Tribune News ServiceLudhiana, October 11
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, today announced the constitution of a three-member committee to probe acts of sacrilege and the relationship of various political leaders with controversial and excommunicated Baba Piara Singh Bhaniara.
The members are Justice Kulwant Singh Tiwana and Justice Ujjagar Singh, both retired judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Mr Kharak Singh Mann, member of the Dharam Prachar Committee of the SGPC.
He also announced that the SGPC had offered to the Centre that it was ready to bear the entire cost of evacuating all Sikhs and Hindus stranded in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, in a significant statement, which could have far-reaching political implications on the Akali politics in the state, Mr Talwandi today said Akal Takht hukumnama (edict) was always final and “it cannot be flouted” by anyone in whatever circumstances it had been issued. Addressing a press conference here in connection with the constitution of the three-member committee, Mr Talwandi said, “Hukamnana (of Akal Takht) cannot be violated at any cost no matter under what circumstances it has been issued.”
The statement can have a serious fallout as the rival Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic Morcha) may use the same and ask the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to obey the edicts issued by Bhai Ranjit Singh, which Mr Badal did not obey. However, Mr Talwandi refused to be drawn into any controversy and asserted that he was only talking in a specific context related to the excommunication of Baba Bhaniara.
Mr Talwandi made these remarks while referring to the excommunication of Baba Bhaniara by the Akal Takht jathedar, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, in July this year, particularly when he had already been excommunicated by Bhai Ranjit Singh in 1998. Mr Talwandi said Mr Vedanti had told him that proper procedure had not been followed by Bhai Ranjit Singh to excommunicate Baba Bhaniara.
