New Delhi: Sardar Paramjit Singh Sarna, President of the Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal, has levelled serious allegations against the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), accusing it of neglecting and mismanaging a key educational institution established in the name of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji on a 300-acre plot in Bigad, near Fatehabad in Haryana.
Addressing a press conference, Sarna expressed grave concern over the deteriorating state of the Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur International Public School and the adjoining engineering college, both of which were established to provide quality education to Sikh children. The foundation of the school was laid on July 11, 1996, on land owned by the DSGMC in honour of the ninth Sikh Guru. The initiative was taken under the guidance of Panth Ratna Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra, a revered figure in the Sikh community and former head of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). According to Sarna, these institutions were envisioned as a means of securing a bright future for the next generation.
Sarna, who visited the institution recently, claimed the infrastructure is now in a dilapidated state due to prolonged neglect and alleged corruption within the DSGMC. “What once stood as a symbol of educational excellence is now nearing ruin,” he lamented.
He accused previous DSGMC leaders, including Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and current committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka, of playing a direct role in the institution’s downfall. Sarna alleged that the current leadership, supported by political patronage, has continued the trend of mismanagement and has allowed community assets to fall into decay.
As the Sikh community commemorates the 350th martyrdom year of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, Sarna questioned the legitimacy of DSGMC’s celebrations. “How can the committee claim to honour Guru Sahib when it is systematically dismantling the institutions established in his name?” he asked.
He further accused Kalka of betraying the legacy of Jathedar Tohra, the very leader who, according to Sarna, was instrumental in Kalka’s rise in Sikh politics. “Kalka has not only forgotten his roots but has also become the face of institutional betrayal,” Sarna stated.
The SAD leader also pointed to broader financial irregularities, holding Sirsa, Kalka, and Jagdeep Singh Kahlon responsible for what he described as the DSGMC’s financial collapse. “These individuals have misused the Guru’s Golak for personal gain. Their properties should be auctioned to recover the losses they have caused to the community,” Sarna said.
He also warned of ongoing efforts to sell off community assets at significantly undervalued prices to favour certain individuals. “These are properties worth thousands of crores, but instead of protecting them, the DSGMC is trying to offload them quietly,” Sarna alleged, adding that several of these properties are already entangled in court cases due to mismanagement.
He vowed that the Shiromani Akali Dal will not allow these institutions and properties—built with the contributions and faith of the Sikh Sangat—to be sold off or misused. “This is the heritage of the Sikh community, and it will remain with the community,” he asserted.
Calling for greater transparency, Sarna demanded that if the DSGMC feels it is incapable of maintaining these institutions, it should make a public declaration to that effect and let the community decide the future course of action.
In a concluding statement, Sarna said that the SAD will approach Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the highest temporal authority of the Sikhs, and appeal to the SGPC for support in managing and preserving the Haryana-based institution. He reiterated that the community would not sit silently while its legacy is being squandered.
The press conference ended with a firm declaration of intent from Sarna and the Delhi unit of the SAD to protect what they regard as community property and educational heritage from further deterioration or sale.
