Vote underway for control of Surrey's Guru Nanak Sikh temple

By Cheryl Chan, Vancouver Province,
November 16, 2009 12:02 AM

Thousands of Sikhs braved pouring rain and howling winds Sunday night to cast their vote in a pivotal election that will decide the leadership and direction of North America’s second largest Sikh temple.

An hour before polls closed at 8 p.m., voters were still lined up outside Princess Margaret Secondary on 72nd Avenue to elect a new 18-member board of directors for Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh temple on Scott Road.

“You’ve never seen anything like this before. People want change,” said Surinder Hehar who was in line for his voter card with his wife and two young boys.

Surrey RCMP cordoned off a two-block radius around the school to ensure voters weren’t intimidated.

At stake is the future direction of the 32,000-member strong temple, which has been riven by two factions — the moderates and fundamentalists — and a contentious debate over furniture in the temple dining hall that erupted into violence twelve years ago.

The moderates, who have controlled the temple for the last decade, have allowed tables and chairs in the common eating area.

It is led in this election race by businessman Harjinder Singh Cheema.

Its challenger, the Sikh Youth slate led by Bikramjit Singh Sandhar, want traditional mats on the floor, but struck a compromise by saying elderly or disabled members will have the option of eating on tables and chairs.

Despite the call to return to the traditional manner of eating in the temple, the Sikh Youth slate bills itself as a group of progressive-minded Sikhs.

It is running three female candidates and has mounted a more aggressive political-style campaign with a website, YouTube campaign videos, and a Twitter presence.

It also offered supporters free bus rides to the school.

The temple’s last president, moderate Balwant Singh Gill stepped down last month after 11 years at the helm.

Last year’s elections saw an upstart youth group headed by Amardeep Singh win by an almost 6,000-vote margin over the moderates, which ran divided slates.

The results were thrown out by B.C. Supreme Court after allegations of fraud on nomination forms.

Instead of a costly court battle, the rival factions decided to hold a second vote.

The result of the vote is not expected until after midnight.

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

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