Move to reinstall Bhai Ranjit Singh
Crucial SHSAD meeting today
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Oct 22 — The crucial meeting of zila jathedars, SGPC members, working committee members, former MPs and former ministers of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD), scheduled to be held in Ludhiana tomorrow would suggest ways and means of launching a campaign to re-install Bhai Ranjit Singh as Jathedar of Akal Takht. The meeting would also discuss staging of district-level protest dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office and ‘gherao’ of ministers during their visits in the state.

Talking to The Tribune, Mr Jasbir Singh Ghuman, General Secretary, SHSAD, said significant issues regarding the post-election political scenario would be discussed at length in the meeting to be held tomorrow.

He said the party leadership had already decided that certain "anti-farmer" steps being taken by the state government, including the auction of surplus panchayat land, would be opposed tooth and nail.

He said the party might decide to gherao ministers during their tours, for taking "anti-people" decisions. Mr Ghuman said the people had voted against the non-performance of SAD-BJP Government during the recent Lok Sabha elections. The party would also propose some concrete steps for launching an agitation against the state government due to the hike in diesel prices, among other things. Mr Sarbjit Singh Gumtala, General Secretary of the Sarb Hind Youth Akali Dal (SHYAD), also endorsed the views of Mr Ghuman and said the youth leaders would suggest the party leaders to launch a "Badal bhajao" (oust Badal) movement. Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President of the SHSAD, had earlier, announced that he would endeavour to change the leadership of the SAD in Punjab Assembly after the Lok Sabha elections. He had also announced that the SHSAD would ensure that the SAD government completed its full five year term after change of the leader of the SAD in Punjab Assembly.

Both Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Mr Tohra had already rejected the probability of "unity" in the near future, yet suggestions mooted by Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, a former minister and close confidant of Mr Tohra, might be discussed at the meeting. The party would also take stock of its performance in the elections for the 13th Lok Sabha.

The party leadership feels that although the party lacked infrastructural and a proper organisational set up, yet it was able to influence the outcome of the elections in various constituencies.

Mr Ghuman and Mr Gumtala, however, said the issue of unity of the SAD and SHSAD could not be discussed unless Mr Badal apologised for allegedly denigrating Akal Takht. Mr Badal and his coterie would have to accept that Bhai Ranjit Singh was the "real jathedar" of Akal Takht, they said.

The party leadership would also discuss at length the ways to keep the third front intact. After the elections, divergent views were expressed by leaders of the SAD (Panthic) and the SAD (Democratic).