The ongoing salary crisis at the Miri Piri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research has triggered fresh political and administrative pressure within the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), with a majority of its executive body members urging president Jagdish Singh Jhinda to immediately take over the institute and release the pending salaries of employees.

Eight of the committee’s 11 executive members, including those who had stayed away from recent executive and General House meetings, have sought an executive body meeting by Tuesday. They want the agenda to include taking possession of the institute, approving the budget and clearing the salary dues of employees, who have been on an indefinite strike.

The employees have warned that they will intensify their protest if their salaries are not released by Tuesday. Junior vice-president Gurbir Singh said, “The majority of the members are of the view that the HSGMC should take over the possession at the earliest. Since the committee is yet to take over possession, it was the duty of the SGPC to release the salaries of the employees and provide the required funds, but it had stopped even before the high court gave its ruling in favour of the HSGMC in May.”

Senior vice-president Gurmeet Singh said an 11-member committee constituted by the Haryana body had recently met SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami to resolve the issue, but the talks failed to yield any breakthrough.

“Instead, questions were raised over the unity and capabilities of the HSGMC members. The eight executive members have asked the president to convene a meeting to discuss the issues, take over possession of the Miri Piri Institute and clear the employees’ dues. The eight members are sufficient to complete the quorum of the executive body. If the president fails to call the meeting by Tuesday, the eight members will again meet and take a final decision,” he said.

Committee president Jagdish Singh Jhinda said he had asked the 11-member panel to submit its report on the meeting with the SGPC president by Monday.

“The committee was asked to submit the report by July 17, but it is yet to do so. A matter relating to employees’ salaries is also pending before the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission and will come up for hearing on Tuesday. I have decided to study the report and the commission’s directions before convening the executive body meeting,” he said.

Jhinda added that the dispute over the institute was also pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the SGPC challenged the May order in favour of the Haryana committee. “The matter is listed for hearing on July 27. The committee will take over possession legally and at the appropriate time,” he said.