women to perform kirtan and
seva inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple.
Dr Mohinder Kaur
Gill, a Sikh scholar, advocated inclusion of baptised women among
Panj Piyares but Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh asked her
not to raise such sensitive issues publicly. Rajinder Singh Mehta,
member, executive committee, SGPC, said women could not be allowed
to participate in Panj Piyare or perform kirtan/seva due to a
variety of reasons.
Bibi Jagir Kaur,
after taking over as SGPC chief in 1999, had announced to treat
baptised women at par with men for discharging religious duties in
the Golden Temple. Earlier, then acting Jathedar, Akal Takht, Prof
Manjit Singh had taken a jatha of baptised women to perform seva in
the sanctum sanctorum, along with Bibi Inderjit Kaur, the wife of
Harbhajan Singh Yogi. Later, Bibi Kiranjot Kaur jumped into the
debate but then was sidelined.
The issue has
been simmering ever since 2003 when two UK-based Sikh women raised
ruckus after being denied the right to participate during 'sukhasan’.
Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Education Minister of Punjab, was present at the
seminar which also saw participation of GND University, Punjabi
University, SGPC, Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Chandigarh, and Naad
Pargaas Sri Amritsar.
15 October 2008
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