AMRITSAR: The National Gurdwara, Washington DC, situated close to the White House, may go under the hammer if its management fails to pay a loan of around US$ 2 million. To bail out the gurdwara from financial mess, the management in 2009 had offered Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take control of the gurdwara on payment of the loan. But till now the committee has not been able to dole out the required funds.
Gurmeet Singh Bedi, who had represented SGPC, told TOI over phone from Washington on Friday that the gurdwara, inaugurated in 2005, was constructed at a cost of around US$7 to 8 million. "Due to low turnout of devotees, the income of gurdwara is not enough to pay back the loan and so the management offered it to SGPC," he said.
The National Gurdwara website has also sought financial help to keep it running. 'We need your help, the National Gurdwara has been going through some financial problem', reads the posting on the website. Former SGPC secretary Joginder Singh Adliwal, who had visited the gurdwara in 2010, said, "It would be disgraceful for Sikhs if a gurdwara is auctioned," he said. Adliwal said that SGPC should transfer the funds to gurdwara and take over its control. SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh revealed that there were some bureaucratic hassles in transferring the funds.
"Our chartered accountant had gone to Reserve Bank of India but the funds couldn't be transferred as yet," he said. Bedi said that if SGPC didn't give the required funds, the management could consider handing over the gurdwara to some other Sikh religious body. "But we won't let it be auctioned," he underlined.
Gurmeet Singh Bedi, who had represented SGPC, told TOI over phone from Washington on Friday that the gurdwara, inaugurated in 2005, was constructed at a cost of around US$7 to 8 million. "Due to low turnout of devotees, the income of gurdwara is not enough to pay back the loan and so the management offered it to SGPC," he said.
The National Gurdwara website has also sought financial help to keep it running. 'We need your help, the National Gurdwara has been going through some financial problem', reads the posting on the website. Former SGPC secretary Joginder Singh Adliwal, who had visited the gurdwara in 2010, said, "It would be disgraceful for Sikhs if a gurdwara is auctioned," he said. Adliwal said that SGPC should transfer the funds to gurdwara and take over its control. SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh revealed that there were some bureaucratic hassles in transferring the funds.
"Our chartered accountant had gone to Reserve Bank of India but the funds couldn't be transferred as yet," he said. Bedi said that if SGPC didn't give the required funds, the management could consider handing over the gurdwara to some other Sikh religious body. "But we won't let it be auctioned," he underlined.
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