The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and its traditional political ally from Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), may jointly raise their voice in the Parliament against the proposed move of Haryana government to constitute Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC).
In a telephonic interview with HT on Monday, the INLD MP from Hisar Dushyant Chautala condemned the Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s announcement on Sunday that a Bill for establishing the HSGPC would be tabled in the monsoon session that begins on July 11.
The youngest Lok Sabha member from the state, who attended the Lok Sabha for the first time on Monday, said that the Haryana government’s arbitrary and illegal move had hit the sentiments of the Sikh community and it may lead to a law and order issue in the state.
He said that the Hooda government must have left the decision to the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
“In an attempt to gain petty political mileage in the forthcoming assembly polls, the Hooda government has taken a step to divide the Sikh community and garner their support. The government has no jurisdiction over constituting the HSGPC due to the validity of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, a Central Act,” said Dushyant.
{{/usCountry}}“In an attempt to gain petty political mileage in the forthcoming assembly polls, the Hooda government has taken a step to divide the Sikh community and garner their support. The government has no jurisdiction over constituting the HSGPC due to the validity of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, a Central Act,” said Dushyant.
{{/usCountry}}“It is very unfortunate that the Congress party is adamant to interfere in the affairs of a minority community. Issue of a separate Sikh panel is highly sensitive and it should have been left to the community to resolve the issue amicably,” he said, while adding that a subcommittee or any other formula should have been deliberated on.
Dushyant said that the INLD had a firm view of not meddling in the religious affairs of any community.
“We will take directions from Chautala sahib (Om Prakash) and even discuss it with the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). Our party will take feedback from party workers and if the SAD agrees, we will raise voice against the government move,” said Dushyant.
He contested the claim of Hooda that not a single affidavit out of nearly 3 lakh submitted to the HS Chatha Committee was against the formation of HSGPC and called it a bundle of lies.
In the recent parliamentary elections, Punjab chief minster Parkash Singh Badal, his deputy and son Sukhbir Singh Badal and entire SAD had intensively campaigned for the INLD candidates.
Badals had played a significant role behind the victory of Dushyant against Haryana Janhit Congress candidate Kuldeep Bishnoi and INLD’s candidate from Sirsa Charanjit Singh Rori by way of wooing the Jat and Sikh voters collectively.