Chandigarh (August 2, 2014) – After receiving a jolt in Haryana with the formation of the HSGMC, the SGPC is facing rough weather at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board. The Board members hailing from Nanded are advocating more representation to the local Sikh leaders and curtailing the SGPC quota.

Talking to The Tribune on phone from Nanded, Board member Jarnail Singh said, “Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board has 17 members, of whom four are nominated by the SGPC. However, it has been noticed that their members neither attend the Board meetings nor are aware of the problems being faced by the pilgrims visiting the shrine. Their contribution in the shrine’s management is nil. On the contrary, they fuel internal bickering.”

Jarnail Singh said there were only three seats in Nanded from where the local Sikh leaders can contest, compared to four seats with the SGPC, “something that was unfair”.

According to him, the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board Act is very old and came into being even before Maharashtra was formed. “Things have changed a lot ever since. The Maharashtra Government has already set up a committee to suggest amendments in the Act. The panel had recently held a meeting with the members of the Sikh community in Nanded in which most of them suggested that more representation should be given to the local Sikh sangat, and that the SGPC quota should be curtailed,” he added.

However, another Board member Gurmeet Singh Mahajan differs with Jarnail Singh as he said they had no problem with the SGPC quota. Gurmeet, though, suggested that the SGPC should desist from nominating Sikh businessmen to the Board. “They should rather opt for the people who think about the society’s good and work for the community,” he said.

On the other hand, Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Management Board chairman Vijay Satbir Singh said they had so far not taken any decision to scrap the SGPC quota. He said he was also the member of the committee constituted to make amendment in the Act so that it was in sync with time. He said they were yet to submit a report, and that such decisions would not be taken in haste.