HSGMC constitutes 10-member executive body

AMBALA: The ad hoc Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) has constituted a 10-member executive body and appointed key office-bearers.
The appointments were finalised at a meeting held on Thursday under the chairmanship of HSGMC president Baljit Singh Daduwal at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhevin and Nauvin in Cheeka town of Kaithal district.
Swaran Singh Ratia from Fatehabad, who was among the three candidates in the fray for the HSGMC president’s post but had later supported Daduwal, was named the vice-president.
The other office-bearers of the executive body are Karnail Singh (Nimnabad) – senior vice-president, Jasbir Singh Bhatti – general secretary, Chandeep Singh (Rohtak) – joint secretary and its members include Amrinder Singh Arora, Satpal Singh (Pehowa), Mohanjeet Singh (Panipat), Gurcharan Singh (Cheemo), Apar Singh (Kishangarh) and Prabhjeet Singh (Faridabad).
Daduwal said, “As an executive body of HSGMC has been constituted, we will now start propagation of Sikh religion in Haryana in a planned manner. In another meeting in about 15 days, ‘dharam prachar’ and legal wings of the committee will be announced.”
To a query, Daduwal said, “In a fortnight, first of all, we will release a Nanakshahi calendar of HSGMC dedicated to Sri Akal Takht Sahib and then a monthly magazine namely ‘Haryana Sikh Sandesh’ will be released.”
He said the state-level religious events would be conducted only after the Covid-19 pandemic ends, but in the meantime, the committee would use social media and the mainstream media for publishing different planned events.
To another query, Daduwal said, “The previous committee never paid attention to the norms of the HSGMC Act. It was decided in the meeting on Thursday that all the committee members will be initiated Sikhs. Some members are not ‘amritdhari’ (initiated) Sikhs and they have promised to get initiated (take amrit) at the earliest, so that their membership can be continued as per rules.”
He further said they would also start a campaign against drugs and organise camps in Haryana’s gurdwaras to spread awareness among the youth, so that they could be brought back to mainstream and attached to education to eradicate this social evil from society.