Harsimrat Kaur calls for centre's intervention in separate SGPC issue

Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday demanded the intervention of the Central Government over the Haryana Government's decision to form a separate Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for the state.

"The SGPC is an elected body by the Sikh community. It is a 'mini-parliament of the Sikhs, formed by the 1925 Gurdwara Act. All the subsequent governments have ensured that it stays as it is," said Harsimrat.

She alleged that the Haryana Government has legislated the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Bill, 2014 for petty political gains.

"This is an unconstitutional step taken by the Haryana Government, and I am shocked how a governor could sign on such a piece of paper," Harsimrat added.

On Wednesday, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal urged the Centre to stop the move of forming a separate SGPC.

"The Haryana Government's move is illegal and unconstitutional. It was a conspiracy of the Congress high command to divide the Sikh community," he told media after meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had announced to form a separate Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for Haryana.

Hooda made this announcement in accordance with the aspirations of Sikhs of his state, while attending a Sikh conference at Kaithal.

The Haryana government will present the bill for the same on July 11 in the assembly.