SGPC to come up with new action plan for release of 'Bandi Singhs'

Amritsar, August 31

After the Joint Action Committee (JAC) formed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), on the directions of Akal Takht, supposedly failed to deliver desired results on the issue of ‘Bandi Singhs’ (Sikh political prisoners), the Sikh body has decided to take up the matter on its own.

With this agenda, the SGPC has scheduled a special meeting of all members on September 2 at its headquarters here.

The fresh proposal could aim to launch a ‘statewide signature campaign’ on the issue, in which committee members would be entrusted to get signatures from residents of their constituencies. These signatures would then be sent to the Punjab Government.

Sources said Sukhbir Badal-led SAD, which was decimated in the recent polls despite fielding Balwant Singh Rajoana’s sister Kamaldeep Kaur, had been mobilising the SGPC on the issue, in an effort to shift its focus from ‘Punjabiat’ to ‘Panthic’.

The SGPC recently installed the portrait of Dilawar Singh in the Golden Temple’s central museum and has already passed a proposal to set up an identical portrait of Balwinder Singh Jattana.

The JAC, consisting of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Harmeet Singh Kalka, Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Baljit Singh Daduwal, had backed out, objecting over the inclusion of Sukhbir Badal, terming it a pre-planned move to revive the Akali Dal. Later, SAD (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann too parted ways and contested against SAD in the Sangrur parliamentary bypoll and won.

SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said, “The action plan will be disclosed on September 2. We will be getting feedback from the members before finalising next move.”