Akal Takht Jathedar calls meeting of five high priests on Jan 28

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh has called up a meeting of the five high priests likely to 'take a call on the issue of SAD’s membership drive, among other issues pertaining to the non-compliance of Akal Takht directions'.

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Though the Akal Takht Secretariat officials were reluctant to share the agenda of the meeting, they confirmed that the meeting has been scheduled for January 28 to discuss ‘some Panthic issues’.

Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, while pronouncing ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) to the ‘guilty’ Akali leaders on December 2, had announced a seven-member committee, headed by SGPC chief Dhami, to oversee the proceedings for reorganising the party structure, holding elections for the post of party president and other office bearers within six months.

On the other hand, the SAD appointed a parallel panel under the supervision of its senior leader and party’s chief election officer for the organisational poll, Gulzar Singh Ranike.

The party included five of its Akal Takht committee members in the membership drive programme but excluded Gurpartap Singh Wadala, the convener of the SAD Sudhar Lehar (dissolved at present) and Satwant Kaur, an SGPC employee.

On Wednesday, a group of SGPC members approached the Akal Takht, demanding action against the leadership of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for not complying with the edict pronounced on December 2 by the highest temporal seat of Sikhs.

In a representation submitted at the Akal Takht Secretariat, they expressed resentment over SAD membership drive by ignoring Akal Takht-constituted committee, demand for reviewing the decision of withdrawing ‘Fakhr-e-Qaum’ title given to late Parkash Singh Badal, and Sukhbir Badal’s ‘casual’ approach towards the ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment).