Amritsar, Punjab: In response to Indian Home Ministry’s letter seeking clarification about SGPC’s move to appoint a chief secretary, the SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar has said that the Sikh body could make appointments under it’s own rights.
In an attempt to brush aside the controversy surrounding SGPC’s move to appoint a chief secretary, Avtar Singh Makkar said that the SGPC was fully component to appoint a chief secretary.
He said that the SGPC has sent an appropriate reply to the Home Ministry of India clearly stating that the SGPC holds every legal right to appoint its employees.
It is notable that SGPC’s move to appoint a chief secretary is caught into a political controversy. Taking a dig at the SGPC, the Shiromani Akali Dal (1920) had alleged violation of norms by SGPC. Party chief Ravi Inder Singh he had sent a letter to Indian President and Prime Minister. Subsequently the Home Ministry of India shot a letter to the SGPC seeking clarification on the issue.
SAD (1920) had complained that the SGPC was violating norms by creating a new post of chief secretary. Ravi Inder Singh alleged that the move was driven by political interests of Punjab’s ruling party Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal).
Meanwhile the Aam Aadmi Party leader and senior lawyer H S Phoolka has slammed the Home Ministry of India on this issue. Phoolka said that the centre intervening in the matter was “totally wrong and intolerable”, notes the Indian Express (IE).
“SGPC’s decision is totally absurd and clever move by Badal, it will be dangerous to move control of from from the clutches of Badal to the Modi government. The letter and RSS were impatiently waiting for this opportunity to interfere in the internal matter of SGPC”, H S Phoolka is quoted by the Indian Express.