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Opinion February 13, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Head Priest Slapped

This is the front page of The Indian Express published on February 13, 1985.

February 13, 2025 06:02 PM IST First published on: Feb 13, 2025 at 07:36 AM IST

Giani Pritam Singh, head granthi, Akal Takht, was slapped by a Sikh youth, Gurmeet Singh, while he was reciting the holy Guru Granth Sahib at the Takht. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee sewadars who were guarding the Akal Takht building overpowered and captured Gurmeet Singh, who was heard shouting, “The high priests are traitors to the panth and are holding secret meetings with the tormentors of the Sikhs.”

Grievances Cell

A consumer grievance cell has been set up by the Civil Supplies Ministry to deal with complaints from consumer organisations and the public against various aspects of public distribution and the supply management system. Complaints can also be made by telephone during working hours.

Students Injured

Nine medical students of the University College Of Medical Sciences and the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences were injured when a group surrounding the Union Health Minister’s car was attacked by the security staff at Safdarjung Hospital. According to the students, they had gathered outside the Safdarjung Hospital medical superintendent’s office where the Health Minister was having a meeting. They wanted to meet her to discuss their problems.

CIL vs Railways

The Coal India Limited chairman’s charge that an adequate number of wagons were not provided by the Railways for the movement of coal from collieries was hotly contested in the Rail Bhawan. Sources, however, point out that it is the CIL itself that had detained upwards of 1000 railway wagons under demurrage over the past three days in the pitheads of four of its major collieries in the eastern region.