Gurdwara Lakhnaur Sahib, Ambala, one of the many historic Gurdwara Sahibs in Haryana

Sri Ganganagar, Haryana (KP) – A separate Gurdwara Management Committee has been a priority for local Sikhs for some time now.  While local authorities have been trying to raise talks with the SGPC for a mutually acceptable but independent body to be formed, the community is adamantly continuing with peaceful campaigns until its demand is met.

Local Sikhs claim that the SGPC is not fulfilling its duty of managing the Haryana based Gurdwaras and propagating the values of the Sikh religion in Haryana.  Alongside, Parkash Badal and other politicians have also been accused of interfering in Sikh religious affairs in Harayana.  
 

 In a meeting held recently with local Sikh authorities, the Haryana Congress President Phool Chand Mullana assured them that this subject will be presented during the approaching meeting of the Haryana Assembly.  Sikh leaders in Haryana have accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (B) for needlessly interfering in the matters of the Haryana based Sikh community.  It is likely this issue will also be addressed during the assembly. 

The question that arises is while Pakistan, Delhi, and Bangladesh have their own committees to run historical Gurdwaras, why can’t Haryana?  The formation of a separate Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is likely to increase parchar of the Sikh religion. It has always been a worry for the SGPC authorities that by granting independence to Sikhs in Haryana to form separate committee will lead to increased Governmental control over the Sikh shrines. 

The Sikh community based in Haryana is now looking at political parties for help in achieving their aims.  The Congress Party in Haryana is already set to meet the demands of the Sikh Community by granting the Sikh Gurdwara Committee there a full authoritative command over the Haryana Gurdwaras.  The Sikh community was assured previously by the president of the Haryana Congress, Phool Chand Mullana, and the political advisor of chief minister B.S. Hooda along the MLA Davender Bansal of Ambala state that the demand of the formation of the separate Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee of Haryana will be met.