CHANDIGARH — The Global Sikh Council, representing national-level Sikh organizations from various countries, has strongly condemned the Maharashtra Government’s hasty decision to repeal the 70-year-old “Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act-1956.” A copy of the written release issued by the organization is available with the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN).
The Council has demanded that the state dispensation immediately withdraw this legislative resolve, keeping in view the religious sentiments and profound concerns of the Sikh qaum (community). Emphasizing the lack of community backing for the new bill, the Council stated, “No Sikh organization has ever made this demand, rather the entire management, including the Jathedar of Takht Sri Nanded Sahib, has openly opposed this move.”
In formal communications addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Verma, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Council urged the leadership to “respect the Sikh religious autonomy in all Takhat Sahib and Gurdwaras and abandon any policy of direct confrontation with Sikh qaum.” The Council has demanded that before introducing any new legislation concerning Sikh affairs, the government must initiate open consultations with established Sikh institutions, scholars, and Panthic representatives, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Takht Sahib management.
According to a joint statement issued by Global Sikh Council President Dr. Kanwaljit Kaur and Secretary Advocate Harjeet Singh Grewal, the BJP-led Mahayuti Government has already approved the draft of a new bill in a recent Cabinet meeting. This proposed legislation, titled the “Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib Abchalnagar Gurdwara Act,” is reportedly slated for introduction during the upcoming monsoon session of the state Assembly. The leaders asserted that no government possesses the absolute right to interfere with or make decisions regarding Sikh affairs without the community’s consent.
Dr. Kaur and Advocate Grewal alleged that the ruling party is “hell-bent to exercise greater administrative control over Sikh offerings (Dasvandh), this sacred institution and its management committee.” They warned that this follows a concerning pattern of interference, pointing to similar past developments regarding Sikh institutions in New Delhi, Patna Sahib, and Haryana.
The Council leaders revealed that the Maharashtra Government is basing its actions on the 2014 Justice J.S. Bhatia Committee recommendations. They allege the new Act is specifically designed to reduce the representation of the SGPC, the Chief Khalsa Diwan, and Sikh Members of Parliament in the board’s management. A similar attempt was made in 2024 but was thwarted by widespread opposition from the Sikh community.
Furthermore, the Council pointed out that the tenure of the previous Takht Sahib Management Board ended in 2022. Instead of holding elections to reconstitute the board over the past several years, the government deliberately stalled the process, deciding “in a self-willed manner to repeal the existing law and move ahead with fresh legislation.” The leaders also recalled a 2015 amendment by the Maharashtra Government that vested the authority of appointing the Gurdwara Board President with the government, which led to the controversial appointment of a BJP MLA to the position.
Issuing a final warning, the Global Sikh Council stated that the government must refrain from bringing Takht Sri Hazur Sahib under its control as a “policy of ideological influence [on] the Sikh faith.” The Council has appealed to the Sikh Sangat and panthic organizations globally to strongly oppose the move, press for a rollback, and, if necessary, pursue legal remedies through the courts to protect the autonomy of Sikh institutions.
