CHANDIGARH: Despite the walk out by the BJP and INLD MLAs from the Vidhan Sabha, the Haryana Assembly on Friday passed the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Bill, 2014, paving way for autonomous management of Gurdwaras and their properties in the state.
The BJP and NLD legislators had opposed separate the SGPC Bill, saying it was against the interest of Sikhs, and walked out of the house.
“Haryana-separate SGPC Bill will be withdrawn if we come to power in the state,” said Abhey Chautala of the INLD.
From the date of commencement of this Act, the provisions of Sikh Gurdwara Act,1925, would cease to have any application within the territory of Haryana.
The Bill is an earnest effort to provide a legal procedure, by which such Gurdwaras, owing to their origin and habitual use, regarded by the Haryana Sikhs as essentially pious places of worship, would be brought effectively and permanently under the exclusive control of the Sikhs of Haryana for their proper usage, administration, control and financial management reforms, to make it consistent with the religious views of Sikh community.
There has been a simmering discontentment in the minds of the Sikhs of Haryana that they are being discriminated,discarded, and not being given due importance with regard to the affairs of the Sikh Gurdwaras here. There have been many representations from various Sikh bodies and individuals for constitution of a separate Sikh Gurudwaras Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
According to the Bill, a Committee, namely Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, would be established for the proper management and control of the Gurdwaras within the State.
The Committee Head Office would be at Kurukshetra, and regional offices at Panchkula and Jind.