SGPC to release new calendar on March 14

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said they have ordered printing of the new calendar after making the required changes. It will soon be distributed among public.

He said the decision was taken after long discussions and the changes were approved by the Akal Takht.

“We will release the new calendar at a simple but impressive function at the Golden Temple complex on Sunday,” said Makkar.

On the other hand,radical Sikh bodies including Dal Khalsa,Khalsa Action Committee and Shiromani Panthic Council (SPC) have vowed to stick to the old calendar. They had been opposing the move to change the calendar.

“The controversy on the issue has already created rifts.

Now the SGPC is bent upon strengthening the divide,” said Dal Khalsa general secretary Kanwarpal Singh.

He said a they will release their calendar again and hold a function at the same time. The old calendar was released in April 2003.

“We have already rejected the calendar,amended by the SGPC at the dictates of the political masters,” said SPC chairman Manjit Singh Calcutta.

Kanwarpal earlier said that the SGPC had killed spirit of the Nanakshahi calendar by mixing it with the Bikrami calendar.

“We have mentioned dates of gurpurabs according to calendar adopted in 2003. We believe that the amended version has a imprint of RSS ideology, he said.

Makkar,on the other hand,said the changes were made as per popular demands since dates of many festivals clashed in the old calendar.