JOIN USHundreds of Shiromani Akali Dal party workers on Saturday held a demonstration outside the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi opposing direct elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
The protesters led by former Union minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia alleged that Delhi government led by Sheila Dikshit was interfering in the religious affairs of Sikhs which should be stopped.
Raising slogans against Dikshit and Sonia Gandhi, the protesters demanded that there should be no changes in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act and elections to the DSGPC should be held the way they have always been held.
Ramoowalia told that more than 1,500 party workers were detained by the police.
“Delhi chief minister in her attempt to undo the blow from the Supreme Court’s directions to conduct elections before December 31, has suo moto proposed an amendment to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act for direct election by the Sikhs on the post of DSGPC president. It is a blatant act of interference and partiality by a Congress chief minister in the religious affairs of Sikhs,” said Ramoowalia.
He sought immediate reining in chief minister by Sonia Gandhi.
He also alleged that Dikshit’s actions related to Sikh affairs will not be tolerated by the SAD and party will launch an agitation to stop her dictatorial ways.
“No Sikh organisation such as Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sri Akal Takhat Sahib ji, Takhat Sri Patna Sahib ji, Takhat Sri Hazoor Sahib Ji, Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib ji and others from any part of the world could have ever demanded direct election to Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee’s president post,” said Ramoowalia.
“If there is no example, then why is the the chief minister doing it. Her action smacks of bad designs,” he said.