KURUKSHETRA: A day after office-bearers of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) (ad-hoc), took “forcible” possession of management of Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Chhevin in Kurukshetra, the supporters of HSGMC and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) scuffled with each other at the Gurdwara on Monday.
The scuffle took place inside the sanctum sanctorum of the historical Gurdwara in Kurukshetra, when Guru Granth Sahib was enshrined there and during an ongoing congregation called by HSGMC of its members and office-bearers.
HSGMC ad-hoc president Mahant Karamjit Singh, former president Baljit Singh Daduwal, HSGMC members reached Kurukshetra, to attend the meeting.
About the incident, Mahant Karamjit Singh said, “We were holding a congregation as Sangat, when they (SGPC supporters) came in, started scuffling and interrupted the proceedings. SGPC members Gurdeep Singh Bhanokheri (former) and Tejinder Pal Singh Dhillon reached with their supporters and interrupted. They violated Maryada of Guru’s house during an ongoing congregation. We will file a police complaint and also file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court.”
He added that they will also approach Akal Takht Sahib against SGPC members for their act of disturbing the congregation at Gurdwara.
Daduwal said, “Badal supported groups created ruckus inside the Gurdwara, for which action should be taken against them.”
Meanwhile, heavy police force was deputed at the Gurdwara to maintain the law and order. A video of inspector rank police officer of Kurukshetra police entering Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin with his shoes beyond the permissible limits also went viral on social media. It is seen in the video that some Sikhs confronted the police officer and asked him to remove his shoes and remove his cap before proceeding any further. The cop is seen removing shoes and cap and proceeding ahead.
Bhanokheri, Akali leaders Harkesh Singh Mohri of Ambala, Navjot Singh Kohli, Paramjit Singh, Jodh Singh president of Gurdwara Mardon Sahib, Jatinderpal Singh Lucky, Jarnail Singh, and a few others, who had reached the Gurdwara in protest were detained by the police to Krishna Gate police station. A group of Sikh community leaders and members held a protest outside the police station demanding release of detained Sikhs.
SGPC’s Dharma Prachar Committee member Tejinderpal Singh Ladwa said “HSGMC has no rights over the Sikh Mission Haryana. It was constructed by the SGPC and it is the property of the SGPC. By breaking the lock of Gurdwara’s golak and taking control, the HSGMC and Haryana government have made their intentions clear that their sole motive is to grab the golaks and not to manage the shrines.”
SP Kurukshetra Surender Singh Bhoria said, “There was a minor face off between them (HSGMC & SGPC supporters) and the situation is under control. Eight people were detained for questioning. We have received a complaint and further action is being taken.”
Krishna Gate police station house officer (SHO) inspector Dinesh Kumar said, “We have taken preventive action against those who were detained.”
On the other hand, in a press statement, Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh strongly opposed “arrest” of some Sikhs, who protested against “police entering Gurdwara with shoes and forcible possession of Gurdwara”.
The Jathedar termed this incident as extremely unfortunate and said, “If the Haryana government wants to take possession of Gurdwaras after breaking Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, then it should first get the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, de-notified from Parliament. The use of force by Haryana police will never be tolerated by Sikh community.”
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami called an urgent meeting of SGPC executive at Amritsar on the agenda of HSGMC taking possession of the Gurdwara in Kurukshetra.
In the meeting, the SGPC rebuked the Haryana government to stop interfering in Gurdwara management and “coercive action of HSGMC (ad-hoc) was strongly condemned” and a five member panel was formed to look into this matter.
Harjinder Singh Dhami said that under a deliberate conspiracy, the Haryana government wants to occupy the Gurdwara Sahibs in Haryana.
“Under this intention of occupying Gurdwaras, the office-bearers of government nominated HSGMC (ad-hoc) entered the historical Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin in Kurukshetra and in an arbitrary action, they broke golak using a cutter. Later, the lock of SGPC’s Haryana Sikh Mission at Kurukshetra under its Dharam Prachar Committee was also broken in the same manner and it was occupied”, said Dhami.
