Chandigarh: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was a direct interference by the Centre government in minority-related matters.

Known as the mini-parliament of the Sikhs, SGPC is a representative body of Sikhs living across the world

The SGPC president, Harjinder Singh Dhami, held that the Bill was introduced without consulting the concerned parties, which led to controversy. Dhami said that it appears the government’s intent is to curtail minority rights and administer matters according to its own agenda.

Pointing out that the Centre government previously attempted to suppress minorities through measures such as the introduction of the Uniform Civil Code, which directly interfered with the personal laws and religious beliefs of various communities, Dhami held that another example is the government’s imposition of mandatory helmet-wearing rules for Sikh soldiers, which faced widespread opposition.

Dhami alleged the government’s policy towards minority affairs is not appropriate and urged the government to withdraw the bill.