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SGPC members take out protest ‘march’ to oppose Haryana gurdwara committee
The SGPC members have termed it as their struggle against “conspiracies of anti-Sikh forces to break the supreme Sikh body” and “create differences among the community members”
Members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday carried out a ‘panthic rosh march’ from the historical gurdwara Sri Manji Sahib here to the Akal Takht Sahib in Amritsar in protest against the Supreme Court’s recent judgment upholding the validity of Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014.
The Sikh leaders have termed it as their struggle against “conspiracies of anti-Sikh forces to break the supreme Sikh body” and “create differences among the community members”.
The Supreme Court last month upheld the validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014, recognising the separate Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) that would now take control of the gurdwaras in the state from the SGPC.
“There is huge resentment among Haryana Sikh sangat due to the conspiracy of breaking SGPC and further weakening united Sikh power. The Sikh sangat wants the panth to stay united and conspiracies of governments to break the Sikh body will not be accepted,” SGPC senior vice-president Raghujit Singh Virk, who led the protest, said.
Other members, who were part of the protest, include Harbhajan Singh Masanan from Kurukshetra, Baldev Singh Kaimpuri from Yamunanagar, and former SGPC member Gurdeep Singh Bhanokheri.
Carrying black flags and banners against a separate committee, the sangat started their march towards Akal Takht Sahib in the presence of SGPC assistant secretary Simranjeet Singh Kang and Paramjit Singh.
Virk said that Haryana Sikhs in the form of a ‘qafila’ gathered in Ambala and proceeded for the Akal Takht Sahib in buses, cars and trains.
Virk said some Sikhs played in the hands of governments and conspired to establish separate Gurdwara Management Committee Act for Haryana, when the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 was intact, under which, historical gurdwaras of Haryana are under the jurisdiction of SGPC.
Answering a query about opposition to the Apex court’s judgment, he said, “there are many political reasons behind the decision and we see it as politically motivated one. The Sikhs are united under the leadership of Akal Takht Sahib and whatever call will be given from there, it will be followed with dedication.”
HSGMC members slam SGPC
Later in the day, Haryana Sikh leaders also held a meeting at Sri Manji Sahib gurdwara.
HSGMC member Jasbir Singh Khalsa hit-out at the SGPC and said that they have been “served justice” by the top court and the judgment has “hampered their politics”.
In the past fortnight, the HSGMC had claimed to have taken over the control of three gurdwaras of Ambala -- Lakhnor Sahib, Mardon Sahib and Panjokhara Sahib, unopposed from the SGPC. ENDS
