Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Saturday stated that the seven-member committee constituted by the highest Sikh temporal seat to conduct the recruitment drive of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the reorganisation of the party structure did not require the cooperation of the party’s existing leadership and the panel was asked to initiate the process of recruitment on its own.
His statement comes days after the panel members met him at his residence to tell him that the SAD leadership was “not cooperating” with them in initiating the recruitment process.
While interacting with the media here, the jathedar stated that as per the December 2 decree of the Akal Takht, the SAD recruitment drive had not started yet. This implies that he has rejected the recruitment drive being conducted by the Sukhbir Singh Badal camp.
Speaking on meeting with Harjinder Singh Dhami, who resigned from the presidency of the SGPC and Akal Takht-constituted seven-member panel, at his residence at Hoshiarpur, Giani Raghbir Singh said, “It was a family meeting, and I visited him to congratulate for the birth of his grandson. I have also requested him to resume his duty as the president of the SGPC because the gurdwara body and panth need his kind of person who are a Gursikh, nice-hearted, honest, reputed and of clean image”.
Responding to a query on the resignation of Dhami and former SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar from the seven-member committee, he said, “The seven-member committee was constituted by the Akal Takht on December 2 last year to oversee the membership drive of the Shiromani Akali Dal. A few days ago, its members gave me a report of the proceedings. SAD is not cooperating with them. We neither issued any order to SAD to cooperate with the committee nor asked the panel to seek cooperation from the SAD. This committee was asked to initiate the recruitment drive on its own”.
{{/usCountry}}Responding to a query on the resignation of Dhami and former SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar from the seven-member committee, he said, “The seven-member committee was constituted by the Akal Takht on December 2 last year to oversee the membership drive of the Shiromani Akali Dal. A few days ago, its members gave me a report of the proceedings. SAD is not cooperating with them. We neither issued any order to SAD to cooperate with the committee nor asked the panel to seek cooperation from the SAD. This committee was asked to initiate the recruitment drive on its own”.
{{/usCountry}}“Two members have resigned from the committee. We have received Dhami’s resignation, but we have not received Badungar’s resignation. The remaining five members of the panel should initiate the recruitment process of the party as per the December 2 decree of the Akal Takht. If two members do not become part of the panel, then one of the remaining members will be appointed coordinator of the panel in the upcoming meeting of the Sikh clergy after discussion that is to be held in three-four days,” said the Akal Takht jathedar.
When asked about SAD recruitment drive which has been culminated, he said, “As per December 2 decree, the recruitment drive has not started yet. That is why I am asking the remaining five members of the panel to initiate the drive”.
Replying to a query about talk on his removal, he said, “Such kind of talks always remain there. If I retire from services, it will happen under the edict of Guru. I will remain at this post till Guru’s wish”.
“Rest, I have my bags packed...Will go when asked to do so,” he added.
On February 27, SAD Parliamentary Board led by party working president Balwinder Singh Bhunder reviewed progress of the ongoing recruitment drive of the party and expressed contentment that “Punjabis have given massive response to the drive”.
SAD senior leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema had said the party had issued 33 lakh slips for recruitment drive out of which 10 lakh slips had been received back on February 27 at the party head office and the rest were to be received in a few days.