Karnal, September 23
High drama was witnessed on the premises of Dera Kar Sewa Gurdwara here as a couple of sewadars and farmers did not allow Jagdish Singh Jhinda, former president of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) (ad-hoc), to hold a press conference there. The protesters locked the main gate of the gurdwara and raised slogans against Jhinda.
Jhinda had played an important role in the formation of separate gurdwara committee for the maintenance of gurdwaras of Haryana in the previous Congress government.
The protesters accused Jhinda of defaming farmers’ agitation by commenting against them. However, Jhinda claimed that he supported the farmers and it was due to his intervention that a five-day standoff between farmers and the Karnal district administration had reached a consensus.
One of the protesters alleged that Jhinda had recently commented against BKU president Gurnam Singh Charuni and farmers. He accused Jhinda of playing at the behest of the BJP. “Jhinda is trying to weaken the farmers’ agitation and we will not allow anyone to speak against farmers from the gurdwara premises,” said a protester.
When contacted, Jhinda accused the gurdwara’s head for not allowing him to hold a press meet there and said the ‘guru ghar’ (gurdwara) belonged to all communities, not a particular person. He warned the gurdwara head not to enter his area.
He said he was instrumental in resolving the issue between farmers and the government on September 11. “I got the issue between farmers and the government resolved,” said Jhinda.
HSGMC ex-chief Jagdish Singh Jhinda faces farmers’ ire at Karnal gurdwara
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