India News | Scuffle Breaks out Between HSGMC, SGPC Members at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin in Kurukshetra
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. A scuffle allegedly broke out between members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the adhoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin, a day after the latter took control of the shrine's management.
Kurukshetra (Haryana), Feb 20 (PTI) A scuffle allegedly broke out between members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the adhoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin, a day after the latter took control of the shrine's management.
The alleged incident took place inside the gurdwara when Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Tejinder Singh Dhillon and his companions tried to snatch a microphone from a member of the adhoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGMC) during 'ardas' (prayer).
Dhillon and his aides were protesting against the HSGMC taking control of the gurdwara management.
They were removed from the shrine by Sikh preacher Baljit Singh Daduwal's security personnel and taken to Krishna Gate police station by police present at the spot.
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HSGMC adhoc chief Baba Karamjit Singh said the 'sangat' was sitting during the prayer when Dhillon and his six companions created disturbance.
The HSGMC took control of the shrine's management on Sunday. It was earlier managed by the SGPC.
Last year, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014, under which a separate committee was formed to manage the affairs of gurdwaras in the state.
The SGPC and the Shiromani Akali Dal condemned the "forcible" taking over of the gurdwara's management control by the HSGMC.
SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami alleged that on Sunday, HSGMC office-bearers broke the locks of the 'golak' (offering box) at the gurdwara and the SGPC's Haryana Sikh Mission and locked those with their locks.
Dhami also accused the Haryana government of interfering in gurdwara management.
Under a "deliberate conspiracy", the Haryana government wants to occupy gurdwara sahibs in the state, he alleged.
"Under this intention of occupying gurdwaras, the office-bearers of government-nominated HSGMC (adhoc) entered the historical Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin in Kurukshetra and, in an arbitrary action, they broke the 'golak' using a cutter," he said.
He alleged that on Monday, when the 'Sikh sangat' of Haryana reached the gurdwara to protest, force was used against them.
"During this proceeding, the police personnel entered the premises of the gurdwara with their shoes and committed a gross violation of Sikh 'maryada'," Dhami claimed.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said it was shocking that the Haryana government "unleashed police force" against devotees and gurdwara management officials.
Badal announced that a Shiromani Akali Dal delegation, in consultation with the SGPC, would visit Kurukshetra on Tuesday and take stock of the situation.
The Shiromani Akali Dal will also launch a massive struggle to correct the injustice done to the Sikh community, he said.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)