Kurukshetra: A violent power struggle between the country’s two largest Sikh management bodies has moved into the courts, with police charging 20 senior religious leaders and political workers over an alleged assault at a prominent medical institute.The dispute centres on the Miri Piri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (MPIMSR) in Shahabad. On March 28, Kurukshetra police registered a first-information report (FIR) naming high-ranking officials from both the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras Management Committee (HSGMC). The charges include criminal intimidation, rioting, and acts intended to outrage religious feelings. The escalation follows a March 20 confrontation where HSGMC vice-president Gurbir Singh Talakaur alleges he was attacked by armed men who forcibly removed his turban — a grave insult in the Sikh faith.A Battle for ControlThe MPIMSR has become the frontline of a broader jurisdictional war. While the SGPC currently manages the college, the HSGMC — backed by a recent supreme court-upheld law in Haryana — claims it should take possession of all such institutions within the state. The March 20 standoff unfolded in stages that included incursion, counter-strike, and police intervention.HSGMC leaders, led by Baljit Singh Daduwal, entered the college office to address protesting employees, later claiming to the media they had taken “possession” of the institute. SGPC senior vice-president Raghujit Singh Virk arrived with supporters and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers to block the takeover. Video footage shows deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Ram Kumar warning the HSGMC group that the college’s fate must be decided “lawfully through the Haryana govt”, eventually using force to clear the premises.Legal LimboThe SGPC, which operates the college, has slammed the police action. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has argued that the HSGMC group was trespassing in violation of a high court stay order. “Instead of taking action against those attempting a forcible takeover, the police have targeted our representatives,” Dhami said. Authorities confirmed that a second complaint filed by the college’s CEO — alleging illegal trespass by the HSGMC group — is pending a legal opinion. Tensions remain high in Shahabad, with Sikh community groups arriving daily at the campus to stand guard or offer support to the incumbent SGPC management.Ends MSID:: 129906250 413 |
