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DSGMC elections: Direct contest on the cards between groups led by Sirsa, GK
Sirsa leads 46 candidates belonging to the Badals-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and GK has fielded candidates under the aegis of his newly launched Jago party which he heads
Chandigarh There is a direct fight between groups led by outgoing Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa and its former head Manjit Singh GK in the April 25 gurdwara body polls in the national capital. Sirsa leads 46 candidates belonging to the Badals-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and GK has fielded candidates under the aegis of his newly launched Jago party which he heads.
Also in the fray is group led by Sarna brothers — Paramjit Singh and Harvinder Singh — who too have fielded candidates in all 46 wards. This is the ninth elections of the DSGMC since it came into existence by way an Act of Parliament in 1971.
GK had quit the body as president two years ago and Sirsa, who was general secretary of the committee at that time, replaced the former. GK was earlier planning a tie-up with Sarna brothers, who had remained presidents of the gurdwara body from time to time, but the negotiations didn’t work out to seal the tie-up.
Sarna brothers have fielded candidates under the aegis of Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi and has the support of former Akal Takht jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh, who is known for his high-pitched speeches in which he challenges the established leadership in the gurdwara politics.
Interestingly, both GK and Sirsa, who are the main protagonists in the upcoming polls, face allegations of mismanaging gurdwara body funds and both are defending themselves in the cases registered against them by the Delhi Police.
GK harps on his two terms as DSGMC president from March 2013 to Feb 2017, and from Feb 2017 to Nov 2018, when he represented the SAD (Badal). After that Sirsa took over and remained president until the polls were announced on March 31.
GK also has the legacy of his father Jathedar Santokh Singh who helmed the Sikh religio-politics from 1960-81 in the national capital and remained head of the gurdwara body in different capacities.
“I have done so much during my tenure of more than five years. The blacklist of the Union home ministry banning travel of a large number Sikhs to India was scraped by the Centre on my intervention. Sajjan Kumar was sent behind bars, 1984 riots memorial was built, Fateh Diwas marking 300 years of Banda Bahadur taking on the Mughals, minority status for DSGMC-run colleges, second language status for Punjabi in Delhi and passports for Afghani Sikhs were some of the works done by the gurdwara body,” said GK.
Counting his achievements, Sirsa said the gurdwara body under him supported farmers’ protest and cleared a hi-tech kitchen at gurdwara Bangla Sahib for cooking langar. The gurdwara body served langar to the needy during the pandemic, made available treatment of serious ailments, including dialysis, at DSGMC-run Bala Sahib Hospital, opened a diagnostic centre at gurdwara Bangla Sahib that offers test at a cheaper price, opened a facility for printing Guru Granth Sahib and offered IAS/IPS training.”
Paramjit Singh Sarna said, “I think, both GK and Sirsa don’t want to work for the panth but for personal ends. I am sure people of Delhi will understand their designs and vote us back to power.”
