Jalandhar: Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) got its first-ever ‘BJP president’ after Manjinder Singh Sirsa withdrew his resignation as president with immediate effect on Friday, December 31, 2021, evening, citing “collapse of the administrative system of DSGMC”. Political parties in the state see this as a sinister design on the part of BJP to gain a foothold in the poll-bound state of Punjab.
Sirsa, who held the post of president for four years as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader, had resigned from DSGMC after he lost from Punjabi Bagh seat in DSGMC elections which were held in August last year. However, his party at that time, SAD, emerged victorious in the elections. Meanwhile, he joined the BJP on December 1, 2021, and also resigned from his post as DSGMC president.
Now, nearly a month after he put in his papers, Sirsa withdrew his own resignation, citing “technical” and “legal” issues a day before DSGMC’s meeting on January 1. Meanwhile, DSGMC’s new committee after elections in August last year is yet to be constituted.
Also read: Akali Leader Manjinder Sirsa Joins BJP Ahead of Punjab Polls
In his defence, however, Sirsa said he was withdrawing his resignation only to ensure that the administration of DSGMC and its work should not be affected.
“In view of the present situation and collapse of the administrative system of DSGMC, non-payment of salaries to staff of Guru Harkishan Public Schools for the last two months, non-payment of salary, Gurpurab salary (bonus) to DSGMC staff and scholarship for staff children and considering the onset of the third wave of corona pandemic in which it is important to gear up the Bala Sahib Hospital, it becomes important to tackle the situation,” Sirsa said in a statement he issued in the capacity of DSGMC president.
A two-time SAD MLA from Rajouri Garden assembly seat, Sirsa also stated that due to the inability to call the general house of DSGMC for the acceptance of the resignation as per law, he had decided to withdraw his resignation with immediate effect for the smooth functioning of DSGMC.
He concluded his statement by stating that he will continue to discharge his duties as president of DSGMC until the formation of the new management committee of DSGMC. Notably, Sirsa was recently given Z plus security by the BJP government.
Political reactions
The latest move by Sirsa to withdraw his resignation as president has raised eyebrows across the board, with political parties alleging that it was done at the behest of BJP, which is trying to gain a foothold in Punjab ahead of crucial polls early this year. BJP’s prospects in the state have been hit badly ever since farmers’ protests rocked Punjab.
Also read: Punjab: Will BJP’s Plan to Induct Sikh Leaders Negate the Impact of Farmers’ Protest?
Leading the charge, SAD has termed it as BJP’s attempt to take over control of DSGMC after calling it a “direct interference in religious affairs of Sikh community”.
Senior leaders of SAD Balwinder Singh Bhundur, professor Prem Singh Chandumajra and Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said, “It is clear that the latest move of Sirsa to withdraw his resignation as president of DSGMC has been done at the behest of the BJP. It is behind this brazen attempt to take over control of the religious body.”
Terming Sirsa’s move to become the president of DSGMC after he put in his papers and joined the BJP as “immoral”, they further said, “The ‘Sikh panth’ (religious followers) will not tolerate this at any cost. The move was also illegal and unconstitutional. Sirsa had resigned from the old committee which will itself cease once the new committee is formed. The constitution of the new committee to which elections were held a few months back is already delayed. Now instead of forming the new committee, Sirsa is being thrust on the DSGMC with the tacit support of the BJP.”
Manjinder Singh Sirsa with Union home minister Amit Shah. Photo: Twitter@mssirsa
They also added that such “unscrupulous tactics” would not help the BJP in any manner whatsoever. “In fact, the move will alienate the Sikh community from the party. BJP should stop all efforts to take over the management of DSGMC through proxies like Sirsa”, the SAD leaders added.
Chandigarh-based senior journalist and author Jagtar Singh said, “BJP is taking over DSGMC through Manjinder Singh Sirsa.”
Jagtar Singh added that Sirsa’s “co-option” was also rejected by the Delhi Gurdwara Commission. “Someone who cannot even write in Punjabi and who lost the recently-held DSGMC elections has again taken over the charge of the Sikh body, which raises questions”, he added.
Former DSGMC president Manjit Singh G.K. termed Sirsa as a “traitor” and said that it was Sirsa’s greed for power that he withdrew his resignation from the post of DSGMC president.
“As claimed by Sirsa, there is no technicality involved in his resignation. The DSGMC vice president Kulwant Singh Bath had already convened a meeting of the executive tomorrow, i.e. January 1, 2022, at 3 pm. Also, as per Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act 1971, the power of DGSMC should have gone to the vice president Kulwant Singh Bath, but when Sirsa realised that his power, fleet of cars and employees were gone, he withdrew his resignation,” he said.
On the allegations of the Sikh community that BJP is trying to meddle with the Sikh religious affairs, Manjit Singh G.K. said that BJP would not commit such a mistake at a time when elections were around the corner. “Rather BJP will pull him (Sirsa) up for such a decision,” he added.
However, another DSGMC member Harmeet Singh Kalka said that the ‘sangat’ (followers) was sceptical that the BJP was interfering with the Sikh religious affairs.
“There is no technicality involved in the DSGMC’s functioning. Sirsa is simply making a fool of the people by issuing such a statement. He is a BJP man. When he is neither an MLA nor an MP, why was he given Z plus security by the BJP?” he questioned.
Kalka emphasised, “No Sikh will ever tolerate BJP interfering with its religious affairs. The saffron party should make its stand clear on this issue. The DSGMC vice president Kulwant Singh Bath has called a meeting and we will take a call on this issue.”
Earlier, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had said that Sirsa joined BJP fearing arrest. “Sirsa had sent me a message on WhatsApp some days ago sharing an FIR registered against him, stating that he will be arrested. We are being attacked for supporting farmers’ protest and severing ties with the BJP,” Sukhbir Badal had said at a rally in Jalandhar.
The DSGMC situated at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, Delhi, is an autonomous organisation that manages Gurdwaras in Delhi state. DSGMC also runs various educational institutions, hospitals, old age homes and other charitable organisations in Delhi. DSGMC elections are held every four years.
