New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday accused Congress leadership of hatching a conspiracy to create a separate Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for Haryana and sought the Centre's intervention to stop the move "initiated" by Bhupinder Singh Hooda government.
Badal alleged Haryana's going ahead with a separate SGPC saying is "unconstitutional" and in "violation" of the existing Sikh Gurdwara Act.
Badal met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and asked the Centre to intervene and annul the Act passed by the Haryana assembly to which a nod has been given by the state Governor.
Badal told the central ministers that Haryana did not have any power to pass a law in contravention with the central law.
"Haryana government's move is illegal and unconstitutional. It was a conspiracy of the Congress high command to divide the Sikh community," Badal told reporters after meeting Rajnath Singh.
"Haryana does not have the power to bring a new law for a separate SGPC as it is against the existing Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925, which was formulated during the British times after a lot of sacrifices by the Sikh community. Their action is illegal and unconstitutional," Badal charged.
"We have put our side before the Centre. It is upto the Centre now to intervene," Badal said.
The Chief Minister said the Home Minister has assured him that the Centre will try to do its best to stop the move and has directed the Attorney General to examine the legal issues involved in it.
Badal alleged the Congress government in Haryana was taking the initiative with an eye on coming assembly elections and the central government must ensure by enacting a law that SGPC remains the only organisation to look after the religious affairs of Sikhs.
"The entire Sikh community is upset with Hooda government's move. It is unlawful. Even people of Haryana rejected the Congress nominees in SGPC polls. Their all 11 candidates lost the last SGPC polls. We have asked the central government to stop Haryana's move," Badal said.
The Chief Minister said the SGPC came into existence following the 1925 Gurdwara Act after years of struggle and sacrifice by thousands of people against the British ploy to divide the community.
"We cannot allow this to happen. The SGPC is like Sikh Parliament. We cannot tolerate any move to split it," Badal said.
SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar had also accused Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his government of interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikhs by once again raising the issue of a separate Gurdwara committee in Haryana.
After meeting Rajnath Singh, Badal, accompanied by Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and party MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Prem Singh Chandumajra and Naresh Gujral met Naidu in his parliament office where Jaitley also joined them.
The meeting with Naidu and Jaitley lasted for over 45 minutes where the Law Secretary was also called for an opinion. Former Home Secretary R K Singh, who is now a BJP MP, also attended the meeting for some time.
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