AMRITSAR, November 23 — The Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Sunday condemned the Centre’s proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill relating to Chandigarh’s governance, calling it a fresh assault on Punjab’s rights. The parties said they would coordinate a political and religious response against the move.
Akal Takht’s acting Jathedar, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, said the proposal had come at a deeply sensitive moment. “At a time when the Sikh community across the world is marking the 350th martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur — who gave his life for the Hindu community — the Centre should have restored the rights of the Panth and Punjab, but it has failed,” he stated.
Gargaj criticised the Bill as undermining Punjab’s historical claim over Chandigarh. “Punjab is not like a sugar candy but iron chickpeas, which cannot be chewed,” he said. He warned that introducing changes to Chandigarh’s status would be like committing another “daka” on Punjab’s rights. “They should not forget that Chandigarh was built after uprooting Punjab villages,” he noted, adding that the city stands as a shared cultural home for Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and other communities.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the organisation will oppose the Bill jointly with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has called a meeting of the party’s core committee at its Chandigarh headquarters to discuss what he described as a decisive response.
“This is another move by the BJP-led Centre to deprive Punjab of its powers,” Badal said, alleging that earlier decisions affecting BBMB and the SGPC have already weakened Punjab’s authority. He said the party will mobilise opposition in coordination with the SGPC.
