E-Paper
Sukhbir: No such culture in SAD, It’s a conspiracy to defame party
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal who was at the Golden Temple to attend the function to mark the 100-year centenary of Saka Panja Sahib said names are endorsed in Party’s poll session
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday while speaking about the Shiromani Gurdwara Pabandhak Committee (SGPC) presidential poll slated for November 9 stated that there is no lifafa (envelope culture) in the gurdwara body and claiming so is nothing but to defame the party.
He was reacting to the allegations made by former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, who is planning to contest the presidential poll.
While replying to a media query on the sideline of the function organised by the SGPC at Manji Sahib Diwan Hall at Golden Temple to mark the centenary of Saka Panja Sahib, Badal said, “First of all, there is no lifafa (envelope) culture as is being claimed by the opponents. You all know. During the party’s poll session, the name of the candidate is proposed and endorsed. Then it is asked if anyone wants to be a candidate for the SGPC president’s post. Sometimes, other candidates also stand and in this case, votes are cast. When voting is witnessed during the session and the contest is between two candidates, where is the lifafa culture? All these are conspiracies aimed at defaming the SAD. But these conspiracies will not affect us. Sikh Sangat knows everything.”
When asked about Bibi Jagir Kaur’s plan to contest the election, he said, “I have not heard Bibi ji saying anything about it. But I give due respect to Bibi Ji.”
While addressing the function, he appealed to the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh as well as heads of Panthic organizations to guide the SAD in protecting the Panthic institutions, including the SGPC from the onslaught of nefarious elements who were bent on dividing the Sikh community.
The SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami announced two programmes on behalf of the SGPC. He said the organization would collect signatures urging for the release of Bandi Singhs from the Sikh community and people of Punjab and submit them in trucks to the Governor. He also announced that an Ardas Divas would be organised at the district level to focus on the need to ensure a separate committee was not formed to manage the gurdwaras of Haryana.
