The squeeze is getting tighter by the day. NDTV’s campaign to eulogise Manjinder Singh Sirsa as a larger-than-life Sewadar of the Sikh community will not be able to save his image of being a corrupt president, the likes of which the DSGMC has not seen before. With the CMM Delhi ordering him not to flee the country as that would amount to obstruction of justice and the DSGMC chief singing the opposite tune, the onus is now on the Delhi police executing the court order of 9 July. Sikh circles say that he can save face by resigning from his post and membership of the party, but even his parent party-Shiromani Akali Dal is silent about this. WSN editor Jagmohan Singh analyzes the religio-political affairs of Delhi.

DURING THE  NEARLY 3-YEAR REIGN OF MANJINDER SINGH SIRSA, the position and status of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee have been severely compromised. Today, his presidency is also in jeopardy. His moral right to continue does not appeal. The dignity and status of the Sikhs, which he claims to uphold through Sewa and chivalry, is under severe strain. In the history of the electoral politics of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, he is the first President to be barred from overseas travel through a court order.

Despite the court order, Sirsa has refuted the claims. The president of the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab -Sukhbir Singh Badal is silent and no action has been taken nor has there been an indirect public admonition of Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

Given the passivity of the Delhi Sikh Sangat on religio-political issues, it is not surprising that there has hardly been any reaction.  This raises an alarm for the times to come and for the future of Delhi Sikh Politics.

As the self-invited court intervention by the DSGMC reaches its zenith, cases of corruption, mismanagement, malfeasance, nepotism, remuneration to school teachers easily land up in courts and the DSGMC plays the legal game with Sangat funds. 

Populist measures, which are a drain on community resources result in reckless expenditure but office bearers are shameless and fearless of violation of standard operations procedure and accountability to Sikh Sangat, which has elected them.

In the order dated 9 July  2021, Dr Pankaj Sharma, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi directed the IO Economic Offences Wing while hearing the case of unjustified payments from Gurdwara Golak funds to Raja Tent and Decorators. He ordered the full report of the IO, including the LOC, to be submitted at the next hearing on 26 July 2021.

In his reaction, Sirsa has stated that he would challenge the CMM order under Section 340 IPC in the Delhi High Court. 

The Delhi Akali Dal led by the Sarna brothers has launched a tornado against Sirsa. At a press conference held to highlight the misdeeds of Sirsa, party leader Harvinder Singh Sirsa said, “Sirsa is the first President of  DSGMC who has an FIR for financial fraud and is also facing cases of criminal conduct. There are cases  under investigation and he becomes the first president who has been directed by the court to make sure he does not flee from the country.” 

“Sirsa is the first President of  DSGMC who has an FIR for financial fraud and is also facing cases of criminal conduct. There are cases  under investigation and he becomes the first president who has been directed by the court to make sure he does not flee from the country.” 

Harvinder Singh Sarna, leader, Delhi Akali Dal

“I wonder why the Jathedar Akal Takht Sahib is not taking any action against such a leader,” asked Paramjit Singh Sarna. “Even the silence of the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections of the Government of Delhi is disturbing,” he added. 

The Jago party leader Manjit Singh GK has so far refrained from making a statement, possibly because of corruption cases pending against him. Party spokesperson Parminder Pal Singh has however commented on how Sirsa is misinterpreting the court order.

Sirsa who is more famous for being obtrusive in situations outside his domain has also become a synonym for bypassing rules and ethics, violating social strictures and unSikh acts -with a clear political bias against Sikh interests. 

The allegations of fraud and malfeasance are possible because the DSGMC like all bad Sikh institutions does not follow Standard Operating Procedures and is President and General Secretary-centric in decision making and funds allocation and spending.

The allegations of fraud and malfeasance are possible because the DSGMC like all bad Sikh institutions does not follow Standard Operating Procedures and is President and General Secretary-centric in decision making and funds allocation and spending.

Nobody in his sanity will object to financial support to Covid19-affected families. However, where are the rules on the basis of which such announcements of free education in Guru Harkishan Public Schools to children who lost their father because of Covid19 for 12 years and free education in DSGMC run colleges affiliated to University of Delhi, Saggan schemes, free marriage arrangement in Gurdwaras, et al have been promised. 

One key aspect is whether this is not a violation of the model code of conduct and the second is that DSGMC has no money to pay salaries to staff and to provide the best medical health and insurance facilities for religious and administrative staff but Sirsa unabashedly splashes Sangat given gold to build a hospital.  The model code of conduct is still in force to date.  The silence of the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections on the alleged violations is ominous. 

Nobody denies the need for a hospital, but how much gold was gathered, how much given, how much will be spent, how will it be spent, who will be accountable, to whom will it be affiliated, will it benefit the poor Sikhs, how will these benefits be delivered? Who will answer these questions?

Nobody denies the need for a hospital, but how much gold was gathered, how much given, how much will be spent, how will it be spent, who will be accountable, to whom will it be affiliated, will it benefit the poor Sikhs, how will these benefits be delivered? Who will answer these questions?

How much gold and silver received from the Sangat does DSGMC have?  On what basis did the choice of Baba Bachan Singh happen?  On 27 September 2016, Manjit Singh GK had handed over 47 kilograms of gold and silver (no breakup given) to Baba Bachan Singh. What happened to that yellow and white metal? Does the DSGMC have any record of the use of that?

On 27 September 2016, Manjit Singh GK had handed over 47 kilograms of gold and silver (no breakup given) to Baba Bachan Singh. What happened to that yellow and white metal? Does the DSGMC have any record of the use of that?

Complicit with Sirsa not very long ago, JAGO party chief Manjit Singh GK has questioned Sirsa’s ways and actions.  He has pointed out that Sirsa has made many populist measures and promises in the past -550 children to be given online classes, Rupees one crore to Baba Bachan Singh for Bala Sahib hospital, evening classes at the Khalsa College and so on, nothing of which saw the light of the day or were abandoned within days, leaving the students in the lurch. 

To save himself from any further ignominy, the least Sirsa can do to salvage the situation for himself and his party is to resign from the presidency and membership of the DSGMC.