Akal Takht-constituted committee launches SAD recruitment drive
Five-member panel, comprising Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Manpreet Singh Ayali, Santa Singh Umaidpuri and Satwant Kaur, discusses Panthic unity with Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj.
The Akal Takht-constituted five-member panel on Tuesday launched the Shiromani Akali Dal recruitment drive after offering ardas (prayer) at the highest Sikh temporal seat in the Golden Temple complex in the presence of rebel SAD leaders.
The ardas was recited by Giani Harpreet Singh, who was part of the December 2 hukamnama (Sikh decree) issued by the Panj Singh Sahiban (Sikh clergy) as Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar and was sacked by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee executive panel on February 10.
Led by the panel, comprising Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Manpreet Singh Ayali, Santa Singh Umaidpuri and Satwant Kaur, the rebel Akali leaders gathered at the Akal Takht. Baba Sarabjot Singh Bedi, a descendent of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak, and spiritual leader Baba Sewa Singh Rampur Khera were also present on the occasion.
“The recruitment drive has been initiated in compliance with the December 2 hukamnama, aimed at reorganising and reviving the SAD, a representative political party of the Sikhs. The sangat (community) has given a tremendous response. We appeal to the people of Punjab to become members of the party,” Jhunda told mediapersons.
A camp for the membership drive was organised on Heritage Street that leads to the Golden Temple. Membership forms were filled by the leaders and their supporters. The forms were printed under the name of Shiromani Akali Dal (Bharati Committee). There is no membership fee.
When the five-member panel came out of Golden Temple complex after the ardas, the Akal Takht secretariat staff handed over letters to each of them on behalf of newly appointed acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, who invited them for a meeting.
“A discussion on Panthic unity was held. We have suggested ways to bring all groups on a platform,” Wadala said after the 45-minute meeting.
The Akal Takht’s December 2 decree not only awarded tankhah (religious punishment) to former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and other SAD leaders for mistakes committed by the party and its government from 2007-17 on the complaint of rebel party leaders, but also directed the SAD working committee to accept Badal’s resignation as SAD president besides constituting a seven-member committee to initiate a recruitment drive and elect new office-bearers in six months. The decree said the SAD leadership had lost the moral right to lead the community.
However, the Badal faction initiated a recruitment drive under a SAD working committee, citing legalities. It was termed as violation of the decree. Despite criticism, the Badal faction continued the drive. The panel faced a setback after its coordinator Harjinder Singh Dhami and member Kirpal Singh Badungar quit. However, as then Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh issued a fresh direction to the Takht panel to initiate the drive in February, the remaining members of the panel launched the campaign on Tuesday.
