Chandigarh:
Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon on Friday claimed that the Maharashtra government has decided to constitute a committee for wider consultations with religious bodies, Sikh scholars and other stakeholders before introducing the proposed law on Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Board in the Maharashtra Assembly.
His remarks came as Punjab leaders, including former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Akali Dal Waris Punjab De leader Manpreet Singh Ayali, opposed the proposed law.
Badal appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to retain Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Board’s autonomous character and withdraw the draft law seeking to “fill the board” with government nominees, while Randhawa asked the state government not to interfere in the autonomous functioning of the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Board.
The Punjab leaders’ objections follow the Maharashtra Cabinet’s approval of the decision to repeal the Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956 and bring in a new law, which will pave the way for a new administrative framework governing the gurdwara board.
Punjab BJP leader Dhillon said he personally insisted that broader consultations must be undertaken with the Sikh Panth before any legislative framework concerning the administration of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib is finalised.
His intervention was part of a high-level discussion facilitated by BJP National Spokesperson R P Singh, who had conveyed community concerns to the Maharashtra Chief Minister.
Responding promptly, Fadnavis deputed his Cabinet colleague Chandrashekhar Bawankule to conduct detailed discussions on the matter, according to Dhillon.
The BJP leader said, “I thank Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ji and Shri Chandrashekhar Bawankule ji for responding positively and with great sensitivity to the concerns of the Sikh community. Their assurance of wider consultations is deeply reassuring and reflects genuine respect for the sanctity and spiritual significance of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib.” He further said that Takht Sri Hazur Sahib is not merely an institution but a “living symbol of Sikh faith, sovereignty and heritage, revered by Sikhs across the globe”.
“Any legislation touching upon its administration must be shaped through dialogue, consensus, and the full participation of religious authorities and the wider Sikh community,” he said, adding that the BJP has always stood as a steadfast guardian of Sikh institutions, traditions, and religious sentiments.
Dhillon expressed confidence that the committee formed for wider consultations would ensure that all Panthic voices are heard, and that the final legislative framework, when brought forward, would command the trust and respect of the entire Sikh community.
