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Calendar without blemish, says
Purewal even as campaign gets shrill
WSN Network
 AMRITSAR:
At a time when efforts by some vested interests within the so-called
Sant Samaj as well as edgewise shrewd and covert interference by
Hindutva lobby to bring changes in Nanakshahi Calender have led to
much bitterness, the original author of the calendar has stated
categorically that even the three historic occasions for which the
dates are not decided as per the calendar should be brought in
conformity with it.
Pal Singh
Purewal, the Canadian citizen who had actually prepared the
Nanakshahi Calendar, is now in India and has expressed much anguish
over the ongoing controversy.
At a press
conference in Amritsar, Purewal said the solar calendar prepared
specifically for the Sikh community was absolutely error free, and
those demanding changes in it knew nothing about the subject.
"Nothing but
three dates -Bandi Chhod Divas, Holla Mohalla and the birth
anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, which have been derived from the
previous Bikrami era calendar -- can be subjected to change,"
Purewal said.
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SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar made it clear which way the
Akali Dal and SGPC were going to make the clergy tilt when he
said that undue haste was shown in implementing the calendar and
objections were not addressed. |
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Comparing the
Sant Samaj with orthodox Christians of Ukraine, Greek and Russia,
Purewal said he was ready to satisfy anyone on his claim that the
Nanakshahi Calendar was one of the most scientific, accurate and
visionary assets available to the community. Rejecting the basic
objection to the calendar that there was some overlap of events in
it, Purewal said if two events had taken place on the same date --
though in different years or centuries -what could be done.
Pressing his
point, he pointed at similar "overlaps" in the Bikrami calendar too,
which was in use by the community till April 2003, when Purewal's
calendar was accepted by the SGPC.
 He
said he had answered every query and addressed every doubt expressed
during the process of approval for the calendar, which was universal
at the time. "I am prepared to answer still more questions, provided
the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) invites me to do
so," he said. However, he added he would be returning to Canada in a
few days, after which he would be available only through
teleconferencing.
He cautioned the
SGPC against entertaining the "illogical" viewpoint of the "small
minority of Sant Samaj followers, comprising 10 per cent of the Sikh
population," over the majority's opinion regarding the community's
calendar.
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Demand for
change gets shrill
Meanwhile, even
as sections within the ruling Akali Dal seem to be buckling under
pressure of the Sant Samaj, demands for making certain changes are
becoming shriller. Some experts think with the oncoming SGPC
elections, the ruling Akali Dal may actually buckle before the Sant
Samaj.
While no one is
saying that the calendar is being scrapped, the SGPC president Avtar
Singh Makkar has unnecessarily started issuing statements that it is
not being scrapped, but is significantly saying that the body was
"open to all kinds of suggestions", a clear euphemism for asking the
Sant Samaj to hit a still shriller note.
Makkar said
after gathering suggestions about the proposed amendments, the SGPC
would call a meeting of those who opposed changes before
constituting a committee for amendments, if need be. But his mind
was clear from the statement when he said that undue haste was shown
in implementing the calendar without properly addressing the
objections.
He said the SGPC
had started the process of amendments to ensure that the community
did not stand divided on the issue. Damdami Taksal chief Harnam
Singh Dhumma is among those demanding changes.
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18
November 2009
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