KURUKSHETRA: A day after scuffle between supporters of ad-hoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), a panel of SGPC visited Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin in Kurukshetra on Tuesday.
The SGPC panel also met Kurukshetra superintendent of police (SP) Surender Singh Bhoria at his office, to demand release of 8 Sikhs detained on Monday by the district police.
A written complaint was also filed by Navjeet Singh Kohli, who was one among those detained, against HSGMC member Baljit Singh Daduwal, Gurmeet Singh Tirlokewala, Kawaljeet Singh Ajrana (husband of HSGMC executive member Ravinder Kaur Ajrana), and others.
In Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin, the SGPC panel including its senior vice president Baldev Singh Qaimpuri, junior vice president Avtar Singh Ria, general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal, and additional secretary Simarjit Singh Kang saw the places where on Sunday the office-bearers of HSGMC had broken the SGPC locks at golak (offering box), Haryana Sikh Mission office and other places.
Meanwhile, in the morning on Tuesday, Bharatiya Kisan Union Shaheed Bhagat Singh (BKU SBS) president Amarjit Singh Mohri of Ambala district, whose brother Harkesh Singh Mohri was also detained, gave a call to farmers and Sikh community of Haryana to gather at Pipli against "government highhandedness in taking possession of Gurdwaras and arrests of 8 Sikhs".
Amarjit Singh Mohri said, "RSS's thinking is being imposed on Gurdwara management in Haryana with the help of the state government. People like Daduwal, Mahant Karamjit Singh are extremely dangerous as they conspired with the government even during Kisan Andolan in an effort to break it. These are the Gurdwaras from where langar (food from Sikh community kitchen) was served to farmers during the Kisan Andolan with freedom, but the government now wants to control them so that they are not able to help farmers and people in a way they have done in the past."
Earlier a gathering was held at Gurdwara Mardon Sahib in Ambala, from where a group of Sikhs including Mohri and SGPC panel members proceeded together for Pipli in Kurukshetra. Some Sikhs and farmers had also gathered at Pipli and sat on the side of national highway (NH) 44 where the police force was also deputed. The SGPC panel with some Sikhs and BKU SBS president Mohri proceeded to the Gurdwara and SP office.
Eight Sikhs who were detained on Monday for allegeding interrupting HSGMC gathering, were released by Kurukshetra police on Tuesday included former SGPC member Gurdeep Singh Bhanokheri, Jarnail Singh president of Gurdwara Mardon Sahib, Akali leaders Harkesh Singh Morhi, Jagtar Singh Pola, Jatinder Singh Lucky, Navjeet Singh Kohli, Paramjit Singh Khaspur and Jodh Singh Fajailpur.
On the complaint of HSGMC ad-hoc joint secretary Mohanjit Singh, a case was registered against 16 Sikhs of Haryana, who had protested at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin against HGSMC gathering on Monday. The case has been registered under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (unlawful assembly), 149 (common object of unlawful assembly), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Krishna Gate police station on Monday.
Those booked in this case are Jarnail Singh, Ranjodh Singh, Gurdeep Singh Bhanokheri, Jatinder Pal Singh, Jagtar Singh Pola, Harkesh Singh Morhi, Navjeet Singh, Paramjit Singh, Jarnail Singh Baudi, Tejinder Pal Singh Ladwa (SGPC's Dharam Prachar Committee member), Mandeep Singh Mani, Master Mahender Singh, Tejinder Dhillon, Baldev Singh Qaimpuri (SGPC executive member), Balwinder Singh Chudiala, and Satwinder Singh Chawla of Yamunanagar.
HSGMC's joint secretary Mohanjit Singh stated to the police, "On Monday at about 2.30 pm, HSGMC was holding religious congregation inside Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin, Kurukshetra, a day after taking over the management in view of the Supreme Court's order in favour of HSGMC. The accused persons in connivance committed contempt of Supreme Court's order, attempted to kidnap, threatened to kill, forcibly snatched Chaur Sahib (whisk) and microphone, and hurt religious sentiments. They assaulted us and committed disrespect in violation of Sikh Maryada. Baldev Singh Qaimpuri is the mastermind of this entire incident."
Kurukshetra SP Surender Singh Bhoria said, "They (those detained) were released on personal bond but the investigation of the case is ongoing. Their (SGPC) delegation had come and gave assurance. These persons who are released today were booked in the case filed by HSGMC. A complaint has also been filed by the other (SGPC) side, and an enquiry has been marked into it."
In his written complaint to Kurukshetra Navjeet Singh Kohli alleged that Shiromani Akali Dal Haryana leader Kawaljeet Singh Ajrana, former HSGMC chief Baljit Singh Daduwal, HSGMC member Gurmeet Singh Tirlokewala and others attacked him when he went to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin on Monday.
"I had gone to pay obeisance at Gurdwara in Kurukshetra with my known persons. Ajrana, Daduwal, Tirlokewala and others were violating the Maryada (conduct), seeing which we could not tolerate and protested. The accused attacked us with sharp weapons, and I received injuries. Their videos are circulating on social media and take legal action against them", said Kohli.
SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said, "In violation of Maryada, locks of Gurdwara Sahib were broken with a cutter while the Gurbani Kirtan was ongoing. A devoted Sikh has been attacked. We visited Kurukshetra to ascertain the entire situation and we will submit a report to SGPC. Haryana Sikh Mission office at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin has also been locked which is property of SGPC. SGPC has such missions all across India. HSGMC did not make even a single communication before committing goondagardi (hooliganism) of taking possession of Gurdwara with the help of police force and Haryana government."
"Until the Gurdwaras of Haryana are de-notified from the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 by the Parliament of India, the management of SGPC cannot be taken over", said Grewal.
SGPC bank transactions seized
SGPC secretary Partap Singh said, "The Haryana government in its direct interference in Gurdwara management has instructed banks through its nominated HSGMC office-bearers, to stop transactions of SGPC's routine work. It has been apprised to us by the Gurdwara managements that it is made mandatory that the signatures of HSGMC (ad-hoc) office-bearers would be required before clearing any bank transactions or cheques. The Haryana administration is directly interfering in Gurdwara affairs using force without making any communication regarding taking over the management."
HSGMC ad-hoc general secretary Gurvinder Singh Dhamija said, "After the Supreme Court's order in the favour of HSGMC, we have followed the due procedure. Sighting the Supreme Court's order, as general secretary of HSGMC, I have issued letters to bank managers concerned that the managements of Haryana Gurdwaras are now with HSGMC. So, the SGPC has no business in Haryana, therefore, we cannot allow their bank transactions to follow as earlier."
