The SGPC, known as Sikhs’ mini parliament, presented two memorandums to the President demanding release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners) and repealing Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Act, 2014.

Sikhs’ apex religious body, SGPC, has been seeking the release of Sikh prisoners who, it claims, continue to be in jails despite completion of their sentences. On the “Bandi Singhs”, the SGPC has been demanding the release of Sikh prisoners through democratic means for a long time, said SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, in the memorandum.

“...we feel that by not releasing the Sikh prisoners, they are being discriminated against and their human rights are being violated grossly in the world’s largest democracy,” he said.

“We demand from you to take cognizance of this important issue of release of Sikh prisoners and give necessary directions to the Government of India and concerned State Governments for their release,” Dhami wrote to the president.

SGPC apprised the President that the cause of ‘Bandi Singhs’ is an emotive issue. “They have been lodged in various jails of the country despite completion of their sentences…They had chosen this path of struggle following the 1984 Operation Blue Star by the then Congress regime,” said the SGOC chief.

Though the SGPC has a list of 21 prisoners, the President was submitted a list of nine who were behind the bars for the span between 17-32 years. The list included Gurdeep Singh Khaira, who served the maximum 32 years and Jagtar Singh Tara who served 17 years.

SGPC pointed out that the offices of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister never even bothered to spare time for an appointment to discuss the issue.

Notably, the SGPC has already been conducting a signature campaign since November last year to join the masses with the cause. Over 13 lakh forms, meant for seeking release of Bandi Singhs, have already been filled up, including over 18,000 from overseas. These signature forms too were also supposed to be submitted with the President of India, through the Governor of Punjab.

Another memorandum pertained to the setting up of a separate Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for management of affairs of gurdwaras in Haryana. SGPC drew the President’s attention about the ‘unconstitutional’ Haryana State Legislative Assembly of interfering into the jurisdiction of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925, by passing a state law to enact an adhoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC). 

SGPC stated that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, through Parliament of India, can make an amendment in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925. Under the patronage of the Haryana Government, the HSGMC has been making illegal occupation of the management of Haryana gurdwaras.

Urging the President to instruct the Government of India to repeal the HSGMC Act 2014, SGPC stated that the Haryana gurdwaras, which stood notified under the Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925, be returned to the SGPC.

Notably, the Supreme Court last year had upheld the constitutional validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014, under which a separate committee was formed to manage the affairs of gurdwaras in Haryana. Afterwards, the Haryana government nominated an ad-hoc gurdwara panel in December last year.

“In February 2022, using the police force and administration, the Haryana Government’s nominated gurdwara panel took illegal possession of the historical Gurdwara Sahibs in the state, which are still notified under the management of SGPC under Section 85 of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925…Nowhere, in its order, the Supreme Court gave liberty to the Haryana Government to forcibly take over the management of gurdwaras of the state under SGPC management,” read the memorandum.

“...we request you to intervene in this matter and instruct the Government of India to ensure that the managements of Gurdwara Sahibs of Haryana state which are still notified under the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, are returned to the SGPC besides repealing the HSGMC Act, 2014,” read the memorandum.