Haryana gurdwara polls: Jhinda resigns HSGMC seat, citing group’s defeat
Jagdish Singh Jhinda resigned from the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee after his group won only 9 of 40 seats, citing moral responsibility.
Jagdish Singh Jhinda, who heads the Panthak Dal-Jhinda Group, on Monday resigned from the seat he won in the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) elections.

Jhinda submitted his resignation to the Kurukshetra deputy commissioner, citing his group’s inability to secure a majority in the elections that were held to elect 40 members on Sunday. The Jhinda group won nine seats, while 22 of those elected are Independents.
Jhinda said that he was taking moral responsibility after his group failed to meet the expectations of the Sikh community. “Despite our efforts, we could not win the trust of the majority. I believe it is appropriate to step down,” he said in his resignation letter addressed to the Haryana governor submitted through the Kurukshetra DC,
The Panthak Dal Jhinda Group, which contested the elections with a reformist agenda, fell short of achieving a majority in the 40-member HSGMC. The polls were keenly contested, with rival groups vying for control over the management of 51 historical gurdwaras in Haryana.
Jhinda, known for his outspoken stance on issues related to religious and political affairs, has been a prominent figure in advocating Haryana’s right to have a separate gurdwara management committee. His resignation is being seen as a setback for his group and is expected to alter the power dynamics within the HSGMC.
Observers note that the results reflect shifting political and religious alignments within the Sikh community in Haryana. The focus now shifts to who will head the HSGMC and how it will function under the leadership of the majority group.
Meanwhile, another prominent Sikh face, Didar Singh Nalwi, who heads Sikh Samaj Sanstha, said:” We are ready to join hands with the Jhinda group and support it.”
