Sri Anandpur Sahib, April 14: Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj urged Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to ensure that the state refrains from interfering in gurdwara matters. The exchange took place on Sunday at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib in Sri Anandpur Sahib, where the CM had arrived to offer prayers on the occasion of Baisakhi.
“The government must not interfere in the religious affairs of the Sikh community,” said Giani Gargaj, who also serves as the jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. A spokesperson for the jathedar said Saini was honoured with a shawl, Sikh literature and a photograph of the Takht during his visit.
Raising long-standing concerns of Sikhs in Haryana, the jathedar said issues surrounding the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) must now be resolved in line with community sentiment. “Though Sikhs have not supported the idea of a separate gurdwara body apart from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), now that elections have taken place, the administration should be handed over in keeping with the wishes of the Sikh community,” he said.
Calling for the preservation of SGPC constituencies in Haryana, the jathedar noted, “The Sikh Gurdwaras Act of 1925 is still applicable, and these constituencies must be maintained.”
He also brought up cultural and educational concerns, urging the chief minister to promote Punjabi language education. “Punjabi should be taught from the early years in schools across Haryana,” he said.
He further asked the government to recruit staff in public offices who are proficient in Punjabi and to respect Sikh religious identity in competitive examinations. “Sikh candidates must not be required to remove their kakars during exams,” Giani Gargaj said.
