Taking a strong exception on the move of separate Committee in Haryana to take over the control of Gurdwaras in the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that any such move by the ‘modern day Mahants’ at the behest of Congress would not be tolerated at any cost.Interacting with the media persons after attending a function to mark the death anniversary of late Mr. Maan Singh Manhera here today, the Chief Minister reiterated his firm commitment to thwart the move of Congress government in Haryana to pide the Sikh brethren by constituting separate committee for management of Gurdwaras. He said that through this sinister move the Congress wants to weaken the supreme body of Sikhs, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), which was not at all acceptable. Mr. Badal said that the Congress party was dreaming to recapture power in Haryana by pursuing its age old policy of ‘pide and Rule’ but the wise Sikh voters of the state would not get swayed away by these tactics of Congress and they would definitely teach it a lesson for this heinous crime.
“The Sikh brethren of Haryana had already rejected the issue of separate committee by giving a humiliating defeat to its protagonists in the last SGPC elections and they will definitely repeat their mandate in ensuing assembly elections also” he added. The Chief Minister categorically said that the sole motive of the Shiromani Akal Dal was to upheld the sovereignty of SGPC, which had came into existence after countless sacrifices by the Sikhs, at any cost. Slamming the Congress party, he said that it was following the footsteps of the tyrannical British rulers to wrest the control of Gurdwaras through its agents. Mr. Badal said that the Congress has always hatched conspiracies to weaken the Sikh power besides irrelevantly meddling in their political, social, economic and even religious affairs.When asked about the statement of senior Congress leader Mr. Jagmeet Singh Brar regarding National Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister refused to comment on the issue while terming it as an internal matter of the Congress.
Commenting on the ongoing agitation by the ETT teachers, the Chief Minister said that the SAD government has always been a pro-employee government adding that the doors of the state government was open for all the employees and an amicable solution of their demands could be found through deliberations. Earlier paying rich tributes to Mr. Maan Singh Manhera, the Chief Minister recalled his services for upliftment of the poor, depressed and weaker sections of the society. He said that Mr. Manhera had played a pivotal role in raising the issues concerning this stratum of society at local, state or national level. Mr. Badal said that the outstanding services rendered by Mr. Manhera for the well-being of the poor and weaker sections would be ever remembered by one and all.Prominent amongst others who attended the function included Lok Sabha MP Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, former Minister Mr. Harnek Singh Gharuan, Managing Director Cooperative Bank Patiala Mr. Harinder Pal Singh and Mrs. Satveer Kaur.