No state govt has power to enact law on SGPC, says Sukhbir Singh Badal

Haryana government’s move to create a separate Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is an attack on the Constitution and an attempt by the Congress government in the state to meddle in religious affairs of Sikhs, says Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal. In an interview with tells ET , Badal lashes out at the Congress while evoking Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru on the contentious issue. Excerpts:
Why are you opposed to the idea of a separate SGPC in other states?

No state government has the jurisdiction to legislate in the state assembly after the territorial jurisdiction as defined in the Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925, regarding the functioning and operations of the constitutionally recognised body SGPC in those areas in which it has been functioning since preindependence till date, without making a reference to the central government.

The intention of successive governments has been to protect and preserve the unity of Sikhs under one common umbrella, SGPC, which is in consonance with the freedom enjoined to every religious denomination under Article 26 of the Constitution of India.

Tara Singh-Nehru Pact refers to an understanding arrived at in 1959 between Master Tara Singh, the Akali leader and the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India, in order to remove certain misgivings of the Sikhs with regard to government interference in their religious affairs.

Is this controversy about identity politics? Sikh leaders from Punjab Congress do not share your opinion...

In 1920, Akali movement started to liberate Sikh gurdwaras so that places of worship of Sikhs could be protected and preserved, and rituals could be performed as per the Sikh religion. With the Alkali movement, SAD was also born in 1920. SAD is the second oldest political party after Indian national Congress. To liberate our gurdwaras, Sikhs courted mass arrests.

Over 65,000 persons courted arrest and about 400 Sikhs lost their lives during the course of long agitation seeking the enactment of Sikh Gurdwara Act. Under pressure, the British gave way and on January 19, 1922 a court official surrendered the bunch of keys, wrapped in a piece of red cloth, to Kharak Singh, president of SGPC. Even Mahatma Gandhi sent a wire saying, “First decisive battle of India won”

Finally, the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 was enacted to effectively bring places of worship under Sikh control.

At the time of reorganisation of the state of Punjab in 1966, special provisions were made in Section 72 for the continued functioning and operation of board (SGPC) in those areas in respect to which it was functioning immediately before that day.

Why do you think Haryana Congress is meddling with religious affairs of Sikhs?

Haryana Government is trying to gain control of Sikh Gurdwaras through the Haryana Sikhs Gurdwara (management) Bill 2014 – which is in fact is a money bill, in which they have declared that all employees of Gurdwaras will be government employees – and is directly interfering in the religious affairs of Sikhs and blatantly violating Nehru-Tara Singh pact.

The Attorney General of India has called the Bill unconstitutional...

Hooda government must not forget that in 1922 Britishers had to surrender before the Sikhs and gave keys to SGPC. If you wish to take control of our Gurdwars through a money bill, Sikhs will go all out against you and will not forgive you for this mistake....We have urged the central government to bring a resolution condemning this act committed by the Congress party in Haryana state assembly and I also urge upon the central government to make suitable amendments in Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925 so that no one can meddle in the affairs of Sikhs.

What is the course ahead?

Sikh leaders are meeting on July 27 at Darbar Sahib. Congress party has been propagating the policy of dividing the Sikh community.

When they failed to divide them on communal lines because of a strong SGPC and SAD, they are now trying to divide Sikhs in states where they are ruling.