Ban Removed On Sehajdharis Voting In Sgpc Polls

[Singh, Mahan]

Source:

http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?733307

Ban Removed on Sehajdharis Voting in SGPC Polls

PTI | Chandigarh | Sep 01, 2011

The Centre today informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it has withdrawn a 2003 notification preventing 'Sehajdhari' or non-baptised Sikhs from voting in the SGPC elections.

The Centre told the bench, comprising justices M M Kumar, Alok Singh and Gurdev Singh, that the October 8, 2003, notification was issued "without application of mind" and that its withdrawal now enables Sehajdhari Sikhs to vote in the September 18 polls.

The government's reply came on a seven-year old plea filed by the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation challenging the notification.

With today's development, the voters' list for the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee general house elections will be re-drafted, if Gurdwara Elections Commission allows the non-baptised Sikhs to participate in the polls. The process could delay the elections.

The GEC secretary, Avtar Singh Narula, said the commission will react to the development after it receives a a copy of the reply.

Appearing for Union of India, advocate Harbhagwan Singh told the notification was issued "without any application of mind only on the basis of the resolution passed by the SGPC on March 3, 2002."

Taking note of the assertions, the court said: "In view of the statement by senior advocate Harbhagwan Singh, the reference made to the full Bench is rendered infructuous and is disposed of as such."

The petition was filed by the president of Sehajdhari Sikh Federation, Paramjeet Singh Ranu, who welcomed the notification's withdrawal and appealed to the SGPC to treat them at par with other Sikhs and allow them to participate in the polls.

However, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar told reporters at Ludhiana that he condemns the withdrawal of the notification issued by the NDA government as the Sehajdhari Sikhs did not conform to the definition of true Sikhs.

Makkar said the UPA government's action was a "direct interference in the religious affairs of the Sikhs by the Congress, which could not be tolerated."

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who heads SAD, also lashed out at the Centre and said his party is "heading for a clean sweep on all 170 odd (SGPC) seats in the forthcoming poll, and the Centre's move comes in the wake of its utter frustration over its inability to take illegal and illegitimate control over Sikh religious affairs."

Describing the Centre's move as "dangerous", he said, "I am shocked at the insensitivity of the central leaders and of the Congress High Command toward the Sikh sentiments."

A former Congress leader Bir Devinder Singh said in a statement: "It is appalling to learn about the despicable act of the Government of India. There seem to be no tangible reason to withdraw such an important notification, particularly at a time when SGPC elections are already at advanced stage... It has proven beyond doubt that the central government has no respect for the sentiments of the Sikh community."

[JasSinghKhalsa]

A simple reason why Khalistan is must - Now Sikhs can't even hold their own SGPC Elections independently.

Article from Ajmer Veer Jee - just found in my news feed - http://indiansikhsbetrayedagain.blogspot.com/

[KhalistaniGunMan]

OHH NO!!!....NOW MANMUKH MONEH PUNJABIS CAN VOTE SGPC ELECTIONS.......KHALISTAN IS A MUST !!!

[JasSinghKhalsa]

No wonder this is a political move by Congress-I to woo its majority Hindu voter bank after its recent defeat by the RSS/BJP plotted Anna Hazare, history looking to be repeating itself as to what happened post 1978 Emergency with Sikhs (Congress-I did all to woo back majority Hindu vote bank and distract the common man from core agenda's to creating and exploiting Sikh-Hindu faultline (which didn't even existed), Within days, Indira who was responsible for atrocities during 1978 Emergency was honoured as Durga's Avatar. Another faultline being created by Congress-I today which does not even exists to distract common man's attention from core issues.

Looking like next round of Sikh Genocide in on the way by Indian govt.

[S1ngh]

This is absolutely the worst news i have ever read !!!

Sarna and his congressi goons were bound to loose big time in upcoming election and this is why delhi now interfering with our religious institutions.

First deny of Anand Karaj Act and now sehajdhari case...

[genie]

Sahejdhari Sikhs make up approx 85% of the Sikh population worldwide. Banning them is banning the majority total madness and pendu mentality. Good thing they reversed the decision, enemies of Sikhs want to see Sikhism lose adherents and this ban was a good way to make people think they are second class citizens in their own faith.

