Reacting strongly to a move of the Delhi government cabinet to amend the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Act of 1971, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has termed it direct interference of the Congress in the religious affairs of Sikhs.
The amendment will increase the tenure of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) house from two years to four years and make way for direct election to the post of the DGMSC president.

The move indicates imposing one of the Sarna brothers as president of the committee with the support of the Congress, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has said. "The SAD wants the union ministry of home affairs to hold the DGMSC elections at the earliest," Sukhbir stated here on Tuesday.

"The ministry postponed the DGMSC elections on one or the other pretext and the Delhi high court had to intervene finally to order elections by December 31," Sukhbir added. "Realising that the Sarnas could be wiped out in the elections, the Delhi government has come to their rescue to keep them in the power illegally by making amendment in the Act."

Opposing the amendment seeking direct election to the post of the DSGMC president, Sukhbir said in every democracy, the leader of the house was elected by the majority, and the DGMSC could not be an exception, as its president elected directly might not enjoy the support of the majority of members.

Sukhbir said he would take chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Akali parliamentarians, and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, requesting them to stop the Delhi government move and hold elections before December 31 as the court had ordered.