Makkar claimed Hooda made the statement to 'misguide the people'. 'Hooda made false statements that they have got lakhs of affidavits from Haryana Sikhs demanding a separate body for the state. Only a handful of people are with them and they have to bear the consequences of such irresponsible statements,' he said.

Makkar said that he has met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the past to discuss the issue, but to no avail.

'Besides writing to him four times and I had met the PM twice. Once he also called Hooda and told him to end this issue, but nothing substantial came out of it. Being a Sikh himself, he should give priority to solve this issue,' stated Makkar.

The demand first came to the fore when seven Haryana members of the 170-seat SGPC levelled allegations of neglect of the state's historical gurdwaras 'even though they were adding Rs.10 crore of revenue in the SGPC's kitty every year'.

There are seven major historical gurdwaras in Haryana under the direct control of the SGPC. Eighteen others are under its indirect control -- elected members form the local management and one member from the SGPC is co-opted into the panel.