Hooda favours separate SGPC for Haryana

Chandigarh, Mar 15 (UNI) Favouring the proposal for a separate Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for Haryana, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today assured the Assembly that the government would go by the feelings of the Sikh community in the state.

''I personally want a separate SGPC for Haryana and we will go by the feelings of the Sikhs in the state,'' he said while speaking on a non-official resolution on the matter moved by Congress member Nirmal Singh. The Opposition INLD abstained the discussion on the issue.

Mr Hooda said the government was awaiting the report of the Chatha Committee, which went into the demand for a separate SGPC for Haryana, and would implement it at the earliest.

Agriculture Minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha, who heads the Committee, had stated on several occasions in the past that an overwhelming majority of the affidavits the panel had received were in favour of a separate management committee for the state gurdwaras.

Mr Hooda told the assembly that the Congress had included formation of separate SGPC in its manifesto during 2005 assembly elections following the request of leaders of the Sikh community in the state.

Taking a dig on the INLD, he said those who had abstained such a significant discussion could not be expected to work for the interests of Haryana.

All the members who took part in the discussion, including BJP MLAs, favoured formation of a separate SGPC for the state.

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