Baljeet Singh Daduwal, Jagdish Singh Jhinda squabble over Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee control

Parveen Arora

Karnal, September 25

Less than a week after the apex court upheld the constitutional validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Act, 2014, factionalism has come to the fore in the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC ad-hoc).

Nominated head by 33 members

I have been nominated president of the committee by 33 members out of 35. While 26 were present physically, the rest gave nod through video-conferencing. — Jagdish Singh Jhinda, HSGMC Ex-president

Six months of tenure left

I was elected by members for two and a half years and six months of my tenure are still left. It is a state body, which has even been approved by the apex court. Baljeet Singh Daduwal, HSGMC President

Its former president Jagdish Singh Jhinda has claimed that he was nominated president again by 33 out of the 35 members at a general house meeting held at Neem Sahib Gurdwara in Kaithal. However, incumbent president Baljeet Singh Daduwal declined his claims and said he was the president and six months of his tenure were pending.

“Earlier, the general house was of 41 members, which is now of 35 members after the death and resignation of six members. I have been appointed president of the committee by 33 members of the total 35. Of them, 26 were present physically at the meeting, while seven gave their consent through video-conferencing,” said Jhinda.

Jhinda also announced to shift the headquarters of the HSCGMC from Chatthi Patshahi Gurdwara and Nauvi Patshahi, Cheeka in Kaithal to Chhevin Patshahi Gurdwara in Kurukshetra. “All activities to manage gurdwaras across the state will run from Kurukshetra gurdwara,” said Jhinda.

Didar Singh Nalvi, who was also present at the meeting, said 33 members had nominated Jhinda as president.

Daduwal declined their claims and termed the meeting as illegal. “I respect all the members, but there is a procedure to call a meeting of the general house. There were 22 members at the meeting called by Jhinda, out of them five had already been expelled,” said Daduwal.

“I was elected by members for two and a half years and still six months of my tenure are pending. It’s a state body, which has even been approved by the apex court,” said Daduwal.

Sarbjit Singh Jammu, secretary, HSGMC, said as per the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Act, 2014, there was a procedure to remove any office-bearer, including the president. Sub-section 2 (C) of Article 17 of the Act says the president or any office-bearer might be removed by passing a resolution by two-thirds majority of the total members of the general house. No resolution for clause C would be moved unless it was supported by not less than 15 members of the committee and 15-day notice was required for moving the resolution.

“I have not received such a notice from any member of the present committee to call a meeting in Kaithal Neem Sahib Gurdwara,” he added. It was a 41-member house, but now it has 39 members.

No such general house meeting can be called outside the headquarters, which is at Cheeka, he said.