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DSGMC chief accuses SGPC of discriminating against Delhi Sikhs
The DSGMC chief said whenever Sikhs from Delhi visit gurdwaras managed by the SGPC and request for the rooms in serai, they are denied the same
: The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Harmeet Singh Kalka on Tuesday accused the SGPC of discriminating against the Sikhs based in the national capital by denying them facilities in the gurdwaras managed by the apex gurdwara body.
Kalka said that even though SGPC had announced ₹ 5 crores for the Delhi Sikhs, “whenever sangat from Delhi visit gurdwaras managed by the SGPC and request for the rooms in serai, they are denied the same and told that all rooms are already booked.”
Accompanied by general secretary Jagdeep Singh Kahlon and other office bearers, Kalka was speaking at his first press conference in Amritsar after taking over as the DSGMC chief. He was appointed as DSGMC head in January.
Ruling out these accusations, SGPC spokesperson Kulwinder Singh Ramdas said, “these allegations are totally false. Doors of gurdwaras are open for all devotees. All devotees are equal. We cannot even think of such kind of discrimination.”
Kalka said, “conspiracies are being hatched to trigger infighting in the community. Guru Granth Sahib is being desecrated at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj in the name of maintaining possession of office by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). A series of akhand path is going on to maintain the possession. The SAD has deputed some nihangs and SGPC members there. Nobody from Delhi is supporting this. This is highly objectionable.”
Kalka had in March disassociated with SAD and formed a separate party along with 31 elected members of the gurudwara management committee following the party’s drubbing in the Punjab elections, a move that led the party to expel him from its primary membership.
Replying to a query on DSGMC’s understanding with the BJP-led Centre, Kalka said, “we all are members of the newly formed Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi State) and have no relations with the BJP. Since BJP is ruling in the Centre, we have to go to the government for various purposes.”
