The controversy over the Maharashtra government's proposal to replace the 1956 Hazur Sahib Act with a new law reached the state Assembly on June 29, 2026, when Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh raised the issue, calling any move to dilute or replace the existing act an "injustice" to the Sikh community.
Congress MLA Challenges Government's Plan
Shaikh, a four-term legislator from Malad West, lodged a Point of Order in the House, objecting to the government's proposal to repeal the Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956. He argued that the state must consult Sikh representatives, particularly the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akal Takht in Amritsar, before making any changes.
His intervention comes amid growing opposition from Sikh religious authorities, including the Akal Takht, Nihang Sikh organisations, and the Damdami Taksal (Chowk Mehta), who have rallied behind a 'gurmata' (collective religious edict) rejecting the government's proposal.
Background of the Controversy
The controversy began on June 22, 2026, when the Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, cleared a proposal to repeal the 70-year-old Hazur Sahib Act. The Act governs Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib in Nanded, one of Sikhism's five temporal seats and the site of Guru Gobind Singh's final days. The government proposed replacing it with a new statute tentatively titled the Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurdwara Act, with the suffix "2026" to be formalised upon passage in the Assembly.
State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Krishnarao Bawankule placed the proposal before the House, stating that many provisions of the 1956 Act had become outdated.
Religious Mobilisation Against the Move
Parallel to the political pushback, religious mobilisation has gathered momentum. The 'gurmata' read out by priest Giani Ram Singh in the presence of Takht Hazur Sahib Jathedar Giani Kulwant Singh was positioned as a binding collective decision taken in the name of the Guru. Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj asserted that the entire Sikh Panth stood by the gurmata. "No one has the right to repeal the 1956 Act. Any law concerning Sikh Takhts or shrines cannot be acceptable without the approval of the Panth," he said.
Nihang leader Baba Balbir Singh, head of the Shiromani Panth Akali Budha Dal, said all Nihang sects were united in support of the Hazur Sahib Jathedar's position. "We ask the Maharashtra Government to maintain the status quo and honour the existing 1956 Act," he said.
Impact and Next Steps
Shaikh's raising of the issue in the Assembly has put pressure on the government, which has already suspended its controversial move. The matter is expected to be debated further, with Sikh organisations vowing to resist any changes to the Act. The Maharashtra government has not yet responded officially to the objections raised in the House.
