After residents protested against offering liquor at Baba Mast Ram Dera and Samadh of Baba Hari Singh in Neevi Jataana village Fatehgarh Sahib, which houses a Guru Granth Sahib, authorities on Saturday, shifted the holy book to the Sri Fatehgarh Sahib Gurdwara. The practice, many claim, was three decades old. Shiromani Gurudawara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) member Karnail Singh Panjoli claimed that the Guru Granth Sahib was installed there only five to seven years ago. [related-post] Asked why the SGPC failed to act against the practice Panjoli said, “Maybe, it just did not come to our notice. Action should have been taken long back. Liquor should not be offered where a Guru Grath Sahib resides. Villagers have played a very pro-active role today and it must be appreciated.” Residents protested since Friday outside Khamano police station, demanding that the holy book be shifted. Harpal Singh, head granthi at the Fatehgarh Sahib gurudwara, and the police tried to pacify protesters but the villagers refused to move until the holy book was shifted. On Saturday, around 11 am, Khamano police station head inspector Palwinder Singh, along with Fatehgarh Sahib Gurdwara manager Amarjit Singh and SGPC members Ravinder Singh Khalsa and Avtar Singh, visited the Baba Mast Ram Dera and Samadh Hira Singh. Devotees at the Dera, however, tried to resist the move. They, reportedly asked for two months’ time to sort out the issue. This was denied. Sources in the village told The Sunday Express that village residents were also divided on the issue. Sukhjit Singh Khose, head of the Satkaar committee which led the protest, blamed SGPC for ‘disrespect’ of Guru Granth Sahib. SSP Fatehgarh Sahib JS Khaira said that the Guru Granth Sahib was shifted to Fatehgarh Sahib keeping in mind all Sikh rituals. People alleged that it is due to vote bank politics that neither Congress or Akali Dal acted against the Dera.
