Adopting a confrontationist stand, Haryana Government on Saturday asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to withdraw the letter which requested Governor Jagannath Pahadia to withdraw his assent to the Bill for creation of a separate SGPC for the State.
In its letter, the Haryana cited the example of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, which manages affairs of the Sikh shrines in the national Capital with no say of Amritsar SGPC in it. The State Government in a letter to the Centre also asked it to direct the Punjab Government not to interfere into affairs of Haryana.
The response of the Haryana Government comes after Union Home Ministry wrote to the Haryana Chief Secretary on Friday saying legislature of Haryana had no competence to pass the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Bill 2014 and assent granted by Governor should be withdrawn.Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Haryana and AICC spokesman, Randeep Singh Surjewala in the letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, a copy of which was released to the press here, took exception to the letter and asked him to “forthwith withdraw” it.
“The stance of the Centre is a total negation of right of legislature of Haryana flowing from Articles 245 and 246 of the Constitution,” Surjewala wrote. He made reference of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee saying “Parliament under Constitution has enacted a separate Sikh Gurdwara Act on December 30, 1971 pursuant to which Amritsar SGPC has no say or control over the Sikh gurdwaras in Delhi.”
Takht Hazur Sahib, Nanded at Maharashtra, Takht Patna Sahib Bihar (two of top five temporal seats of Sikhs) are not governed by SGPC Amritsar, he said. “Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his party is putting unwarranted pressure and playing politics on this issue of self determination and governance of Sikh religious shrines in Haryana by Sikh community of Haryana,” he said. The legislature of Haryana has exercised its legislative power under Constitution to ensure grant of right of self-governance, self determination and service of gurdwaras, Surjewala said. “To negate this right of Sikhs and Punjabi communities of Haryana is to question the honour of every Haryanvi. This is neither acceptable nor warranted,” the Haryana Minister added.