Amendment to Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act opposed

Shiromani Akali Dal on Tuesday strongly opposed the Sheila Dikshit government’s decision to amend the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act and warned the Congress against playing with the sentiments of the community.

The party also opposed the proposal of holding direct election for the post of President, Delhi Gurdwara Management Sikh Committee, terming it anti-democratic exercise to scuttle the elections that were to be held before December 31 as per a court directive.

The ruling party in Punjab also accused the Congress of interfering in the religious affairs of Sikhs and warned against playing with the sentiments of the community.

‘Backdoor exercise’

In a statement here, SAD president and Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “This backdoor exercise by the Congress indicates the fact that they are sure that Sarna brothers will be wiped out from the DGMSC elections and Congress wants to keep them in illegal occupation of gurdwara body by tweaking the law.”

He said Shiromani Akali Dal had been pleading the Union home ministry to hold DGMSC elections.

Badal alleged that there was total mismanagement in religious as well as financial affairs of gurudwaras in Delhi.

Opposing the proposed amendment in the Act providing for direct election to the DGMSC president post, Badal said that in every democratic institution right from panchayat to Lok Sabha the leader is elected by the majority faction and DGMSC could not be an exception to this norm.

He said this amendment was against the democratic spirit of the Constitution and Congress government in Delhi would not be allowed to carry out its designs in the Sikh religious body.