Punjab News Sikh Reference Library to get new lease

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SGPC Takes Up Task

Amritsar, June 30

Irked over the Centre’s dilly-dallying attitude over returning books and other valuable treasures of the Sikh Reference Library to the SGPC for more than 25 years , the apex Sikh body has finally undertaken the onerous task of resurrecting the library on its own.

The Army is yet to return valuable items like manuscripts, paintings, books and other important articles of the library after it had allegedly removed these items from inside the Golden Temple complex in the aftermath of Operation Bluestar in 1984.

The SGPC has been urging the Central Government to facilitate an early return of the Sikh treasures since 1984, but all its pleas have failed to yield any result so far. The assurances extended to the SGPC by the former President of India, Dr Abdul Kalam, and by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, regarding ensuring return of the valuable articles to the SGPC during their visits to the Golden Temple, too, are yet to be honoured.

After waiting for too long, now the SGPC has taken upon itself the task to resurrect the library by installing a couple of computers and constructing a fumigation chamber for the preservation of handwritten manuscripts and other books of historical and religious importance.

“Our efforts have started bearing fruit. Baba Narinder Singh, Chief Manager of Gurdwara Sri Guru Granth Sahib at Chhoti Jawaddi in Ludhiana, has offered 30 handwritten “Saroops” of Guru Granth Sahib and 29 other handwritten books to the SGPC. These have been installed in the library as per Gursikh Maryada,” said the SGPC Secretary, Dalmegh Singh.

The SGPC Publicity In Charge, Bhai Ram Singh, said the SGPC had issued an appeal to the Sikhs to come out with any handwritten or other articles and hand these over to the SGPC on payment or donation basis so that these could be preserved in the library for the benefit of future generations.
 
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