Despite protests from the Amritsar-based SGPC, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab and other Sikh groups, the Haryana Assembly on Friday passed a Bill to set up a separate body to manage the affairs of the gurudwaras in the State.
Seeking to get political mileage ahead of the forthcoming Assembly election in the State, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala introduced the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Bill, 2014 to provide for better autonomous management and effective supervision of the Sikh gurudwaras and gurudwara properties in Haryana, saying, "it is a historic day for Haryana which will be written in golden letters."
The MlAs of the Opposition parties, the BJP and the INlD, walked out of Haryana Vidhan Sabha opposing the Bill alleging that it is not only against the interests of the Sikhs but also a policy of the Congress to divide the Sikhs for political gains.
Haryana Agriculture Minister H S Chatha, who headed the state committee which recommended the formation of a separate SGPC for Haryana, while speaking on the Bill, requested the Opposition not to politicise the issue and rise above party lines.
Apparently counting upon the Sikh voters of the State ahead of the Assembly election, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had on Sunday at a Sikh convention in Kaithal announced the Government's final decision to set up the separate SGPC for his State.
Under the Haryana Sikh Gurudwaras (Management) Bill, 2014, there would be a Haryana Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee consisting of Special Commissioner, Additional Commissioner or Joint Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner, Gurudwara Elections, for the proper management and control of the gurudwaras and gurudwara properties within the state of Haryana with effect from the date the State Government issues notification in the official gazette upon the Bill becoming an Act.
The committee would have its head office at Kurukshetra and regional offices at Panchkula and Jind.
It would consist of 40 members to be elected from various wards. Nine members would be co-opted by the elected members of the committee, including two members from amongst Sikh women, three members from persons belonging to the SC and BC categories, two members from general category having extensive knowledge of Sikh tenets and two members from amongst the presidents of the registered 'Singh Sabhas' in the state.
Every person who is a Sikh not less than eighteen years of age, shall be entitled to be registered in the electoral roll for that ward, provided that no person shall be registered as a 'Patit' or trims or shaves his beard or keshas and also not using tobacco, Kutha (Halal meat) or intoxicants or taking alcoholic drinks.
There are eight historical gurudwaras, 17 gurudwaras having annual income of more than twenty lakhs and 27 gurudwaras having annual income less than 20 lakhs.