Badal slams Haryana government on separate Gurudwara Committee

Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali), July 2, 2014: Terming the move of the Congress Government in Haryana to constitute separate body for the management of Gurudwaras across the state as an ill conceived, arbitrary and unconstitutional move, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that the Hooda government's nefarious designs to divide the Sikhs would never materialise.  
Interacting with the media persons after the installation ceremony of the newly appointed Chairman of Punjab State Rajput Kalyan Board Captain RS Pathania, who assumed the charge of his office here today at Forest Complex, the Chief Minister categorically said that this sinister move of the Haryana Government was a desperate attempt of the Congress government, which was already on the verge of its ouster from power in the state, to woo the Sikh voters. However, he said that this election stunt of Congress would hardly pay dividends to it as the Sikhs of Haryana have time and again rejected the demand for having separate body for managing the Gurudwara affairs in the state. Badal said that as the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) came into existence by an act of the Parliament so it was solely authorised to take any decision on this matter adding that Haryana Government was completely incompetent to bifurcate the SGPC.       
The Chief Minister also cautioned the Congress to refrain from meddling in the religious affairs of the Sikhs just for the sake of its vested political motives. He said that it was unfortunate that the Haryana Government was reviving this contentious issue despite of the fact that the former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had desisted it from taking this step during the UPA government. "We have already met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over this issue and we will take every possible step to foil the attempt of Haryana government to divide the SGPC" added Badal.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that the state government was in constant touch with the Union Government for ensuring the safe and prompt return of the Punjabis trapped in strife torn Iraq. Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to bail out these sons of the soils in this hour of crisis, Badal said that he would personally meet the distressed families of these youth and extend fulsome support and cooperation to them. He said that the state government has already announced that it would give Rs 20000 per month to such families.
The Chief Minister further said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted for probing the shootout incident in Moga has initiated investigations in the matter. He said that the SIT would get into the bottom of the case and the law would take its own course in this matter.
The Chief Minister also said that the NDA government was fully committed to fulfill all the promises made to the people during the Lok Sabha elections. He expressed hope that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the country would soon attain pinnacle of its glory adding that under his decisive leadership country would soon overcome all the social maladies plaguing it.
On the occasion congratulating Captain RS Pathania for taking the charge of new assignment, the Chief Minister hoped that the Board would act as catalyst for ensuring the all round development and welfare of the community. Badal also said that the state government was fully committed for the overall growth of every community in the state and no stone would be left unturned for this noble cause.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by former Governor of Karnataka Bhanu Partap Singh, Secretary Science and Technology Seema Jain and Director Welfare Paramjeet Singh.