Warring officials force second SGPC closure in a week

AMRITSAR, Feb 13: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president G S Tohra today ordered closure of its offices for two days from tomo...

AMRITSAR, Feb 13: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president G S Tohra today ordered closure of its offices for two days from tomorrow to protest the "building confrontation" between its secretary and three executive members in the Golden Temple complex. This is the second closure in a week.

Trouble began when SGPC secretary Surjit Singh refused to accept the proceedings of the meeting of 10 members of the pro-Badal executive committee held here on February 10 from vice-president Kewal Singh Badal, general secretaries Balbir Singh Pannu and Hardalbir Singh Shah in the presence of mediapersons.

Surjit Singh refused to accept the papers saying he could not do so without the advice of his lawyers and told the three ShiromaniGurdwara Parbandhak Committee executive members to send the papers by registered post.

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Frayed tempers resulted in tension in the SGPC office in the temple for over an hour and when the matter was brought to the notice of the SGPC president G S Tohra on telephone, he orderedclosure of the offices. The executive members described the action of the secretary as "contempt of court" and told Surjit Singh that legal action could be initiated against him for refusal to accept the papers.

Tension built up as senior SGPC secretary and former minister Manjit Singh Calcutta got into an argument with SGPC secretary Surjit Singh and general secretary Pannu.

Calcutta said that the Committee could not accept the proceedings of the executive committee meeting since "they were not correct".

Pannu later told newspersons that the matter would be brought to the notice of party president Parkash Singh Badal as also the SGPC executive and other members. He said the tajposhi of acting Jathedar Giani Puran Singh would take place on Monday and was expected to be attended by thousands of Sikhs from all over the State.