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Bikram Majithia’s aide recommended Kiran Bala’s name in Pak jatha: SGPC official
The SGPC is chief organisation that send names, passports and other required documents of Sikh pilgrims to the government for getting pilgrimage visas.
Three weeks after a woman pilgrim, Kiran Bala, from Hoshiarpur district converted to Islam and married a Lahore-based Pakistani national, after entering that country as part of an SGPC jatha, it has emerged that a Youth Akali Dal leader, Talbir Singh Gill, recommended the inclusion of her name in the pilgrim party. Gill is political secretary to former minister Bikram Singh Majithia and is also the general secretary, Majha zone, of the YAD.
The SGPC panel comprising advocate Bhagwant Singh Sialka, Ravinder Singh Chak, Gurtej Singh Dhade and Surinder Singh Bhulewal Rathan has authenticated a note from a Golden Temple manager, Sulakhan Singh, that takes Gill’s name.
As per the recommendation note, a copy of which is available with HT, Sulakhan states, “Sardar Talbir Singh Gill has recommended this name to be added to the Sikh Jatha.”
He wrote this note on a photocopy copy of Bala’s Aadhaar card on January 23 this year. Signed by the manager, the note has been numbered 192 by the pilgrimage department of the SGPC for office record.
The SGPC is chief organisation that send names, passports and other required documents of Sikh pilgrims to the government for getting pilgrimage visas. It is also mandatory that all visa applicants be recommended by SGPC members.
When contacted, Sulakhan Singh refused to speak to HT, claiming that the SGPC probe panel was yet to finish its investigation into the matter. Sources added Kiran had also spent a night at the Serai of the Golden Temple a day before she left for Pakistan and another SGPC junior official was seen facilitating her. However, the SGPC has no officials record of her stay.
Meanwhile, Gill rubbished any involvement in the case and termed it as conspiracy to malign his image and also that of the SAD. “I am being falsely implicated. I did not recommend her name,” he said. “It is highly irresponsible of the SGPC official to misuse my name to conceal his own act.”
