Former SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar quits Akal Takht-constituted panel

Five of the seven members of the committee met at Bahadurgarh near Patiala on Tuesday and decided to approach the Akal Takht, seeking clarity on the purpose of the committee. Dhami and Badungar abstained from the meeting.

Former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar announced his exit from the seven-member committee constituted by the Akal Takht on December 2 last year to supervise the re-organisation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). He wrote to Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, asking him to free him of the responsibility.

Former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar announced his resignation from the Akal Takht-constituted seven member panel for SAD reorganised, a day after Harjinder Singh Dhami resigned as the SGPC president and offered to quit as the head of the panel. (HT Photo)

This comes a day after Harjinder Singh Dhami resigned as the SGPC president and offered to quit as the head of the panel.

Following the announcements, five of the seven members of the committee -- Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Manpreet Singh Ayali, Santa Singh Umaidpur, Iqbal Singh Jhoondan and Bibi Satwant Kaur, met at Bahadurgarh near Patiala on Tuesday and decided to approach the Akal Takht, seeking clarity on the purpose of the committee. Dhami and Badungar abstained from the meeting.

Pertinent to mention here that the SAD had rejected the Akal Takht-constituted committee, stating that working under the directions of a panel formed by a religious body might lead to its de-recognition by the Election Commission of India under the provisions of the Representation of People Act.

According to Wadala, the committee’s attempts to make an impact have failed as its existence was challenged (by SAD leaders).

He further said, “Due to the exit of two leaders (Dhami and Badungar), we have decided that we must request Singh Sahib (Akal Takht jathedar) to intervene as the SAD has not accepted the committee, which has caused confusion in the entire community.”

Dhami had put in his papers four days after Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh condemned the sacking of Giani Harpreet Singh as jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib by the SGPC executive committee, the meeting of which was chaired by Dhami. While resigning, Dhami had also stated that two meetings of the seven-member committee had remained indecisive. The committee had met on February 4 and 13.

SAD had started a month-long membership drive on January 20, which will be ending on February 20. After the membership drive, the SAD has planned to hold the office-bearers’ election on March 1.