The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today condemned the Ek Nath Shinde government of Maharashtra for reconstituting the Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abhchal Nagar Sahib Act 1956 to the detriment of the Sikh community.
In a statement here, senior SAD leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said the move amounted to direct interference into Sikh religious affairs and demanded it be revoked immediately.
Dr Daljit Cheema said the State government had paved athe way to directly nominate 12 out of total 17 members of the Board. He said the number of members sent by SGPC had been reduced from 4 to 2 even as the nomination of Chief Khalsa Diwan and Hazuri Sachkhand Diwan had been abolished. “Similarly the two Sikh MPs who used to be members of the Board have also been denied this right in the new amendment”.
Dr Cheema said it appeared the Eknath Shinde government wanted to take over control of the Gurdwara Board arbitrarily which would never be tolerated by the Sikh Sangat.