Govt won't interfere in religious affairs of Sikhs: Anil Vij on Haryana Gurdwara elections

Emphasising on earliest elections of Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governmnet does not intend to do politics over the religious affairs of Sikhs.

Emphasising on earliest elections of Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governmnet does not intend to do politics over the religious affairs of Sikhs. During the discussion regarding the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Amendment Bill, 2022 in the state Assembly, Vij said, "Our government does not want to interfere in the religious management of Sikhs. Our intention is not to do politics on the issue of Sikhs. But we want the election process to start at the earliest and the elected representatives should form their Adhoc Committee at the earliest. Among the elected representatives, only one person will be made patron."

The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Amendment Bill, 2022 was passed in the Winter session of the state legislative assembly. The Haryana Home Minister said that on July 14, 2014, the Congress government had brought this act but it lacked various aspects including the matter of elections.

Vij said the BJP government appointed Justice HS Bhalla as Commissioner to take further action regarding the Gurudwara management committee elections. "The Opposition is questioning the appointment of Justice Bhalla while he has been deputed to conduct the elections at the earliest," he said.

He said that elections will be held and the opposition should trust the people. Referring to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vij said, "The RSS teaches nationalism, love and equality and we keep only active people in the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. I have full faith that the Sikh society will elect only those people who fulfil the conditions."

The Minister said all the 41 members nominated by the government will elect their president, senior vice president, junior vice president, general secretary, joint secretary and six executive board members of the committee. "The first meeting shall be convened and presided over by an officer appointed by the government. After the formation of the new Executive Committee, the Ad-hoc Committee and the Executive Board will cease to exist. After the newly elected Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee assumes charge, the ad-hoc committee will hand over the charge to the newly elected committee. All the 41 members nominated by the government shall elect its President, senior vice president, junior vice president, general secretary, joint secretary and six members who shall be the first members of the Executive Board of the Committee," Vij said the Assembly.

The meeting will be organised and presided over by the officer appointed by the administration. After the formation of the new committee, the ad-hoc committee and the executive board will cease to exist. Provided that if the election under section 11 is not held within a period of 18 months, a new ad-hoc committee shall be nominated by the government for a period of 18 months or until the election is held, whichever is earlier, the minister said. (ANI)

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