Which of the following statements about the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) are correct? 1. It began as the political wing of the Singh Sabhas in the late 19th century. 2. It was formed in 1920 as part of the upcoming Akali movement. 3. It was founded to reclaim control of the Sikh shrines from the government manipulated loyalist committees. 4. It formed the Akali Dal to coordinate groups (Jathas) to reclaim control of the shrines. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) was formed in November 1920 as a central body to manage Sikh shrines [1]. It was not the political wing of the 19th-century Singh Sabhas; rather, the Akali movement was an offshoot of the Singh Sabha movement [4]. The SGPC's primary objective was to reclaim control of Gurdwaras from corrupt, government-supported mahants who managed the shrines autocratically [3]. To coordinate the various groups or 'Jathas' involved in this struggle, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was established in December 1920 as the semi-military or political arm of the movement [3]. The movement's success led to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act of 1925, which legally recognized the SGPC as the apex body for shrine management [2]. Therefore, statements 2, 3, and 4 are historically accurate, while statement 1 incorrectly links its origin to the 19th-century political wing.

Sources

1. [1] http://indianculture.gov.in/node/2831982
2. [4] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 19: Towards Modernity > 19.5 Sikh Reform Movement > p. 305
3. [3] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 13: Growth of New India Religious and Social Reform After 1858 > Religious Reform among the Sikhs > p. 224
4. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Sikh Reform Movements > p. 233