Tohra turned trusts into personal property

Speaking to mediapersons after a function at Gurdwara Dukhniwaran, Jagir Kaur said, 8220;As SGPC chief he had a role in institutions run by the organisation, but many trust deeds carried his and his father8217;s name. He tried to turn these institutions into his personal property, whereas his role should have been limited to being an ex-officio member of the various educational institutions.8221;

Commenting on Tohra8217;s criticism of the Prime Minister inaugurating the Tercentenary celebrations, she stated, 8220;The Prime Minister will be inaugurating an exhibition. He is after all an important personality in the nation and moreover there will be nothing political about the function.8221; She added that there was no question of refusing permission to anyone to hold a separate programme during the tercentenary.

Asked about the removal of Bhai Ranjit Singh as Jathedar of the Akal Takht, she said the decision will be taken shortly. She added that Ranjit Singh had initially been suspended because he had misused his position as Jathedar of the Takht. 8220;A Jathedar should be impartial. What was the need for a hukumnama in what was clearly a political dispute between two men. A jathedar cannot go around issuing hukumnama8217;s everytime there is a fight on the streets. And despite an appeal by a majority of the SGPC members who represent a majority of the Sikh populace, he did not withdraw the hukumnama.8221;

Clearly offended by the term Mahantni, which Tohra had used, she asserted, 8220;I am not a mahant in anyway. My dera works as a trust and my heirs will have nothing to do with it after my death. I am only here to do seva.8221;

Meanwhile, Bhattal added that the Congress was not participating in the tercentenary celebrations because the party was asked to take part at a very late stage when most of the work was complete. 8220;If we had been asked to do so earlier, we would have certainly taken part8221;.