He said when the Sikh Sangat of Haryana reached the Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin on Monday to express their protest, force was used against them and they were arrested. During this proceeding, the police personnel entered the premises of the Gurdwara Sahib with their shoes and committed a gross violation of Sikh Maryada”, said Dhami. He said this action is highly condemnable, for which the Haryana government is directly responsible.
The SGPC President said that the Haryana government wants to take control of the Gurdwaras in violation of the Supreme Court’s decision. He said that the judgment of the Supreme Court has clearly written that the HSGMC can be functional only after the election, but the Haryana government has conspired and made a policy to take over the Gurdwara administration by forming an ad-hoc committee through a notification (dated October 24, 2022). He said that the action being taken by the government has made it clear that it wants to run the Gurdwaras of Haryana as per its own will.
“Because in the notification of HSGMC (ad-hoc) made by the government, it is clearly written that if the election is not held, the panel will be nominated again. This is an illegal process, which cannot be accepted”, said Dhami.
The SGPC President said that it is absolutely illegal to occupy Gurdwara Sahib using the force.
“Haryana Government and HSGMC (ad-hoc) have not made any kind of contact with the SGPC for taking over management of Gurdwaras in Haryana, but have conspired to seize the administration by force. This matter is very critical and is connected with respect and dignity of Gurdwara Sahib. Therefore, a five-member committee has been formed to review the incident that took place at Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Chhevin in Kurukshetra and to talk to Sikhs in Haryana, after which an appeal would be made to Akal Takht Sahib on this basis of the panel’s report.
He said the 5-member committee includes SGPC senior vice-president Baldev Singh Qaimpuri, junior vice president Avtar Singh Ria, general secretary Bhai Gurcharan Singh Grewal, executive member Jarnail Singh Kartarpur and Bawa Singh Gumanpura. He also said that the opinion of legal experts will be taken about the illegal nomination of HSGMC ad-hoc by Haryana government with just a notification and the intervention of the Home Affairs Department of Government of India will also be sought regarding the direct interference in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925.
The scuffle took place inside the sanctum sanctorum of the historical Gurdwara in Kurukshetra, when Guru Granth Sahib was enshrined there and during an ongoing congregation called by HSGMC of its members and office-bearers.
HSGMC ad-hoc president Mahant Karamjit Singh, former president Baljit Singh Daduwal, HSGMC members reached Kurukshetra, to attend the meeting.
About the incident, Mahant Karamjit Singh said, “We were holding a congregation as Sangat, when they (SGPC supporters) came in, started scuffling and interrupted the proceedings. SGPC members Gurdeep Singh Bhanokheri (former) and Tejinder Pal Singh Dhillon reached with their supporters and interrupted. They violated Maryada of Guru’s house during an ongoing congregation. We will file a police complaint and also file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court.”
He added that they will also approach Akal Takht Sahib against SGPC members for their act of disturbing the congregation at Gurdwara.
Daduwal said, “Badal supported groups created ruckus inside the Gurdwara, for which action should be taken against them.”
Meanwhile, heavy police force was deputed at the Gurdwara to maintain the law and order. A video of inspector rank police officer of Kurukshetra police entering Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin with his shoes beyond the permissible limits also went viral on social media. It is seen in the video that some Sikhs confronted the police officer and asked him to remove his shoes and remove his cap before proceeding any further. The cop is seen removing shoes and cap and proceeding ahead.
Bhanokheri, Akali leaders Harkesh Singh Mohri of Ambala, Navjot Singh Kohli, Paramjit Singh, Jodh Singh president of Gurdwara Mardon Sahib, Jatinderpal Singh Lucky, Jarnail Singh, and a few others, who had reached the Gurdwara in protest were detained by the police to Krishna Gate police station. A group of Sikh community leaders and members held a protest outside the police station demanding release of detained Sikhs.
