Following a protest against the removal of a 60-year-old book stall of All India Pingalwara Charitable Society from the Golden Temple plaza, the SGPC on Saturday evening allowed the book stall back.
After the SGPC officials on Friday virtually pulled out its belongings, society chairperson Bibi Inderjeet Kaur sat on a dharna. Many admirers of Bhagat Puran Singh and the pilgrims visiting the shrine also accompanied her in the protest.
The act of the SGPC elicited criticism and there were demands to put the stall back. The SGPC, which had pulled out the stall, had claimed that it maligned the beauty of the shrine.
As the criticism grew, the Bibi announced that she would continue the dharna till the stall was put back.
Finally, the stall was put back on Saturday evening. Though it was not put at exactly the same place, the Pingalwara society was happy over the move.
The makeshift stall made of a tin roof and iron rods contained books on religion, education, environment, health and other issues connected to society. Some of these have been written by Bhagat Puran Singh, the founder of the Pingalwara, a home for the destitute and homeless.
‘No educated person disrespects literature like this’
Bibi Inderjeet Kaur, “The SGPC officials gave us a few alternative sites and finally a suitable place was found to re-install it. No educated person disrespects the literature as it was done on Friday.”
She said she did not blame the SGPC. On the contrary, the religious body permitted them to set up the stall again. It was removed on the orders of higher authorities, she added.