Why can't Haryana have separate gurdwara panel, asks CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday asked when a separate gurdwara committee can formed for Patna Sahib and Delhi, then why the same cannot be done in Haryana.

Khattar made the statement in the wake of the Supreme Court upholding the validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act enacted by the state legislature to manage religious places of Sikhs effectively and permanently under the exclusive control of the Sikhs of Haryana.

The Act was enacted under the Congress rule when Bhupinder Singh Hooda was the chief minister of Haryana.

According to a statement, a delegation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and other Sikh bodies delegates called upon the chief minister here on Friday.

They hailed the Supreme Court order, the statement said.

The Supreme Court's verdict is a victory of Sikh bodies of Haryana, said Khattar while meeting the delegation.

The CM said the state government strongly defended the formation of a separate gurdwara managing committee for Haryana in the court.

When a separate Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee can be formed for Patna Sahib and Delhi, then why the same cannot be done in Haryana, he said.

Several gurdwaras in the state certainly have a special connection with many of our Sikh Gurus as they at some point of time had visited these historical gurdwaras, said Khattar.

The chief minister said he was quite hopeful that the entire Sikh Sangat will now work in the spirit of harmony and brotherhood and will do its best in the interest of society.

The delegation included Jagdish Jhinda, Bhupender Singh, Baba Sukhdev Singh, Baba Gurmeet Singh, Harpal Singh, Ranveer Singh, Harpreet Singh Narula, Jarnail Singh and Jagdev Singh Gaba.