SGPC chief, rebel Akali leader Wadala meet Akal Takht Jathedar over SAD's membership drive

As the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) commenced its fresh membership drive, ignoring the Akal Takht constituted committee, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami and rebel Akali leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala held a meeting with Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh here on Monday.

The rebel Akali leaders had earlier also expressed resentment against the SAD leadership for not complying with the edict pronounced on December 2 last year by the highest temporal seats of Sikhs.

Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, while pronouncing ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) to the ‘guilty’ Akali leaders, had stated that the existing SAD leadership had lost the moral right to lead the Sikh Panth politically due to the ‘sins’ committed by its leaders.

The Jathedar had announced a seven-member committee, headed by SGPC chief Dhami, to oversee the proceedings as per party's constitution, for reorganising the party structure and holding elections for the post of party president and other office bearers within six months.

The other members of the committee include former SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badhungar, Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Manpreet Singh Ayali, Santa Singh Umedpur and Satwant Kaur.

After the meeting, that lasted for over one hour, Wadala said the Jathedar had reiterated that the Akal Takht constituted committee was only authorised in the SAD membership drive for the resurrection of the party.

“But, it was ethically and morally incorrect on the part of the SAD leadership to overlook the sanctity of the Akal Takht constituted committee. Now as the SAD leadership went ahead with its own whims and fancies, what role do we have to play? We had even dissolved the ‘SAD Sudhar Lehar’ as per the orders of the Akal Takht to come under one umbrella to strengthen the Akali Dal,” he said.

“We will see how the ‘Panth’ and the ‘Sangat’ would take the wrong narrative being set by the SAD by ignoring Akal Takht directions. It would tantamount to creating further chaos and confusion,” Wadala said, adding that the Jathedar’s further directions were awaited.

Ironically, two members — Ayali and Umedpur — had also refused to toe the SAD’s line while declaring that they would go only by the directions of Akal Takht.

Ayali was deputed to oversee the membership drive in Rajasthan whereas Umedpur was to perform the same task in Himachal Pradesh.