Takht Hazoor Sahib board chief resigns

JALANDHAR: Takht Hazoor Sahib Management Board president Tara Singh , who is also BJP MLA from Mulund, has resigned from his post. He was asked by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to resign as his three-year term had gotten over. The BJP MLA was appointed president of the board in March 2015.
Talking to TOI on Monday, Tara confirmed the development. "A couple of days back the Maharshtra CM asked me to resign as I had already served over three years, the term fixed for the president. I immediately wrote my resignation and handed it over to the CM," he added.

"I am officiating till I get the final word from the CM about acceptance of my resignation," he said.

"I had a very satisfying tenure. I got a playground developed, did work on gold plating of domes and also got stated work on a museum. I served the Takht Sahib with full devotion and honesty," he said.

The BJP MLA also said that term of three elected members of the management board was also due to be over soon and then new board would be constituted.

The president was earlier elected by the 17-member board but the Maharashtra government amended the Takht Sri Hazoor Sahib Nanded Board Act, 1956, through a notification in February 2015.

The new provisions provided that the state government could appoint the board president of its choice.

MLA Tara's appointment as board president had evoked strong reaction from then Akal Takht jathedar and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee as they termed it direct interference into the Sikh religious affairs.

The appointment of the board president by the Maharashtra government had became an embarrassment for Shiromani Akali Dal, and NDA ally, which has always been accusing the Congress for making attempts to interfere in Sikh religious institutions, but the criticism by the SGPC controlled by it did not have any impact on the BJP government in Maharashtra.

Responding to a query about the elections of the board membersn, the outgoing president said that he had no idea about these and the Maharashtra CM would take a call on the issues.