HSGMC (ad hoc) sees hope of separate Sikh body in state

PUNJAB GOVT HAS FILED A FRESH AFFIDAVIT IN THE SC THAT IT HAD NO OBJECTION TO A SEPARATE GURDWARA BODY IN HARYANA

KARNAL : With the Punjab government filing a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court that it had no objection to a separate gurdwara body in Haryana, members of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) (ad hoc) are upbeat on the formation of a separate Sikh gurdwara body in the state.

As of now, the SGPC, based in Amritsar, manages Sikh shrines in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

“This development has given a boost to us. Now, only the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (Amritsar) is against the formation of the HSGMC. We are expecting a judgment in our favour, fulfilling demands of lakhs of Sikhs in Haryana,” claimed Didar Singh Nalvi, senior vice-president of HSGMC (ad hoc).

In 2014, the outgoing Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government in Haryana had passed the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014, for the formation of the HSGMC. A few days later, however, SGPC member from Kurukshetra Harbhajan Singh challenged the Act pleading that the Haryana government did not have any right to form a parallel committee to monitor gurdwaras.

Nalvi added that in its affidavit, the Punjab government, which is a party, has clarified that it does not have any objection to the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014, passed by the state assembly, which allows the formation of separate Sikh body in Haryana.

Nalvi claimed that the present BJP-JJP coalition government was also not in position to object to the law.

“The Haryana government will not oppose it. The verdict will be in our favour as SGPC does not have any right to deprive Sikhs of other states from forming a separate Sikh body,” Nalvi claimed. The next date of hearing in the apex court is February 18.

OUR OPPOSITION CONTINUES, SAYS SGPC MEMBER

SGPC members claimed that they will continue to oppose the division of Sikhs by the formation of a parallel committee for the management of gurdwaras in Haryana.

“Our stand is clear. We will not allow division of Sikhs for personal gains on anyone,” said Ravinder Kaur Ajrana, an SGPC member.