The issue of alleged “politicisation” of the Sikh’s mini parliament, Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), rocked the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Thursday. So much so, that a Congress’ senior legislator even declared to contest polls to the Sikh body.
With majority of legislators accusing the Badals-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) of taking control of the Sikh body and “deliberately delaying elections”, the House authorised the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to take up with the Centre the issue of expediting the process of holding SGPC elections.
The House, including the Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators, passed a resolution “authorising the Chief Minister to take up the issue with the Government of India” regarding appointing the Gurudwara Election Commissioner and holding the elections to elect SGPC’s new executive body at the earliest.
During the Zero Hour, Dakha MLA HS Phoolka raised the issue pointing that he had received a reply to his letter from the Prime Minister which stated that the term of the SGPC’s current house stands completed in December 2016, and the House should pass a resolution urging the Centre to hold elections and appoint gurudwara election commissioner soon.
Phoolka, who has resigned as AAP and had also submitted his resignation twice with the Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh, also requested the Chief Minister to meet the Union Home Minister to take up the matter.
Agreeing with Phoolka, Chief Minister said that the elections were not being held deliberately since past three years and it was the right of every body in Punjab to elect their representatives in the Sikh body.
On this, SAD MLA NK Sharma objected urging the Speaker to make it clear “whether Phoolka is still a member of the House...whether he has withdrawn his resignation”. Soon, AAP MLAs opposed Sharma’s assertion, coming out in open support of Phoolka.
Amidst hullabaloo, Capt Amarinder moved the resolution to authorise him to take up the matter with the Centre, which was passed by the House right away.
However, SAD MLA Bikram Majithia alleged that the House is facing a constitutional crisis as it was totally unclear “who is in AAP, and who is in rebel party...It seems it is Congress’ “B-team”. At the same time, he made it clear that SAD was “not opposed to elections, rather it welcomes any democratic process”.
Coming to Phoolka’s rescue, Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said that renowned advocate would go down in history for the service he had rendered for the Sikhs. “They were the ones who were talking about honouring him, and now they are upset because he has shaken their foundation,” said Sidhu.
With the SAD-BJP MLAs continued to raise slogans, Phoolka stressed that every Sikh wanted that the SGPC should be freed from the politics.
AAP MLA and the Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema said that the Akali Dal members were crying foul on the resolution for having early elections to the SGPC as they had grabbed the Sikh body for political gains.
Later, during a discussion on a resolution to formulate a law to check superstitious practices in the state, Cabinet Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu asserted that the SGPC has been “completely politicised” and has remained a puppet in few hands. He also accused the SGPC of not effectively performing its role of promoting Sikh masters’ teachings.
Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra also accused the SAD of taking control over the SGPC.
Congress MLA Harminder Singh Gill even declared that the party would surely contest the SGPC elections claiming that “we are better Sikh than you”.
Later, talking informally with mediapersons outside the House, the Chief Minister termed the delay in SGPC elections as “wrong and unfair” for the people of Punjab.
“There was unanimity in the House on the issue as the elections are over due by three years. Only the Akalis and BJP were not in favour,” he said.