SGPC’s Dharma Prachar Committee member Tejinderpal Singh Ladwa said “HSGMC has no rights over the Sikh Mission Haryana. It was constructed by the SGPC and it is the property of the SGPC. By breaking the lock of Gurdwara’s golak and taking control, the HSGMC and Haryana government have made their intentions clear that their sole motive is to grab the golaks and not to manage the shrines.”
SP Kurukshetra Surender Singh Bhoria said, “There was a minor face off between them (HSGMC & SGPC supporters) and the situation is under control. Eight people were detained for questioning. We have received a complaint and further action is being taken.”
Krishna Gate police station house officer (SHO) inspector Dinesh Kumar said, “We have taken preventive action against those who were detained.”
On the other hand, in a press statement, Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh strongly opposed “arrest” of some Sikhs, who protested against “police entering Gurdwara with shoes and forcible possession of Gurdwara”.
The Jathedar termed this incident as extremely unfortunate and said, “If the Haryana government wants to take possession of Gurdwaras after breaking Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, then it should first get the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, de-notified from Parliament. The use of force by Haryana police will never be tolerated by Sikh community.”
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami called an urgent meeting of SGPC executive at Amritsar on the agenda of HSGMC taking possession of the Gurdwara in Kurukshetra.
In the meeting, the SGPC rebuked the Haryana government to stop interfering in Gurdwara management and “coercive action of HSGMC (ad-hoc) was strongly condemned” and a five member panel was formed to look into this matter.
Harjinder Singh Dhami said that under a deliberate conspiracy, the Haryana government wants to occupy the Gurdwara Sahibs in Haryana.
“Under this intention of occupying Gurdwaras, the office-bearers of government nominated HSGMC (ad-hoc) entered the historical Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin in Kurukshetra and in an arbitrary action, they broke golak using a cutter. Later, the lock of SGPC’s Haryana Sikh Mission at Kurukshetra under its Dharam Prachar Committee was also broken in the same manner and it was occupied”, said Dhami.
He said when the Sikh Sangat of Haryana reached the Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin on Monday to express their protest, force was used against them and they were arrested. During this proceeding, the police personnel entered the premises of the Gurdwara Sahib with their shoes and committed a gross violation of Sikh Maryada”, said Dhami. He said this action is highly condemnable, for which the Haryana government is directly responsible.
The SGPC President said that the Haryana government wants to take control of the Gurdwaras in violation of the Supreme Court’s decision. He said that the judgment of the Supreme Court has clearly written that the HSGMC can be functional only after the election, but the Haryana government has conspired and made a policy to take over the Gurdwara administration by forming an ad-hoc committee through a notification (dated October 24, 2022). He said that the action being taken by the government has made it clear that it wants to run the Gurdwaras of Haryana as per its own will.
“Because in the notification of HSGMC (ad-hoc) made by the government, it is clearly written that if the election is not held, the panel will be nominated again. This is an illegal process, which cannot be accepted”, said Dhami.
The SGPC President said that it is absolutely illegal to occupy Gurdwara Sahib using the force.
“Haryana Government and HSGMC (ad-hoc) have not made any kind of contact with the SGPC for taking over management of Gurdwaras in Haryana, but have conspired to seize the administration by force. This matter is very critical and is connected with respect and dignity of Gurdwara Sahib. Therefore, a five-member committee has been formed to review the incident that took place at Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi Chhevin in Kurukshetra and to talk to Sikhs in Haryana, after which an appeal would be made to Akal Takht Sahib on this basis of the panel’s report.
He said the 5-member committee includes SGPC senior vice-president Baldev Singh Qaimpuri, junior vice president Avtar Singh Ria, general secretary Bhai Gurcharan Singh Grewal, executive member Jarnail Singh Kartarpur and Bawa Singh Gumanpura. He also said that the opinion of legal experts will be taken about the illegal nomination of HSGMC ad-hoc by Haryana government with just a notification and the intervention of the Home Affairs Department of Government of India will also be sought regarding the direct interference in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925.