SAD puts its act together, defers SGPC executive meeting

CHANDIGARH, MARCH 15: In what appears to be the initial step of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to tackle the religio-political crisis faced...

CHANDIGARH, MARCH 15: In what appears to be the initial step of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to tackle the religio-political crisis faced by the Sikh polity, the executive committee meeting of the SGPC, called on March 16 to discuss the budget, has been postponed to March 23. As a result, the need to appoint an acting president of the SGPC is obliterated for the time being. Also, there will be no change of jathedars of Takht Keshgarh Sahib and Takht Damdama Sahib in the immediate future.

Continuing his stream-rolling tactics, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Puran Singh had directed Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who also heads the SAD, to appoint an acting president of the SGPC in place of Bibi Jagir Kaur and replace Takht Keshgarh Sahib Jathedar Prof Manjit Singh and Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Kewal Singh.

What’s more, SAD sources here said it had been made clear to the Akal Takht Jathedar that appointing acting president of the SGPC or replacing the jathedars did not fall in the domain of Badal. It has been pointed out to him that the SGPC is a statutory body and the president is elected by the general house. It the president who alone is authorised to appoint acting president. Similarly, it is the SGPC which is the appointing authority for the jathedars of the three takhts in Punjab.

Sources close to Badal on Wednesday said efforts were on to resolve the crisis amicably during the next few days. Badal had on Tuesday said he was hopeful. While Giani Puran Singh has directed Akali leaders not to associate Bibi Jagir Kaur with any political or religious function, advertisements appeared in Punjabi papers on Wednesday on behalf of the SGPC chief giving information about the three-day Hola Mohalla celebrations at Anandpur Sahib.

Interestingly, it is the jathedar of Takht Keshgarh Sahib (in this case Prof Manjit Singh) who leads the Hola Mohalla procession.

Recovering from the initial shock, senior Akali leaders are now questioning, though in private, the summary trials being held by Giani Puran Singh. A major section of the Sikh intelligentsia has already questioned the actions of the Akal Takht Jathedar.