Tributes paid to former SGPC head

Our Correspondent

Raikot, September 21

People from all walks of life paid tributes to former SAD chief and SGPC president Jagdev Singh Talwandi during his ‘barsi samagam’ held at Gurdwara Tahliana here on Friday.

Leaders of various organisations recollected that Talwandi had inherited traits of statesmanship and sacrifice from his father Chhanga Singh, who was a landlord at Mullanpur village in Lyallpur district of Pakistan.

Speakers acknowledged that Talwandi was probably the only leader of the region who represented people of his areas in constitutional bodies at different tiers of governance, including the village panchayat, state assembly, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

Though Talwandi had been associated with the Shiromani Akali Dal throughout his life, his followers and fans included people from leaders of other political and social outfits of the region. SAD president and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, former cabinet minister Vikramjit Singh Majithia and former legislator Manpreet Singh Ayali were present.