Chandigarh, Feb 7 (PTI) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the SGPC on Wednesday opposed the Maharashtra government’s move to amend the Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abhchal Nagar Sahib Act 1956 and called for its revocation.
“It appears the Eknath Shinde government wanted to take over control of the gurdwara board arbitrarily which will never be tolerated by the Sikh ‘Sangat’,” senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said in a statement.
“The move amounted to direct interference into Sikh religious affairs,” Cheema said, demanding that it be “revoked immediately”.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Harjinder Singh Dhami took strong objection of the Maharashtra government’s action to reduce the number of members of Sikh organisations in Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Nanded Gurdwara Board.
Dhami on Monday said the proposed amendment in the Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchal Nagar Sahib Act, 1956 is a “direct interference” in the affairs of the Sikh community.
“The Maharashtra government’s decision to increase the number of government nominated members and reduce the members of Sikh organisations in Gurdwara Board (at Nanded) is an act to take direct control of Sikh shrines. No advance consultation has been done with Sikhs before proposing such an amendment,” said Dhami.
Cheema said the Maharashtra government’s decision allows for direct nomination of 12 out of total 17 members of the Nanded gurdwara board.
He said the number of members sent by the SGPC had been reduced from four to two even as the nomination of Chief Khalsa Diwan and Hazuri Sachkhand Diwan had been abolished.
“Similarly the two Sikh MPs who used to be members of the board have also been denied this right in the new amendment,” he claimed.
Dhami has written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and asked that an SGPC delegation be given appointment for consideration on the matter, according to a statement issued here. In his letter, Dhami appealed to the Maharashtra chief minister to immediately stop “conspiracies” to increase government influence in management and concerns of Sikh shrines.
He said participation of representatives of Sikh organisations should be ensured in the Nanded Gurdwara Board as earlier. PTI CHS VSD SKY RPA
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