Nanded Sikhs Demand Cancelations of Amendments to Gurudwara Act

Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde recently visited Nanded. During his visit, members of the Sikh community submitted a memorandum urging cancellation of the amended Sections 6 and 11 of the Takht (Sikh throne of sovereignty) Nanded Sikh Gurudwara Sachkhand Shri Hazur Apchalnagar Sahib (Amendment) Act, 2015 1956. The amended sections grant the government power to appoint the Gurdwara board chairman instead of holding democratic elections. The memorandum stressed that local Sikh voices were disregarded when these revisions were passed, denying the community its rightful representation. Shinde reportedly gave a positive response, assuring that a suitable decision would soon be taken. Prominent figures, including MLA Hemant Patil, ex-president Laddusingh Mahajan, and former secretary Bhogendrasingh Ghadisaj, joined others in expressing concern about the prolonged absence of an elected chairman. Meanwhile, Sikhs in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala prepare to build their own Gurdwara. Recently they laid the foundation stone on a 25-cent site in Shastri Nagar, Karamana. Presently, the city only has a Gurdwara inside Pangode’s army cantonment, rendering public access difficult due to security restrictions. The new facility, overseen by Gurudwara Guru Nanak Darbar, is especially significant given the city’s historical ties to Guru Nanak, who is believed to have visited during the early sixteenth century. With roughly twenty Sikh families residing in Thiruvananthapuram, they have long sought a dedicated civilian Gurdwara where ceremonies such as weddings and last rites can be conducted without military protocols. The Sikhs also face hurdles obtaining marriage certificates, as the existing cantonment Gurdwara cannot issue them to civilians. Construction will rely on donations, with the building planned in a style reflecting Kerala’s architectural heritage. Kerala’s second civilian Gurdwara after Kochi became possible through efforts by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.