Badal, Tohra, Master Tara Singh, KPS gill were/are keshdari Sikhs, as were various punjab police, criminal members of black cat commando terrorist units.

You dont need a pagh and dhari to have loyality to Sikhi and SGGS Ji. As long as you fight for the Sikh cause and bow to no government but and work towards the sarkar of the Khalsa thats all that matters.

[sunny_love_kirtan]

[S1ngh]

Genie, do u exactly know the definition of sehajdari Sikh ? Maybe lookup for the characteristic of this type of Sikh as mentioned in gurdwaras act 1925..

I have many friends and a brother who belong to monay category but they do know their weakness and certainly aware of their limits. Its total messed up when Ppl who are monay and they say that they have full right to have their say in Sikh religious matter or posts such as SGPC member(s).

[Singh, Mahan]

Sahejdhari Sikhs make up approx 85% of the Sikh population worldwide. Banning them is banning the majority total madness and pendu mentality. Good thing they reversed the decision, enemies of Sikhs want to see Sikhism lose adherents and this ban was a good way to make people think they are second class citizens in their own faith.

Badal, Tohra, Master Tara Singh, KPS gill were/are keshdari Sikhs, as were various punjab police, criminal members of black cat commando terrorist units.

You dont need a pagh and dhari to have loyality to Sikhi and SGGS Ji. As long as you fight for the Sikh cause and bow to no government but and work towards the sarkar of the Khalsa thats all that matters.

The implications of this are much more than including the “ monaiy “ Sikhs. Now, by the official definition of so called "Sehajdhari" Sikhs, the door is wide open to any one of close to one billion non -Sikhs of India for the control of the core institutions of Sikhism. Just think there are only about 20 millions of Sikhs in India as compared to about 900 millions of non Sikhs. If they want, any one of those 900 millions can qualify to vote for the control of the Sikh institutions – all he/she has to say is that he/she is on his way to become a Sikh sometime in future. . It is not merely a case of Keshdhari and non-keshdhari Sikhs.

.

[S1ngh]

No changes in election norms for SGPC, government clarifies

IANS

The central government Friday clarified that no changes had been made in the norms of elections to the Sikh religious body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and that the exercise would be held according to schedule on Sep 18.

The clarification came a day after a central government counsel told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that a 2003 notification preventing Sehajdhari or non-baptised Sikhs from voting in the SGPC elections had been withdrawn. The court was hearing pleas seeking voting rights to Sehajdhari or non-baptised Sikhs in the SGPC elections.

The issue was taken up in the Rajya Sabha by the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as soon as the house met at 11 a.m.

Reading a statement on behalf of Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government had not withdrawn the notification.

Bansal said no one had briefed the advocate, Harbhagwan Singh. In particular, he had no authority to make the statement that the notification would be withdrawn.

Government also wishes to make it clear that there is no proposal to resend or withdraw the notification dated Oct 8, 2003. Elections to the SGPC will be held as per schedule. Government will also bring the above facts to the notice of the high court today, he said.

Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said the counsel's statement had created tension in Punjab.

In the last 24 hours, huge tension has been created. Impression is that government is interfering in a religious institution... is the government planning to proceed and take action, Jaitley asked.

After Jaitley's statement, Chidambaram got up to say that he would ask the senior counsel why he made such statement.

I will call the senior counsel and ask him under what circumstances he made the statement. At this stage, I submit we need not attribute any motive to any one. Let us find out what has happened,? Chidambaram said.

We are facilitating holding of election of the SGPC and I have been in constant touch with the government of Punjab. The schedule was laid down in consultation with the Election Commission.

This election will take place according to schedule, no one needs to have any apprehension on that, he added.

On Thursday, the SGPC and other Sikh bodies had alleged a "conspiracy" against the community and slammed the government's "attempt to interfere" in their affairs.

The SGPC, an elected religious body of Sikhs for control and management of the gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, has an annual budget of Rs.400 crore.

The notification barring non-baptised Sikhs from voting was passed Oct 8, 2003 during the National Democratic Alliance regime following a resolution adopted by the SGPC on March 30, 2002.

Around 60 lakh Sikh voters have registered for the SGPC polls, scheduled for Sep 18.