E-Paper
Suspended Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bibi Jagir Kaur summoned by party again
On November 2, Jagir Bibi was suspended from the party and was given two days’ time to explain her position for deciding to contest the November 9 election for SGPC president, and was given another chance to reply by Sunday. She remained evasive on both occasions.
The disciplinary committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday gave one more chance to rebel leader Bibi Jagir Kaur, former president of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), to appear before the committee on Monday to explain her decision to contest the November 9 election for SGPC president.
The disciplinary committee asked Bibi to appear in person at party headquarters. On November 2, Bibi was suspended from the party and was given two days’ time to explain her position and was given another chance to reply by Sunday. She remained evasive on both occasions.
The party has given her a chance for a second time, a decision that was taken at a meeting of the disciplinary committee presided over by Sikander Singh Maluka and held at Maluka village in Bathinda district .
“What for do I reply now? The party has already suspended me,” Bibi said on Sunday, adding that she would not reconsider her decision. Bibi had earlier challenged the system of ’lifafa’ (envelope) culture, referring to the naming of party president hours before the election.
After a gap of 20 years, the system has been challenged by three times president of the apex body of Sikhs, which is also called the mini parliament managing at least 80 historic gurdwaras, two medical colleges, three hospitals and number of schools and colleges. Decision by the one-time confidante of the Badals to jump into the election fray forced the party to name its candidate -- incumbent Harjinder Singh Dhami -- days in advance.
Extending an invitation to Bibi, Maluka suggested her to explain her point of view. “This is being done so that a personal hearing can be given to Bibi ji”, the disciplinary committee chairperson said. “The disciplinary committee has given her two opportunities to reply to the show cause notice. Now she has been given an opportunity to present her case in person.”
Other members of the committee, Virsa Singh Valtoha and Mantar Singh Brar, attended the meeting even as Iqbal Singh Jhundan and Dr Sukhwinder Kumar joined online.
According to Bibi, SAD leaders were pressurising SGPC members and intimidating them, saying that they would know from the ballot paper as to who has voted in whose favour. “This is party’s high-handedness as its purely political interference in religious matters,” said Bibi, adding that Dhami could meet the members for support but not the leaders of Akali Dal. “I am not meeting the members because when the party comes to know about that they reach out to the members to put pressure on them.”
