Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief claims budget of Rs 104 crore passed

Amid deadlock in the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), panel chief Jagdish Singh Jhinda today claimed that the annual budget of over Rs 104 crore was passed at the General House meeting in Kurukshetra.

Due to internal rifts, the committee’s budget had been lying pending for the past several months. Earlier, a General House meeting to pass the budget was held in June last year. However, the meeting ended amid objections and with the formation of a sub-committee to prepare a fresh budget. Due to growing differences among committee members, the budget was not passed.

On Wednesday, a meeting was held at Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi, Kurukshetra. After the meeting, Jhinda said, “A budget of Rs 104.50 crore for the HSGMC has been passed today. The Sikh Sangat has high hopes from the committee. Since the budget was not passed earlier, the committee has been facing various issues in smooth running of its operations. Except giving salaries and meeting routine expenses, the committee has not been able to start any new project in gurdwaras and educational institutions under it.”

“The budget has been unanimously passed with a two-thirds majority (33 members). The committee will focus on Dharma Prachar, healthcare, education and also extend financial support to the needy. Some members tried to disrupt the meeting. They held a separate meeting. They also forced some members not to attend meeting. Still we had adequate members to pass the budget,” Jhinda claimed.

The committee members present at the meeting said, “The committee will focus on educational institutions and healthcare services. The panel will ensure smooth management of gurdwaras under the HSGMC.”

Meanwhile, dissenting members held a separate meeting at Gurdwara Nada Sahib, Panchkula, and claimed that the committee president had lost majority. They claimed that there were inadequate members at the meeting held at gurdwara in Kurukshetra.

HSGMC member Didar Singh Nalvi said, “There are 49 members in the committee, including nine co-opted members. To pass the budget, 33 members should be present at the meeting. Since 17 members, who are with us, did not the meeting, the quorum was incomplete. A budget cannot be passed in such a situation. As per our information, 28 members were present at the General House meeting. They have planned to get signatures of other members later to complete the quorum. This is not right. The HSGMC president hasn’t been able to get the budget passed legally. He should resign on moral grounds. A new executive body of the committee should be constituted to ensure smooth functioning of the HSGMC.”