SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami joins protest at Nanded

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Friday joined the protest staged by local Sikhs in Nanded in Maharashtra against the changes made by the state government in the ‘Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Friday joined the protest staged by local Sikhs in Nanded in Maharashtra against the changes made by the state government in the ‘Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956’.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Friday joined the protest staged by local Sikhs in Nanded in Maharashtra

Led by Dhami, a delegation comprising Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders flew to Nanded to participate in a protest march against the changes which they alleged had been made to increase the influence of the government in the gurdwara board. The Maharashtra government had decreased the number of members of Sikh organisations.

Other members of the delegation include SGPC general secretary Rajinder Singh Mehta, SGPC member Ajmer Singh Khera, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema, and OSD to SGPC president Satbir Singh Dhami.

Takht Kesgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Sultan Singh was also present at the protest as a representative of Akal Takht jathedar.

The delegation also called on Takht Hazur Sahib jathedar Giani Kulwant Singh. The Gurdwara is one of the five Sikh temporal seats. The delegation held a discussion with Giani Kulwant Singh with Dhami committing SGPC’s support to the agitation against the changes.

As per the amendment, which was passed on February 5, the state government has allowed direct nomination of 12 of 17 members of the board. Additionally, the number of members sent by the SGPC has been reduced from four to two, and the nominations by the Chief Khalsa Diwan, Hazuri Sachkhand Diwan and membership of two Sikh MPs has been abolished.

Only Sikhs will be on board of Nanded gurdwara panel: Maha govt

Press Trust of India

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Mumbai Maharashtra government on Friday said only Sikhs will be part of the Nanded gurdwara committee. No non-Sikh will be a member of the panel, an official said, after reports that the state government’s decision to amend the Nanded Sikh Gurudwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Achalnagar Sahib Act, 1956, angered the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

The Takhat Hazur Sahib in Nanded is one of the five Takhats (high temporal seats) of Sikhs and is of great historical importance as the 10th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, passed away here.

As per the 1956 Act, the Gurudwara Sachkhand Board, Nanded looks after the management of the Takhat Hazur Sahib. It has an annual budget of around ₹100 crore and property worth crores.

As per the Act, the 17-member Takhat Hazur Sahib board comprises four nominated SGPC members, four members from Sachkhand Hazur Khalsa Diwan, two Sikh members of Parliament, one from Chief Khalsa Diwan, three directly elected from the seven districts of Marathwada, one member each from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, and the Nanded district collector.

However, according to the new amendment, out of 17 members, 12 will be directly nominated by the Maharashtra government, three will be elected, and the SGPC can now nominate only two. There will be no representation from Parliament or other organisations.

“The government wants to clarify that all the members of the board will be Sikh, be it bureaucrats, experts and intellectuals,” the official said.