Interference in Sikh religious affairs by Maharashtra government

Chandigarh February 9 – Sukhbir Singh Badal, President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene urgently to halt the Maharashtra government  interference in Sikh religious matters.

Badal communicated this plea to the Prime Minister, emphasising the provocative amendment made by the Maharashtra government to the Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Huzoor Abchal Nagar Sahib Act 1956.

The current Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, led by Shri Ek Nath Shinde, passed this amendment through the state Legislative Assembly on February 4.

Badal highlighted that the recent amendment increased the number of government nominees from seven to twelve, while reducing the representation of SGPC-nominated members by 50% and completely removing representatives of the Chief Khalsa Diwan and the Huzoori Khalsa Diwan from the Board.

This, Badal stressed, left these historic Sikh bodies unrepresented in one of their holiest shrines.

He expressed concern over the resulting pain and alienation among devout and patriotic Sikh masses, who have historically defended the nation’s independence and unity.

Badal emphasized that Sikhs expect the government to recognize and respect their patriotic fervor.

Badal recalled that the Government of India had pledged to Sikhs after independence that they would not make any decisions regarding the management of Sikh shrines or religious affairs without the prior approval of a two-thirds majority of the SGPC’s general House.

Despite the change in government at the central and state levels, the interference in Sikh religious affairs continues, Badal lamented, urging the Prime Minister’s direct intervention to address this issue.