Jagdish Singh Jhinda, president of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), has formally requested the Haryana government to provide financial assistance of approximately Rs 100 crore to ensure the continued operation of the Miri Piri Hospital in Shahabad. The appeal comes as hospital employees, unpaid for three months, have initiated a strike.
Staff Strike Over Unpaid Salaries
A delegation of hospital employees met Jhinda on Monday, demanding immediate payment of their pending salaries. The employees have warned of an indefinite agitation outside the HSGMC office starting July 8 if their demands are not met. Jhinda acknowledged the employees' plight, stating, “The doctors and other employees haven’t been paid salaries for three months, and they are forced to go on strike. We do understand that it is not their fault, as they also need money to meet their household expenses.”
Internal Disputes Hamper Operations
Jhinda attributed the financial crisis to dissenting members within the HSGMC who have been absent from executive body and General House meetings. He said, “Some dissenting members of the HSGMC have not been attending the executive body and General House meetings, due to which the committee hasn’t been able to pass its budget and provide funds. Despite repeated requests, they haven’t been attending the meetings. They have just been misguiding the public and making baseless claims. If they are serious about the hospital, they should attend the meetings and make a final decision regarding the hospital.”
Call for Government Intervention
Jhinda expressed hope for a resolution but emphasized that the HSGMC lacks sufficient funds to sustain hospital operations long-term. He urged the Haryana government to allocate a budget of Rs 100 crore specifically for the Miri Piri Hospital. Additionally, Jhinda called for an amendment to the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Act, which currently requires a two-thirds majority for a quorum in the executive committee and General House. He argued that this provision is being exploited by dissenting members to obstruct HSGMC functioning. “We had even approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and the court also told us that only the government can bring about the amendment. We request the Haryana Chief Minister to make a suitable amendment to this provision in the Haryana Gurdwara Act and replace it with a simple majority,” he added.
