E-Paper
HSGMC: 18 independents form Akal Panthak Morcha, get support from HSPD
Amid the ongoing lobbying among the Sikh groups to get majority for the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), 18 of the 22 independents on Tuesday announced formation of Akal Panthak Morcha.
Amid the ongoing lobbying among the Sikh groups to get majority for the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), 18 of the 22 independents on Tuesday announced formation of Akal Panthak Morcha.
At a meeting in Kaithal, the group also claimed support from an elected member from Didar Singh Nalvi-led Sikh Samaj Sanstha and “external support” of six elected members from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-affiliated Haryana Sikh Panthak Dal (HSPD).
In the elections for the body held on January 19, no group got a majority as most of the members for the 40-member committee that won were independents.
According to a Gazette notification by the office of the Commissioner Gurdwara Election, Haryana, maximum nine members were elected from Jhinda’s group, followed by six from the HSPD and three affiliated to the Sikh Samaj Sanstha.
In the results, independents dominated by winning 22 wards, more than half.
HSPD leader Baldev Singh Kaimpuri also confirmed the development and said, “Yes, the decision was taken by our group and the SAD. Though, most of them won with support from HSPD, but now as they have formed their own front, we have extended our support.”
Amanpreet Kaur, an independent member from Tohana and the only one to get elected unopposed said that Akal Panthak Morcha was formed at a previous meeting of 18 independents on January 26, where an appeal was made for groups to join us.
“Soon after the formation of our group, Rupinder Singh Panjokhra of Sikh Samaj Sanstha joined us and HSPD’s six members also decided to extend external support. Now, we have the majority in the 40-member committee,” Kaur told the HT.
Sikh Sammelan on Feb 1 in Karnal
Panthak Dal Jhinda group’s president Jagdish Singh Jhinda on Tuesday announced to organise a large state-level Sikh Sammelan in Karnal to take suggestions from the community.
Speaking to reporters, the veteran Sikh leader said that though the community turned out in large numbers to vote in the first elections for the HSGMC, but every group is helpless due to the fractured mandate.
