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Don’t drag your feet, accept Sukhbir’s resignation, jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh tells SAD
The Sikh clergy had on December 2 directed the party’s working committee to accept party president Sukhbir Singh’s resignation within 3 days, and reorganise the party within six months
Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh has told the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to comply with the Sikh clergy’s December 2 decree and accept party president Sukhbir Singh’s resignation, besides working towards reorganising the party structure.
During an interaction on Monday, the jathedar said, “The SAD should not dilly-dally the matter and should comply with the hukamnama of the Panj Singh Sahiban (Sikh clergy) at the earliest.”
On December 2, the Akal Takht had ordered the SAD working committee to accept within three days the resignations of Sukhbir Singh Badal and others, who had been declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) for the mistakes committed during the SAD regime in Punjab, and form a panel to hold elections for the post of SAD president and other office-bearers within six months. It has been over a month, but the working committee has failed to make any decision.
The Akal Takht had also constituted a seven-member committee, led by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, to work towards the party’s reconstitution within six months. Both factions of the party – the Sukhbir camp and the now dissolved Sudhar Leher group of the rebels– had been given representation in the committee.
However, the Sukhbir camp has not accepted this committee yet.
A delegation of SGPC members, belonging to the rebel camp, had recently called on Giani Raghbir Singh to demand action against the SAD president and the party working committee.
SAD leaders are reluctant to accept the Akal Takht’s directive, stating that it would violate the provisions of the Representation of People’s Act, which may lead to de-recognition by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Giani Raghbir Singh remains unconvinced by this stance of the SAD leadership.
The Akal Takht jathedar has also taken strong exception to the SGPC’s move to constitute a panel to probe charges against Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh.
“Any kind of inquiry against a jathedar can only be conducted by Akal Takht Sahib. So, I asked the SGPC to hand over the probe to the Akal Takht. Secondly, Giani Harpreet Singh had made it clear in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib and Panj Pyare (five beloved ones of Guru) that he did not commit the sins. Despite this clarification, constituting a probe panel against Giani Harpreet Singh makes no sense,” he said.
On December 31, the SGPC had passed a resolution to extend the term of the investigation panel by a month in view of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) elections, a move that had drawn a lot of flak.
Reacting to SGPC’s extension of the probe against him, Giani Harpreet Singh had said that he is being nailed to the cross and panth (community) should mobilise against it.
