Chief Minister urges Sikhs to maintain peace in Haryana

CHANDIGARH - With a section of Sikh leadership in Haryana adamant on taking control of gurdwaras in the state from the Amritsar-based Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda Saturday appealed to the Sikh leadership to cooperate in maintaining law and order in the state.

Hooda said: “The interests of Sikhs in Haryana would be fully safeguarded. As far as the issue of constituting a separate parbandhak committee for gurdwaras in Haryana is concerned, the government has already received the report of the Chatha Committee. The government is examining the legal aspects of the report.”

Sikh leaders in Haryana, led by Haryana’s adhoc SGPC head Jagdish Singh Jhinda, are seeking a separate SGPC for Haryana’s gurdwaras saying that the Amritsar-based SGPC is neglecting Sikh shrines in Haryana.

Jhinda had set Sep 15 deadline for the Haryana government to announce the SGPC for the state and had threatened to forcibly take control of prominent gurdwaras in Haryana.

He, along with 45 people, was arrested by the Haryana police which have stepped up security around all the prominent gurdwaras in Haryana.

Hooda appealed to the Haryana adhoc SGPC leaders to cooperate in maintaining law and order in the state.