Nanded Gurdwara Act: SGPC calls Maharashtra government’s clarification misleading

“The government’s explanation is only misleading, while the truth is that the government wants to take the management of the gurdwara in its own hands,” SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Saturday termed the Maharashtra government’s clarification on amendment to the ‘Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Takht Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956’ as ‘misleading’ and ‘disregard’ for Sikh sentiments.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami (HT File)

In a statement, Dhami said that it is not logical for the government to say that only Sikh members will be nominated to the board. He questioned the Maharashtra government that the members nominated by the Sikh organisations, whose representation is being reduced from the board, were not Sikhs.

“The government’s explanation is only misleading, while the truth is that the government wants to take the management of the gurdwara in its own hands,” he said.

“By hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community, a hostile atmosphere is created in the country, which is not in the nation’s interest. Yesterday (on Friday) at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded, a large number of Sikhs expressed their resentment and feelings against the government’s decision, which needs to be taken seriously. The Maharashtra government should seriously consider this issue and take a decision according to their opinion after holding a meeting with the representative Sikh organisations”, said Dhami.

He added that Takht Sri Hazur Sahib is one of the revered Takhts of the Sikhs and there was no need to distort the Act.