Explainer: Only months after electing chief, Sikh gurdwara panel battles infighting

It took over three decades of relentless struggle, legal battles, and community mobilisation for the Sikhs in Haryana for a separate elected body — the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), but less than two months after the election of its president and formation of its new office-bearers, the community members find the body in crisis. An internal rift has erupted after the allegations of financial mismanagement were levelled in the previous budget.When did the struggle for a separate Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee in Haryana begin?The demand for a separate committee to manage gurdwaras in Haryana began in the late 1990s, when the community members sought autonomy from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which managed the Sikh shrines across the state. The issue gained momentum during the 2005 Haryana Assembly elections, with the Congress promising to fulfil this aspiration. The breakthrough came on July 14, 2014, when Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government passed the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Act and formed an ad-hoc 41-member committee led by Jagdish Singh Jhinda. However, the law faced legal challenges. In 2020, Jathedar Baljeet Singh Daduwal became president. In 2022, the Supreme Court upheld the Act’s constitutional validity, paving the way for the BJP government to appoint another ad-hoc committee. Karamjeet Singh of Yamunanagar was elected as president. Subsequently, Bhupinder Singh Assandh replaced Karamjeet as president. Over a three-decade long movement saw legal, political, and community struggles before elections were finally held on January 19, 2025.What was the result of the first direct election of the HSGMC?Community members participated enthusiastically in the first-ever direct election and elected 40 members comprising 22 independents, nine from Jhinda’s Panthak Dal, six from Haryana Sikh Panthak Dal and three from Didar Singh Nalvi’s Sikh Samaj Sanstha. After the election, some Independents formed Akal Panthak Morcha and allied with six members Sikh Panthak Dal, but later some of the members left the group and backed another group. Meanwhile, the House had co-opted nine additional members and took the number of members to 49. Meanwhile, the General House had elected Jhinda as president.What sparked the current crisis within the HSGMC?On June 23 during a meeting at the HSGMC headquarters in Kurukshetra, when the budget of Rs 104 crore of 2024-25 was presented in the House chaired by Jhinda, some of the members raised questions over the expenditure on different heads. At the time of the budget, Bhupinder Singh Assandh was the HSGMC president, and Jathedar Daduwal chaired the Dharam Prachar Committee. The members also alleged that there was no clarity on the expenditures, after which the General House led by president Jagdish Singh Jhinda constituted a seven-member committee to examine the budget of the previous year and present a report in one month. Jhinda has already accused past presidents Assandh and Jathedar Daduwal of financial irregularities of reported Rs 3.75 crore which was spent on aiding rural gurdwaras despite a sanctioned budget of just Rs 21 lakh during the previous budget.How have Daduwal and Assandh responded?Amid the audit of the previous budget by a seven-member committee, both the former presidents Daduwal and Assandh called Jhinda’s claims “baseless” and “politically motivated,” even questioning his mental fitness. They have demanded a complete probe of the income and expenditures of the HSGMC since its inception in 2014. They also demanded dope tests of members of the House, investigation into misuse of donations on the June 26 event and demanded resignation of Jhinda if allegations not proved. Previously, Jhinda remained the president of the HSGMC from 2014 to 2024. Later Daduwal, Karamjeet Singh and Assandh had served as presidents. Both former presidents also demanded a dope test of the members of the House.Why has Jhinda dissolved all sub-committees?Jhinda dissolved all HSGMC sub-committees and cancelled the appointment of chairpersons of various wings such as Dharma Prachar, IT, education, purchase, and agriculture, citing procedural irregularities. Some members have already questioned the legality of the appointments, claiming it was beyond Jhinda’s jurisdiction and that such decisions should have been executed by the secretary. To avoid escalating conflict and potential legal action, Jhinda dissolved the committees. The new sub-committees will be formed soon as per the Act.What are the implications of this infighting?The ongoing threat is a threat for the smooth functioning of the HSGMC. It may weaken the committee and delay development and religious initiatives to be taken by the gurdwara management.

Explainer: Only months after electing chief, Sikh gurdwara panel battles infighting

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Explainer: Only months after electing chief, Sikh gurdwara panel battles infighting

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

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