A day after Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal held a meeting with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee members at his residence, Punjab Congress on Sunday questioned asked him to explain under which capacity he was “interfering” in the working of Sikh’s mini parliament.
“SGPC is an institution which represents all Sikhs having different political and social alignments, thus Sukhbir Badal has no right to call meeting of SGPC members. SGPC doesn’t represent the SAD, but it represents the Sikhs in general,” said the Congress MlA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
He said that by calling a meeting of 110 SGPC members, out of total strength of 190, Sukhbir has crossed the lakshaman rekha of the state not interfering in religious affairs of Sikhs. SGPC members once elected belong to entire Sikh Panth, not to a political party, he said.
“When SGPC and SAD question interference of any other political party in SGPC affairs, why Sukhbir Badal himself is interfering in SGPCIJ,” he asked.
“Neither Sukhbir is Amritdhari Sikh, nor is he a SGPC member. Under which capacity he is calling the meeting of SGPC members. And why he is asking the SGPC members to highlight the aspects which suit the Akali vote bank. SGPC is not meant for the SAD political purposes but it’s formed to propagate Sikhism,” said Randhawa asking to apologies before Sikh Sangat for using SGPC for political purposes.
Randhawa went on to say that the Badals have turned “modern era mahants, who are controlling Sikh shrines before formation of SGPC, as Badal are doing in the present time”.
“Badals are electing SGPC president by sending an ‘envelop’, appointing and removing Jathedars of Takhts as per the political suitability, forcing Jathedar to take religious decisions as per political desires of SAD, thus turned the Sikh body as an offshoot of Akali Dal,” he said.
The Congress leader stressed on freeing the SGPC from interference from Akali Dal for better administration of gurdwaras and propagation of Sikhism.