Gurdwara row: Makkar warns HSGMC on takeover
A day after the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) took its first step towards the takeover of gurdwaras in the state, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday warned the former against making such a move.
A day after the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) took its first step towards the takeover of gurdwaras in the state, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday warned the former against making such a move.
In a strongly worded statement issued here on Friday, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said the management of shrines in Haryana was still the SGPC’s right. He also warned the managers of gurdwaras under the SGPC not to hand over control to the HSGMC.The HSGMC had on Thursday announced its plans to manage the finances of gurdwaras in the state.
“The HSGMC has got no constitutional validity and is an illegal body, hence it cannot take control of the SGPC gurdwaras in Haryana,” the SGPC chief claimed.
Pointing to the excommunication of HSGMC chief Jagdish Singh Jhinda, he made it clear that SGPC officials would abide only by directions of the Akal Takht, which had ordered status quo as far as management of shrines in Haryana was concerned, he added.
“An excommunicated Sikh cannot be given charge of management of gurdwaras. In fact, Jhinda cannot be allowed to perform any form of Panthic activity,” Makkar said.