Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami joined the protest staged by local Sikhs in Nanded, Maharashtra, on Friday against the changes made by the state government in the ‘Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) joined the protest on Friday, led by Dhami. A delegation comprising Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) members, SGPC general secretary Rajinder Singh Mehta, SGPC member Ajmer Singh Khera, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema, and OSD to SGPC president Satbir Singh Dhami, was also present.
The protest erupted against the increase in government influence on the Gurdwara board. Reacting to this, Dhami expressed his concerns, saying it was “sad, condemnable, and a direct interference” in Sikh affairs “which cannot be tolerated.” He wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, aiming for an appointment to discuss the issues. However, the Maharashtra government on Friday assured that only Sikhs would be part of the Nanded Gurdwara committee.
Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Sultan Singh was also present at the protest as a representative of Akal Takht Jathedar.
The Influence of Takhat Hazur Sahib in Nanded
The Takhat Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra, is one of the five Takhats (high temporal seats) of Sikhs. The 10th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, died here. According to the 1956 Act of the Gurudwara Sachkhand Board, Nanded has the responsibility to look after the management of the Takhat Hazur Sahib. The annual budget of the Takht Hazur Sahib is around Rs 100 crore, and the property is worth crores.
Why isn’t the new amendment in favor of the Sikhs?
Division of members according to the 1956 Act:
Total members of the Takhat Hazur Sahib board: 17
Members nominated by SGPC members: 4
Member nominated by Sachkhand Hazur Khalsa Diwan: 4
Member nominated by Chief Khalsa Diwan: 1
Total members of Parliament: 2
Members directly elected from the seven districts of Marathwada: 3
Members from Maharashtra: 1
Members from Andhra Pradesh: 1
Nanded Collector: 1
According to the new amendment, out of 17 members, 12 will be directly nominated by the Maharashtra government, three will be elected, and the SGPC can now nominate only two. There will be no representation from Parliament or other organizations. According to critics, the amendment will permit the ruling party to appoint its members to the board, which will have indirect influence over the board’s decisions.
The board members are elected and nominated for a three-year term. The last election to pick three members was held in 2019. Though the next election was in 2022, it has not been held yet.
Past Event: The Role of BJP
In 2015, the BJP government in Maharashtra reduced the authority of the Gurudwara Sachkand Board, Nanded, by changing Section 11 of the 1956 Act to allow it to directly nominate the board’s president. The board members had previously elected the president. Tara Singh, a BJP MLA, became the first government appointee to the presidency in 2015. The SGPC contested the modification in 2015, but to no avail. In 2019, the SGPC accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of utilizing the amendment to seize indirect control of Sikh gurdwaras.
