Amritsar Akali leaders speak out

Amritsar, October 12

Five days after three Taksali veterans from Majha skipped the SAD’s Patiala rally, local Akali leaders on Friday voiced dissent against the party leadership.

Refuting reports that they planned to quit the party, the leaders said they would attend the ongoing Bargari Morcha on October 14.

Bhai Manjit Singh, an SGPC member and a former senior vice-president of the SAD, said the pardon granted to the Sirsa dera head and the laxity over a series of sacrilege cases had dented the Akali Dal’s image.

“The SAD’s move to exonerate the dera head was suicidal. It caused irreparable loss to the party, Akal Takht and the SGPC,” said Bhai Manjit Singh, whose brother Bhai Amrik Singh was killed along with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale during Operation Bluestar.

Sarbjeet Singh Sohal, former organising secretary of the SAD, said: “We want that the Akali leaders should introspect and find a replacement for Sukhbir Singh Badal.” Others present included former SAD spokesperson and convener Harvinder Singh Khalsa and working committee member Gursev Singh Harpalpur.

Flip-flop on press meet

Bhai Manjit Singh was scheduled to hold a press conference in the morning, but he cancelled it at the eleventh hour. The message was circulated by the media adviser to a former minister. Sources said a senior SAD leader took Bhai Manjit Singh to an undisclosed location, apparently to stop him from addressing the media. In the afternoon, the presser was finally held at Bhai Manjit Singh’s house. He claimed, “I never wanted to quit the party. Only the timing of the press conference was changed.” — TNS