Hry Sikhs: Hold HSGMC polls before state elections

Ambala: A group of Haryana Sikh community members, led by Didar Singh Nalvi, former vice-president of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), has demanded from Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to hold HSGMC elections prior to state assembly elections. A memorandum has been signed and sent under the banner of Sikh Samaj Sanstha, in the name of Haryana CM.This Sikh group held its meeting at Gurdwara Panjokhra Sahib in Ambala district on Sunday.
It has been said that the tenure of the govt nominated house of HSGMC has expired on May 31, 2024, and the lapsed committee is still functioning and spending lakhs of rupees daily from the Guru’s golak (offering box), which is very much in knowledge of the present govt. They said the government should step in and immediately stop the “ghost committee” from spending money from Gurdwara funds. “It is also a fact that presently, there is no official body to run Gurdwara affairs, yet the old body is functioning without any extension, which is absolutely illegal”, said the memorandum. Sikh Samaj Sanstha said the Haryana Gurdwara Election Commissioner had completed its whole exercise of holding the HSGMC elections, and even had announced March 7 as the election date, but it had to be postponed due to Haryana school board exams and Parliamentary elections.
“Now it is the duty of the government to hold Gurdwara elections immediately,” they said. The Sikh group has prayed that Haryana Gurdwara elections may be held before Haryana municipal polls and state assembly elections. Nalvi added, “Holding the Gurdwara elections is the constitutional duty of the govt .”