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Ex-HSGMC president faces farmers’ protest, not allowed to enter Karnal gurdwara
Former president of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (ad hoc) Jagdish Jhinda had to face farmers’ protest during his visit to a gurdwara in Karnal
Former president of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (ad hoc) Jagdish Jhinda had to face farmers’ protest during his visit to a gurdwara in Karnal.
Jhinda, who had played a key role in the formation of a separate Sikh body for control of gurdwaras in Haryana during the outgoing Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government, was not even allowed to enter the gurdwara ‘kar sewa’, where he was scheduled to address a press conference.
The protesters were agitated as Jhinda had recently slammed farm leader Gurman Singh Charuni for farmers’ protest in Karnal and said he had played a key role in resolving the issue between farmers and the government.
The protesters locked the main entrance of the gurdwara and did not allow Jhinda to address the media inside the premises of the gurdwara.
“We will not allow him to spit venom against farm leaders to weaken the agitation against the anti-farmer laws. We will not allow anybody to speak against farmers from gurdwara premises,” said the protesters, accusing Jhinda of playing into the hands of BJP leaders.
On the other hand, Jhinda slammed the gurdwara management, Charuni and the protesters, saying, “The gurdwara belongs to all and it is not the property of anybody. But now, my fight is against Charuni. I will not allow him to enter my area.”
A visibly angry Jhinda also warned the head priest of the gurdwara ‘kar sewa’ not to enter the area.
Ahead of 2014 assembly polls, the Congress government had constituted a 41-member ad hoc HSGMC team to manage, supervise and take over assets of cash-rich gurdwaras in Haryana, giving a boost to the demand of a separate Sikh body in state.
The committee, constituted under the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Act, 2014 was passed by the state assembly.
While Jhinda was appointed president of the Haryana Sikh body, Didar Singh Nalvi was given the senior vice-president’s post.
But later, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) approached the Supreme Court and challenged the formation of a separate Sikh body in Haryana.
But later, a rift between Jhinda and Nalvi came to the fore for the post of president. Jhinda had also announced to form a political party. Due to poor health, Jhinda was not active for the past couple of years and in August last year, sidelining him, the then parallel jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Baljit Singh Daduwal was elected president of the HSGMC with the support of Nalvi.
