Introduction

Gurcharan Singh Grewal is the general secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, which is the largest Sikh organisation tasked with managing over 280 Gurudwaras in the state of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. Grewal is a known face among the Sikh community and has been associated with Akalis and Sikh politics for around four decades. He considers Bhindranwale a martyr and says that Bhindranwale never demanded Khalistan. In an enlightening conversation with Smita Prakash, Grewal talks about the history of SGPC and its inception and his association with Bhindranwale since the 80s. Grewal also explains the reason behind Akali Dal's dominance in the SGPC elections and why other political parties haven't been able to make their way into the elections. He also talks about Amritpal and the drama over his arrest as a conspiracy by state government and central agencies and youth migration from Punjab.