Shiromani Akali Dal Stall Proceedings

[Azaad]

Objecting strongly to Haryana’s proposal to set up a separate gurdwara prabandhak committee in the state, Shiromani Akali Dal members, backed by their NDA allies and the Samajwadi Party, today stalled proceedings in both Houses of Parliament.

Two adjournments each in the Lower House and the Rajya Sabha on the issue saw the Question Hour being washed out in both.

SAD members demanded immediate reversal of the move by the Congress government in Haryana, describing the move as ill-advised, ill-conceived, divisive, and politically motivated in view of the impending assembly elections in the state. They asked the Prime Minister to set it aside or be ready for struggles.

In the Rajya Sabha, an agitated Opposition warned the Centre that any interference in the Sikh religious affairs could have serious consequences in not only Punjab but across the country.

The original SGPC, formed in 1925, is headquartered at Amritsar and is seen as a mini-Parliament of Sikhs and it decides on religious affairs of the community. It has elected members from Haryana on board. There is eight-nine per cent population of Sikhs in Haryana concentrated in northern districts adjoining Punjab.

Leading the charge, SAD leader Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha warned the government that it was “waking up a sleeping giant”. It will be dangerous as Sikhs will unite like never before to protest any bifurcation of the SGPC.

The BJP, which is the SAD’s alliance partner in Punjab, supported it fully demanding a reply from the Prime Minister on the matter. SS Ahulwalia of the BJP reminded the House about the death of Indira Gandhi, the creation of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Operation Bluestar before he was asked by the Chair to stop getting into history and “controversial matters”.

Tarlochan Singh, an Independent member from Haryana, made an even more pertinent point, saying, “It is neither a matter of Punjab or of Haryana, it is a Sikh religious affair and there should be no interference of the Government”.

Leading the protest in the Lok Sabha, Akali member Ratan Singh Ajnala warned the Centre of lasting protests if their demand was not immediately heeded. He earlier stormed the well of the House with colleague Harsimrat Badal, who was trying to remind the Chair of the 1959 pact between Master Tara Singh (representing the Sikhs) and Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru, former Prime Minister, which said any amendments in the Gurdwara Act should only be undertaken after obtaining the approval of General Committee of the SGPC. Her voice was, however, drowned in the din.

Separate SGPC for the Sikhs of Haryana by November 1, as announced by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda recently, would lead to “dangerous consequences” and for this responsibility will be of the Centre and the Haryana government. Secretary- general of the SAD Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa stated this in the complex of Nankiana Sahib gurdwara, near here, today.

Dhindsa said the Congress was dividing Sikhs on the issue of separate SGPC for Haryana.

Regarding holding of separate stage by the SAD (Longowal) under the leadership of the Barnala family on August 20, Dhindsa said it would not affect their programme. Everyone knew the Badal government was observing the death anniversary of Sant Longowal for a long, he added.

[sonearyetSOfar]

vjkk, vjkf.

so many issues here man. the blatantly anti panthis views of sgpc are there to see, with bjp backing and talking about 84 again as though sikhs were the terrorists.

but then there's the issue of dividing the panth into smaller and smaller parts. so many stupid organisations and with uneducated 'hardcore' followers that create a divide by trying to show their party to be greater. when clearly wisdom has deserted them and they do not listen to guru ji's updesh properly.

why can't we come together as a nation, a sikh panth.

Have ''rehits'' written down for those who follow certain paths - but recognise those rehit's as being that of a sikh following a particular path to god BUT categorise the whole group as the panth. With the hope that with higher education, and deeper understanding of guru ji's baani we slowly move towards some common ground, but even so allow those different rehit's but with fundamentals being 7 bania nitnem, 5 kakaar, 4 bujjar kurehitan etc.

manas ki jaat sabhai ekai pehaichanibo - we can't even do that in the panth.

bhullan andar sab ko, abhul guru kartar - so educate, but why try to force change when we will all be judged at the end by the greatest judge - who are we to judge.

jap ji sahib - second pauree - hukam.

karmi aapo aapni, ke nerai ke dhoor

it would be so much easier if all sikhs focused on mukhti and the fundamentals of naam jupana, vandh shakna, dassan nauhan di kirt.

'raj na chahaun, mukat na chahaun; mun preet charan kumlaare'

'raj karega khalsa'

the khalsa will rule - the pure and the free will rule > how do we become pure and how do we become truly free...