Akal Takht chief checkmates Badal
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Jan 17 — In a swift move, Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, has convened a meeting of all Sikh organisations, Sikh institutions and religious bodies on February 2 at Akal Takht.

This announcement has assumed significance on the eve of the meeting convened by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, president, Shiromani Akali Dal, at Anandpur Sahib tomorrow to finalise the programme for the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Panth.

Bhai Ranjit Singh had boycotted the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex to mark the beginning of the celebrations, describing it a "government show". The SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has supported Bhai Ranjit Singh's stand for staying away from the celebrations on November 22 and said that it was based on certain principles. Instead, Bhai Ranjit Singh had organised a three-day parallel religious march on December 4 from Anandpur Sahib to Chamkaur Sahib.

Although, the agenda for the meeting convened by Bhai Ranjit Singh on February 2 is to give final touches for baptising Sikhs in an organised manner to mark the tercentenary celebrations, yet Sikh circles are of the view that some important decisions are likely to be taken at the proposed meeting in view of the current crisis in the Akali Dal.

The proposed meeting may authorise Bhai Ranjit Singh to take a parallel religious procession under the aegis of Akal Takht. Some Sikh intellectuals have described the calling of all Sikh organisations at Akal Takht as a "sort of Sarbat Khalsa" (collective congregations) for taking collective decisions to sort out certain problems facing the Panth.

The institution of the 'Sarbat Khalsa' was very common in the eighteenth century before Maharaja Ranjit Singh's regime. Whenever there was any debate on the Sikh issues during the time of 'misls' (chieftains) the Panth would sort it out by convening a 'Sarbat Khalsa'. However, this practice was stopped when all 'misls' accepted the supremacy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Sources close to Bhai Ranjit Singh said he was feeling "let down" due to current developments, including the defying of "hukamnama" by a section of the Badal camp and hence wanted to counter it.

The immediate provocation for convening the meeting by Bhai Ranjit Singh is said to be the statement of Prof Darshan Singh Ragi, a former Jathedar Akal Takht, in which he had confirmed that he was offered the post of Akal Takht chief by warring Akali factions to enlist his support in the ongoing feud between the Akali stalwarts. This development has sent clear signals to Bhai Ranjit Singh. A few days ago Bhai Ranjit Singh, had himself offered to resign in case majority of the SGPC members asked him to step down.

All eyes are now on the crucial meeting convened by Mr Parkash Singh Badal tomorrow at Anandpur Sahib. In view of the announcement made by Bhai Ranjit Singh to convene the meeting of all Sikh organisations and institutions on February 2. Mr Badal will have to be cautious while finalising the programmes for the tercentenary celebrations. Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, and his supporters have also been invited to attend the meeting.

It may be recalled the crucial meeting of MLAs, ministers, SGPC members and MPs at Anandpur Sahib on January 7 had authorised Mr Parkash Singh Badal to run the show of the tercentenary celebrations in a befitting manner.

The meeting to be held at Anandpur Sahib tomorrow would make the current religio-political scenario more clear as it would also be attended by Mr Tohra and his supporters.

Sources close to Mr Tohra said he would raise certain important points at the meeting on Monday of spreading the Sikh principles all over the world in a befitting manner.

The Badal camp had not invited Mr Tohra at the Maghi Mela at Muktsar on January 14. This was the first political conference held on the home turf of the Chief Minister after the Tohra-Badal feud. In the given circumstances, Mr Tohra had to organise a parallel political conference at Vaan village (Amritsar) where he dwelt on certain vital religious issues in an apparent attempt to embarrass Mr Badal.

It is believed that Mr Tohra would now emphasise certain religious issues at Monday's meeting which could be difficult for the Badal camp to implement for the tercentenary celebrations. For this Mr Tohra seems to have done a lot of home work.

On the other hand, the Sant Samaj at a meeting held at Mansooran Jodhan (Ludhiana) on January 15 also supported the 'hukamnama' issued by Akal Takht on December 31 directing the Akali leadership to maintain truce till April 15. Earlier a section of the Sant Samaj had held a meeting at Jalandhar in which it had appealed to Bhai Ranjit Singh to withdraw the 'hukamnama' as it was allegedly issued in "violation" of the Sikh traditions.

Appeal to withdraw edict
131 SGPC members write to Takht chief
By Gobind Thukral
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 17 — It is indeed unprecedented in the history of the Sikh gurdwara management body that came into existence in 1925 that 131 SGPC members have requested the Akal Takht Jathedar in writing to withdraw an edict. There are 175 elected members. The SGPC has the right to appoint or remove an Akal Takht Jathedar.

These 131 signatories to the appeal today echoed what was said by 10 of the 15 members of the SGPC Executive. They wanted Bhai Ranjit Singh, Akal Takht chief, to withdraw the hukamnama ordering the warring Akali factions to truce till the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa have started by mid-April. The fight between the Chief Minister and the Akali Dal president, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and his arch rival the SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has been on and in fact, has entered a decisive stage. The Badal camp is keen to oust Mr Tohra at the earliest. As per the edict no action, in other words, notice to summon the SGPC general house to pass a no-confidence motion against Mr Tohra could be taken up till April 15. Since the SGPC will be meeting in March for its budget session and action against Mr Tohra can be initiated, hence the urgency to withdraw the 'humkamnama'.

Today, the members, who have launched a signature campaign for the review of the 'hukamnama' issued on December 31 last said in the appeal that the edict should be withdrawn in the interest of the Sikh Panth and Punjab at large. SGPC General Secretary Balbir Singh Pannu gave details to newspersons.

Asked if any action would be taken against the Jathedar if he did not withdraw the 'hukamnama', he said, "I am not competent enough to comment on this. However, the SGPC is empowered to consider the "hukamnama" as it comes under the purview of the 1925 Sikh Gurdwara Act and Akal Takht is also recognised by the Act."

He claimed that the SGPC had invoked this Act to dismiss Jathedars earlier also.

Mr Pannu denied that the appeal to withdraw the 'hukamnama' was violative of the Sikh 'maryada', saying "earlier also hukamnamas have been withdrawn".

He said the members had sought withdrawal of the 'hukamnama' "as it does not send proper signals and while issuing the edict other Jathedars were not consulted".

Mr Pannu extended a veiled threat to Bhai Ranjit Singh saying that by in- voking the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925, the SGPC General House had earlier sacked some of the jathedars of Akal Takht.

Justifying the appeal to withdraw the 'hukamnama', Mr Pannu claimed it had sent wrong signals about the Panth and the Akali Dal on the eve of the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth.

"Once the controversial 'hukamnama' was withdrawn, mischievous elements within the Panth who were trying to create a division could be easily handled by the Sikh leadership," he added.

Mr Pannu reiterated the demand for convening a meeting of the SGPC executive or the general house at the earliest as demanded by the 10 members of the Executive.

He also repeated the demand for the removal of Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta from the office of Senior General Secretary of the SGPC since his appointment was unconstitutional and he had openly criticised the existence of the Damdama Sahib Takht.

It is clear to Mr Tohra that he is in a hopeless minority and his days are numbered. But his trump card, the edict, is there. Once Mr Badal violates the edict, Mr Tohra could go to Akal Takht and plead that he be summoned and declared a tankhaia. This could upset Mr Badal's whole game. While Mr Badal is commanding massive support of the MLAs, MPs, district Jathedars and SGPC members he is playing soft.

Interestingly, both leaders are scrupulously avoiding attacking each other.