Ahead of upcoming Assembly polls, Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress Government in Haryana, staring at an anti-incumbency sentiment in the State, is now banking upon Sikh voters in Haryana to come back to power for the third time.
There are more than 15 lakh registered Sikh voters in Sirsa, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal lok Sabha constituencies, besides 15 to 60,000 population in 24 Vidhan Sabha constituencies across the State.
The ruling Congress party which didn’t take any step for setting up a separate SGPC for Sikhs in Haryana, though it had ruled in the Centre and state, has now made an announcement for this.
The opposition parities, BJP and INlD have alleged that the ruling Congress party is playing dirty vote bank politics. After getting humiliating defeat in the recent lok Sabha elections, state Congress, to retain the past glory, is said to have played HSGPC formation card before state assembly polls, due in the month of October this year.
However, even as BJP and INlD are opposing this move, they are also worried about Sikh vote bank in the state. Jagdish Jhinda, president of adhoc committee for HSGPC has made it clear that they would help ruling Congress party in the elections.
legally, Haryana can set up HSGPC
NS Bhinder, legal expert and secretary member of HS Chattha committee constituted by Haryana government for setting up separate body for Haryana Sikhs told The Pioneer that state government is empowered to form the separate body under Section 72 of Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966-through which Haryana was carved out of Punjab. SGPC is statutory body and as such, the state legislature is fully empowered to bring it in to existence. The status quo on the Gurudwaras had been continuing because the state didn’t venture in to constituting its own bodies provided under section 72 of the Act.
As per the provision, Gurudwaras or even universities would have remained under the Punjab government till it is decided otherwise by a central or state law wherever these bodies have their territorial jurisdiction.
He also added that “the constitution of India empowers the State Assembly to enact legislation even on the central subjects under 7th schedule of the constitution in the concurrent list. However, as HSGPC in question is also religious society, hence Haryana state has power to constitute it at its own level and on the basis of this clause, Haryana government has decided to constitute a separate body for Haryana Sikhs, added Bhinder.
Jhinda called a meeting of all Sikh leaders of Haryana
After the announcement of separate SGPC for Haryana Sikhs, Jagdish Singh Jinda, (adhoc) president of Haryana Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee called an emergency meeting of all Sikh leaders of the state before July 11.
“Today we got complete freedom and this decision is quite historical for the Sikhs of Haryana, who would be able to take their own decisions for their people here”, said Jhinda.
While talking to The Pioneer, Jhinda said that he has called an emergency meeting before July 11, in which the bill to be introduced in state assembly to set up separate SGPC will be chalked out.
We have also called all the Sikh leaders in this meeting including those 11 members of SGPC, who were elected in the last SGPC elections. He also requested all the political parties in Haryana to not make this a political issue.
“This issue is entirely a religious issue related to our sentiments, hence don’t politicise it”, said Jhinda.
He said that “the entire sikh community in Haryana will certainly help Congress party in the upcoming elections. It is the Congress, which took the initiative in this direction, hence, it deserve to get the reward too”, added Jhinda.
BJP, Indian National lok Dal (INlD) to oppose Congress’ move
State leadership of BJP has decided to oppose the move in the state assembly on July 11. BJP legislature Anil Vij said Congress is playing with the sentiments of Sikh community, which is wrong. “let the Sikh community solve their problem, we should not politicise it at any cost”, said Vir Kumar Yadav, state spokesperson of BJP. He alleged that Congress didn’t set up it during its ten years rule in state and Centre, now it is playing dirty politics.
Similarly, Indian National lok Dal (INlD) main opposition party in Haryana also decided to oppose it in assembly. Ashok Arora, state president of INlD said that we will oppose this proposed ‘bill’ in the state assembly on July 11. “Gurudwara Act is central subject, then how the state government can bring such bill, about which it has no power”, said Arora.
He added that Congress always play divide and rule politics. The party divides people either in the name of religion, caste, creed or area. “Now, it is dividing the Sikhs to woo their vote bank for the upcoming state assembly elections”, added Arora.
HJP supports separate SGPC
Haryana Janhit Congress, an ally of BJP supported separate SGPC for Haryana Sikhs
Kuldeep Bishnoi, president of HJC said that our party from the beginning advocated for separate SGPC for Haryana Sikhs. “What to talk of support, we even mentioned in our manifesto of 2009 assembly elections that whenever our party would come in to power, we would set up a separate SGPC for Haryana Sikhs”.
AAP in favour of separate SGPC for Haryana
Rajeev Godara, chief spokesman of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Haryana, said that setting up HSGPC would be beneficial for the Sikhs of the state as it would function for the interests of the community members of the state. Since the number of Sikhs in Haryana was less compared to Punjab, they did not have much say in the SGPC, Godara said, adding the issue could be resolved with dialogue.
Haryana lokhit Party termed it as ‘election stunt’
Newly formed political outfit Haryana lokhit Party’s (HlP) president Gopal Goyal Kanda on Sunday termed Congress’ move as ‘election stunt’. Former state home minister Kanda said that Hooda didn’t implement it during his last one decade rule, now, when the state assembly elections are near, he intentionally implementing it to encash the vote bank of Sikh people in Haryana.
Six Sikh youth showed black flags to Hooda
During Sikh convention at Kaithal on Sunday, six Sikh youths showed black flags to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to show their protest against the setting up a separate SGPC in Haryana. However, local police immediately arrested them.