Why Would a Chandigarh SGPC Member Want to Control Mohali Gurdwaras?

I just read an article describing how a Chandigarh SGPC member had the Gurdwara Co-ordination Council of Mohali change its constitution to allow him to be the election commissioner, when the Constitution only allowed previously for the LOCAL SGPC member from Mohali to be the election commissioner.

That's like having a council member from a neighbouring city ride into town to become the election commissioner for your city? Why would an SGPC member from Chandigarh want to control the election in Mohali? Would it be normal for a Toronto city councillor to ride into Brampton to run its election? or someone from Los Angeles ride into Santa Monica to run its election?

Is it for some personal gain. I personally have no idea who Gurpartap Singh Riar is or isn't, and don't have any affiliation to Mohali as I don't live there, but I see this as another example of people misusing the arms of the Panth for their own benefit.

The SGPC should investigate this Riar fellow and ensure that he is not corrupt or misusing SGPC facilities for personal enrichment.

The Gurdwara Coordination Committee (GCC) split into two different committees on Thursday - one backed by Chandigarh SGPC member Gurpartap Singh Riar, the other headed by Mohali SGPC member Hardeep Singh.

Both committees held elections and also declared their presidents. There are around two dozen Gurdwaras in Mohali and both groups claim to be majority holders in Mohali.

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Riar became election commissioner for the election, which was earlier declared on June 23, but the schedule was changed. Hardyal Singh Mann, president of the Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Phase-I was elected as president of the GCC. Mann appointed Sohan Singh Sood as his general secretary.

At a press conference held on Thursday, Sood told media persons that the GCC had made changes in the Constitution of the committee and the local SGPC member was no longer the election commissioner of the committee. Instead, they made Riar election commissioner from Chandigarh. Sood said his committee enjoyed the confidence of most Gurdwaras in Mohali. He said it is SGPC member Hardeep Singh who doesn’t want unity between religious bodies in Mohali for his own petty issues.

Hardeep Singh, in turn, was election commissioner of GCC elections in Gurdwara Shri Guru Kalgidhar Singh Sabha, Phase-IV on Thursday. In this election Mohinder Singh, president of Gurdwara Phase-IV, was elected as president of Mohali GCC.

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