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Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act: SGPC files two review petitions in Supreme Court
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has filed two review petitions in the Supreme Court against its recent judgment upholding validity of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act that validates separate management committee for the historic gurdwaras in Haryana
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has filed two review petitions in the Supreme Court against its recent judgment upholding validity of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act that validates separate management committee for the historic gurdwaras in Haryana.
As per its prior announcement, one petition has been filed by it as an organisation. It has got a second petition filed by Harbhajan Singh Masanan, an SGPC member from Haryana’s Kurukshetra.
The information was divulged by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami during a press conference held at its head office here after he chaired a meeting of dharam parchar wing of the gurdwara body. He said the issue of the separate committee will also be discussed in a meeting with scholars and lawyers.
The SGPC president also announced to hold the annual election session of the gurdwara body’s general house on November 9 at Teja Singh Samundri Hall here, during which the president, other office-bearers and rest of the executive committee members will be elected.
Countering allegations that the SGPC does not want to lose control over Haryana gurdwaras due to donation money, Dhami said, “Donation money is not an issue. In the last two years, the SGPC got only ₹40 crore from Haryana in form of donation, religious fund and education fund. From that money, ₹28 crore was spent on various educational and medical institutions running in this state.”
He said that the SGPC being the representative Sikh body always strives to manage gurdwara sahibs as per the Panthic code of conduct besides making efforts to pursue issues of community and it has been performing its duties diligently.
“Most important issue at this time is the release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners), about which the SGPC is serious. In this regard, a five-member panel of senior lawyers has been formed, which will work to take the entire matter forward from legal aspects. A meeting of Sikh scholars and senior lawyers will also be convened soon,” Dhami said.
He said the centenary congregation dedicated to Saka Panja Sahib is being organised at Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall in Golden Temple complex on October 27, and the issue of Bandi Singhs and separate Haryana gurdwara committee will also be discussed in a Panthic gathering on this day. Maximum Sikh organisations and Panthic intellectuals should participate in this congregation, so that future programmes can be announced, he added.
The SGPC president said about 61,000 people partook ‘amrit’ during the 10-month-long campaign of religious propagation.
Dhami said to assist the Bandi Singhs in their cases and support their families with aid, the SGPC has so far spent ₹1.37 crore. Similarly, ₹2.85 crore has been given to the families of farmers who lost their lives and got injured during the farm protests, ₹8.85 crore to dharmi faujis (those who revolted in protest against 1984 military attack on the Golden Temple), ₹31.91 crore to cancer patients, ₹2.42 to Sikhs lodged in Jodhpur jail, ₹1.15 crore to Jammu & Kashmir flood victims, and ₹14.79 crore to needy under the Dharam Arth Fund, he said.
