Miri Piri college belongs to SGPC, not to trust: Makkar

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Avtar Singh Makkar took strong exception on Friday to the remarks of two Haryana ministers in the Assembly on Thursday against chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his association with the Miri Piri Medical College at Shahbad in Kurukshetra district.

"I want to clarify to Haryana ministers Randeep Singh Surjewala and Harmohinder Singh Chatha that the medical college belonged to the SGPC and not to any particular individual or trust. Badal is only one of the 12 members of the trust set up by the SGPC for constructing the building and running the college," Makkar told mediapersons on Friday.

Regarding the remarks of the two ministers that the medical college set up by the trust was controlled by the Badal family, the SGPC chief said this was not only an insult to a person who had been four-time chief minister but also to the entire Sikh community. He demanded that the two ministers tender a public apology for their irresponsible remarks.

He pointed out that the decision for setting up the college was taken by the SGPC during the quadric-centenary celebrations of the 'parkash' of Guru Granth Sahib. Instead of facilitating its completion, the Haryana government has not yet given NoC for running the institute, he claimed.