The agitated villagers have collectively declared that they will not visit the gurdwara till it is released from SGPC’s control. Shingara Singh, an SGPC member from Lohian, had come with the task force of the committee on January 11, a day before Maghi, and had taken control of the gurdwara and the school against the wishes of the villagers. Village sarpanch Baljit Singh, when contacted, said that on Maghi every year, the new committee of the Gurdwara Sahib is elected. “This year, I had told the gurdwara committee to give details of the income and expenditure of the gurdwara. But committee president Mukhtiar Singh and nine other members, out of total 25 members, had written to SGPC to take control of the gurdwara without consulting the villagers and the panchayat,” added the sarpanch. The gurwara is quite old in the village, and its new building had come up in 1995. The school building, which is close to the gurdwara, was constructed in 1998. It was learnt that the gurdwara has a monthly income of Rs 60,000, and also owns much land, which was the main cause of the dispute.

A few members of the gurdwara committee were members of the school management too. Sources said president of the school management Darshan Singh had not signed on the resolution to hand over the school to SGPC.

Villagers are resentful of SGPC’s move. Dilbagh Singh, a trustee of the school, said the move to take control of the gurdwara and the school would not be accepted. “We will fight tooth and nail to get our gurdwara back,” he added.