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KURUKSHETRA, Haryana (KP)—After a long delay, Haryana Sikh political leaders, in the form of an eleven member committee, gathered to discuss terms with the SPGC and SAD. Members of the committee include SGPC members and defeated candidates in SGPC elections. Discussions were centered around the Haryana Sikhs' demand for greater autonomy to manage the Gurdwara Sahibs within the state of Haryana. According to some political leaders of Haryana, the reason for demanding greater autonomy was due to neglect by the SGPC.
According to them, the SPGC has failed to promote gurmat parchaar within the borders of Haryana. In addition, the SPGC has failed to reach out and work collectively with the non-Punjabi Sikhs that reside in Haryana. They have also stated that under section 72 of the Punjab re-organization Act of 1960, the formation of a separate SGPC in Haryana was required. Sikhs and Sikh organizations outside of Haryana have shown great support for a separate Gurdwara Committee in Haryana. However, the SGPC has stated that such a move by Haryana Sikhs will encourage states to demand more control of Gurdwaras within their borders which goes against the All India Gurdwara Act, which the SGPC supports.
Didar Singh Nalvi, General Secretary of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee, mentioned that a serious attempt to form a separate SGPC for Haryana first took place at a convention on September 7, 2008. During this time, the Sikhs from Haryana held a Sikh convention in Karnal in which about 30,000 Sikhs participated to demand a separate SGPC for Haryana. During this convention there was a general consensus in which all agreed that they would give the SPGC a one month deadline to accept their demand for separate SGPC for Haryana which would be called Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee.
During this convention, they determined not to accept anything less than autonomy. Their request was recognized by the governments of Haryana. Nalvi stated that the Congress government in Haryana mentioned that they would help the Sikhs set up an separate SGPC, however this promise has not been fulfilled. He also mentioned that after the convention in September, the SGPC responded passively by urging Haryana Sikhs to no longer force SGPC sevadars out of Haryana Gurdwaras. The SPGC also urged Haryana Sikhs to delay demands for autonomy until the Gurta Gaddi celebrations were over.
Daljit Singh Cheema, Prem Singh Chandumajra, General Secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal, and Badal, Chief Minister, had a private meeting with the HSGPC (Ad Hoc) president Jagdish Singh Jhinda and other committee members. During this meeting, Chandumajra expressed Badal's concerns in which he feared that conflicts in managing the GurGaddi celebrations would damage the image of the Sikhs and their leaders. Chandumajra also expressed the Akal Takhat Sahib advice for Haryana Sikhs to work with the SGPC to control the local Gurdwaras.
Out of concern for the reputation of the Panth, the Ad Hoc committee decided that the Haryana SGPC would allow the SPGC to manage Gur Gaddi celebrations on October 8th at Patshahi Gurdwara of Kurukshetra. Chandumajra stated that he appreciated that the Haryana SGPC leaders were willing to postpone doing seva of the Gurgaddi celebrations on October 8th. Chandumajra also mentioned that the Chief Minister stated that after the Gurgaddi celebrations ended a friendly discussion on a separate Prabhandak Committee can take place.
From the period of October 8th to November 1st, Badal, self-appointed to act on behalf of the Panth and the SGPC, avoided discussions with the HSGPC. Therefore the HSGPC, decided to declare November 1st as Black Day in protest of the SPGC (http://www.panthic.org/news/126/ARTICLE/4502/2008-11-07.html). After gaining recognition during this protest, Badal had no choice but to continue the talks.
Last week Nalvi said they were waiting for final a call from SAD(B) president Parkash Badal and SGPC president Avtar Makkar. Nalvi hopes that talks on the issue of giving autonomy to Haryana Sikhs will continue shortly. Nalvi mentioned that there were 72 gurdwaras in Haryana that are currently being managed under the SGPC in which Haryana Sikhs have little influence. He also mentioned that during preliminary talks with Badal and his representative, it was agreed that some autonomous representative body would be created to give more control to Haryana Sikhs in the management of these 72 Gurdawaras.
Nalvi said that they have also demanded that Haryana SGPC members should be given authority to manage the educational institutions opened in Haryana by the SGPC. He said that SGPC had started construction of the Miri Piri Medical College in Shahbad Markanda and it has formed a separate trust for it. The Haryana SGPC members have already challenged the formation of a trust in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The final decision on a separate Prabhandak Committee in the State of Haryana should be publicized during the general house session which is held in Amritsar on November 22.
Many claim that transferring power from the SPGC to the Haryana Sikhs could jeopardize Rehat Maryada in this region. For example, Haryana is a predominantly Hindu state which speaks predominantly Hindi. Thus making it easier for anti-Sikh forces to infiltrate within these 72 Gurdwaras that exist in Haryana. However, others have claimed that creating a separate Prabhandak Committee could be a positive step in creating Democracy within the Sikh body. Instead of putting the power in one body (SPGC), power is allocated and organized democratically. If a problem exists within the Panth, then respected Prabhandak Committees gather together to make a decision for the betterment of the Khalsa Panth. Many HSGPC advocates claim that the Delhi Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee have had no problems in establishing strict Rehat within a Hindu dominated state.
According to many Sikhs, Gurdwaras are meant to spread Gurmat/Rehat and to preserve Sikh heritage. Gurdwara reform within India is critical. It is more important to preserve historical facts than to put up modern fancy buildings. In the past, some of the most sacred historical Gurdwaras have been demolished. For example, old homes of Guru Amar Das Ji and Guru Ram Das Ji, which stood in Amritsar until a few years ago, were destroyed and replaced with new Gurdwaras. Similarly, Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup at Sirhind where the Sahibzadey were cremated, and Shahid Ganj near Mani Sahib Hall in Amritsar, the cremation site of Sikh martyrs who fought against Ahmed Shah Abdali were replaced. Also, the peeling, faded frescoes at Baba Atal Gurudwara in Amritsar and at Baba Bakala in Gurdaspur were removed and replaced by common tiles. Furthermore, dozens of historical Gurdwaras in Sri Anandpur Sahib were demolished. The 500-year-old house of Bibi Nanki in Sultanpur Lodi was demolished in 2003 on the advice of "Baba" Jagtar Singh. Now a modern white marble building stands in its place. In the past, the SPGC has been easily persuaded by such "Babas" to convert Historical Gurdwaras.
For more information on the state of Haryana refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haryana
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