Tension escalated near the historic Chhenvi Pathshahi gurudwara at Kurukshetra on Wednesday, when hundreds of supporters of the newly -formed Haryana Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (HSGMC), sitting on peaceful dharna, all of sudden started moving towards the gurudwara after breaking barricades of the police to take ‘forcible’ control of the shrine, which is at present under the possession of Amritsar-based SGPC and task force.
As a mob broke the barricades and tried to move towards gurudwara ‘Chhenvi Pathshahi’, members of the SGPC and task force, who were already there in the gurudwara started pelting stones from the roof of the gurudwara to stop the mob from entering the gurudwara forcibly, said eyewitnesses.
Several protesters and media persons were injured and their vehicles were damaged in this clash, at 2.30 pm, among the protesters, members of the SGPC and the police in Kurukshetra.
“Police used teargas, water cannons and cane charge on the protestors to disperse the mob”, said Ashwin Shenvi, SP, Kurukshetra. In retaliation, “Police personnel were also targeted by the HSGMC supporters by pelting stones on security personnel,” said police officials. More than half dozen cops were injured in this fight and the situation could be controlled after an hour there, added police. All the injured were admitted in local government hospital and a private hospital. These supporters of HSGMC from different parts of Haryana, had gathered near the gurudwara on the call of HSGMC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda. They were supposed to decide further course of action after their futile attempt of convincing Chief Minister of Haryana and Governor of Haryana for taking possession of Haryana gurudwaras back from the members of Amritsar based SGPC, SAD and task force.
Didar Singh Nalvi, vice president of HSGMC alleged that the clash took place at the behest of Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab and Avtar Singh Makkar, president of SGPC. “Badal and Makkar had sent more than 150 buses of gundas with stones at gurudwara to attack of our peaceful protestors”, alleged Nalvi.
HSGMC demanded not only action against the police personnel on duty who cane charged HSGMC supporters but also suitable compensation for their damaged vehicles.
Eyewitnesses said the clash between the members of SGPC and HSGMC took place due to miscommunication at Kurukshetra on Wednesday. As HSGMC managed to take possession of another gurudwara at Gulha Cheeka in Kaithal district around 60 km from Kurukshetra, some of the senior leaders of HSGMC announced on stage in Kurukshetra that they have got the control of gurudwaras. After this announcement, all the protesters started moving towards gurudwara Chhenvi Pathshahi. They broke the barricades of the police. To thwart their attempt, members of SGPC and taskforce started pelting stone.