Changes aimed at ending violence at Sikh Centre

Members of the Sri Guru Nanak Sikh Centrein Brampton, Ont., have agreed to a number of changes in the way their religious centre, known as a gurdwara, is run.

On the weekend a fight broke out between different factions at the gurdwara over among other things allegations of financial mismanagement.

On Tuesday evening, the congregation approved new leadership for the centreand hired anew financial manager.

Ramphal Dillon, spokesman for the Sikh Centre, said the new board members and the new financial system will go a long way to resolving the tensions that led to last weekend's violence.

"This place [the Sikh Centre] is a public place, and we are religious people," he said. "We should have no hanky panky things. Any money has to be put on the board."

On April 18, Peel police arrested three men after hammers and machetes were allegedly drawn during a heated, sometimes violent dispute over leadership of the gurdwara and control of the finances.

Five people were injured during the fight.

In an attempt to resolve the dispute, signing authority for the gurdwara's bank accounts and control over its assets have been taken away from the previous board members.

A financial manager will be hired to make sure things are out in the open and a five-member committee will been asked to count and sign for donations collected from the congregation.

"Five members are requested from the community any five members can sit there can count [the money and] will have to sign for it, so that the people know how much money this temple is depositing in the bank," said Dillon.

Raj Bir, a member of the congregation, says he hopes the changes will put an end to the dispute.

"[A] person who is honest, he need not do any type of violence," said Bir.