From correspondents in Punjab, India, 08:02 PM IST

The ad hoc Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HGPC) Sunday took out a protest rally in Haryana's Karnal town.

The rally, 'Sarbat Khalsa', was held to press for HGPC's demand for creation of a committee separate from the Amritsar-based Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to manage the gurdwaras in the state.

'We do not want the unnecessary interference of (Punjab Chief Minister) Parkash Singh Badal in the affairs of Sikhs based in Haryana.

'We want the Haryana government to formulate some strategy to look after the affairs of gurdwaras in the state in the next 30 days otherwise we will take their management in our own hands,' said Didar Singh Nalvi, general secretary of HGPC.

'Our demands are based on rational thinking and there should be no discrimination with Sikhs based in any part of the country,' said Nalvi.

Hundreds of Sikhs, representing various political and religious denominations from various states, participated in the rally.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)