Punjab : The Sehajdhari Sikhs in Haryana have been ditched by both the Congress and Akalis during the formation of Separate Haryana Gurdwara panel HSGMC in Haryana stated Dr.Paramjeet Singh Ranu National President of Sehajdhari Sikh Party. He said the Huda Govt. had changed the definition of ‘Sikh’ in the HSGM Act 2014 and have divided the Sikh Minority into a further sub-minority and removed the majority of Sikhs from their religion as according to the Act only ‘Keshadharis’ have been taken into the definition of Sikh whereas more than 80 percent of the Sikh population in Haryana is of the ‘non-keshdharis’ born in Sikh families. The Congress and the Akali Dal Badal both have been opposing the voting rights of the Sehajdhari Sikhs in Gurdwara Elections in Haryana and Punjab as in Haryana also the Sehajdharis have not been given the right to vote in Gurdwara elections.
Dr.Ranu stated that Sikh religion is already a minority and dividing the minority into a sub minority has exposed the real non secular face of the Hooda Govt. in Haryana. Even the then Haryana Governor has taken a cognizable note of the objections raised by the Sehajdhari Sikhs during the formation of HSGMC Act 2014 and has sent his recommendations to the Govt. to rectify their fault but no action has been taken by the Govt. till now. Divide and rule was the policy of the British but dividing the minorities for vested interests to gain political powers is a bad signal for a secular country. The BJP should also understand the hidden agenda of the SAD and must not take any action to amend the Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925 on the recommendations of the Akalis and should come forward to safe guard the minority.
Shri Guru Granth Sahib is the most prestigious religious Holly scribe in the world but our Sikh leaders have failed to spread its mission of love and peace. Dr. Ranu appealed the Sehajdhari Sikhs of Haryana not to vote for the SAD Badal or Congress in their religious interest of the State. He clarified that his party has appreciated the move of separate Gurdwara Panel for Haryana Sikhs but has been strongly opposing the move of the Hooda Govt. for diluting the religion by changing the parent definition of ‘Sikh’ which has created a wedge amongst the community. Now non-keshdharis born in Sikh families are legally left without any religion and virtually they are not Hindus and do not belong to any other religion but legally they cannot claim to be Sikhs. It’s a big crisis which will create big hurdles in the society in the near future. More than 80 % of the Sikh population is significantly of these Sehajdharis (non-keshdhari) Sikhs in Haryana and if they go indifferent to Congress then the formula of favouring handful of Keshdhari Sikhs by the Huda Govt. may not turn as a throat bone for the Huda Govt and the dreams of third term may get ruined.