Mahant Karamjit Singh elected as president of Haryana gurdwara management body’s ‘ad hoc committee’

Notably, Mahant Karamjit Singh was among Sikh spiritual leaders who were hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi two days before the Punjab Assembly polls held in February this year.

The meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence was seen as an attempt by the BJP to reach out to the Sikh community, which was considered to be upset with the Centre over the now-repealed farm laws.

Meanwhile, in October this year, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar stated that as per the order of the Supreme Court, the election of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) will be held within 18 months and till then the ‘ad hoc committee’ will look after the functioning of the gurdwaras.

Khattar had stated: “In the elections, whosoever wins will get the command of the committee. There will be no interference from the government. After the completion of the election process, the ad hoc committee would hand over all its functions to the newly elected committee.”

The Supreme Court in September this year upheld the validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014. The verdict had cleared the way for the HSGMC to control all gurdwaras in the state. However, days after the apex court judgment, infighting broke out within the HSGMC.

Former HSGMC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda claimed that the committee appointed him as the president of the panel removing Baljit Singh Daduwal from the post. On the other hand, Daduwal insisted that he was the elected president of the HSGMC, adding that there was a set procedure to remove an elected office-bearer.