Solanki to be sworn in as Haryana governor Sunday

Former college professor and BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh Kaptan Singh Solanki will be sworn in as Haryana governor Sunday, officials said here Saturday.

Solanki, 75, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, replaces Jagannath Pahadia whose five year term ended Saturday.

The governor-designate will have to straight away deal with a controversy over the enactment of a law in Haryana for the creation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC) to manage gurdwaras (Sikh shrines) in the state.

Outgoing governor Pahadia had given his assent to the controversial bill, passed by the Haryana assembly June 11, despite stiff opposition from the ruling Akali Dal in neighbouring Punjab and the Amritsar-based Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

Solanki told media in New Delhi that he will go through the record of the entire issue before taking a decision in the matter.

"I have not taken over as governor. I will see the records before taking a decision," he said.

The Akali Dal and the SGPC are demanding that the governor withdraw the assent to the HSGPC bill.

The bill was introduced by the Congress government in Haryana ahead of the assembly polls in the state to be held October this year.

With the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government going ahead with its move for a separate committee for Haryana gurdwaras by announcing a 41-member ad hoc HSGPC, the new governor will have to explore constitutional options over the issue.

The SGPC will lose control over 72 gurdwaras in the state with the creation of the HSGPC.