Ludhiana, Sep 2 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has asked the Congress-led Central Government to refrain from interfering in Sikh religious matters.
Raising objections to a government move to withdraw a 2003 notification that prevents Sehajdhari or non-baptised Sikhs from voting in Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) elections, Badal said neither the Sikhs nor the SGPC had even asked the former to issue the notification in the first place.
"We didn't ask them to give notification, they notified on their own and when elections came then Congress party put pressure and now they have withdrawn the notification. I just want to say that when electoral process has begun then bringing the notification at this time indicates only to government interference. We are sad because since the beginning Congress has been interfering in our religious matters and this is the height and now when they have realised there is confirmed victory, they have played this trick," he added.
The matter was in the High Court since 2004 and came up for trial on Thursday before a full bench, comprising Justice Gurdev Singh, Justice Alok Singh, and Justice M.M. Kumar.
Around 60 lakh Sikh voters have registered in SGPC polls, which are scheduled for Sunday (September 18).
The SGPC governs all Sikh shrines and schools across India, getting donations to the tune of billions of rupees every year, but has in recent years faced flak for alleged misuse of money by successive leaders.
Though considered apolitical, the body is known to be aligned on political lines and holds considerable clout in moulding the community's ideologies and political inclinations. (ANI)
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