5 Sikh clergy to meet today, Shiromani Akali Dal rebels’ appeal in focus

GS Paul

Amritsar, July 14

All eyes are on the meeting of the Akal Takht Jathedar led five Sikh high priests scheduled at the Akal Takht Secretariat tomorrow. The meeting will take a call on the rebellious attitude of a group of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders against the current leadership.

SAD leaders, including Prem Singh Chandumajra, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Jagir Kaur, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Karnail Singh Panjauli, Manjit Singh and others submitted a written apology to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on July 1.

In the letter, they apologised for being part of the SAD regime (2007-2017) when the top leadership committed several ‘mistakes’ leading to the party’s debacle on both political and religious platforms.

They had mentioned the controversial flip-flop exoneration of Dera Sirsa cult, failure to punish the perpetrators of sacrilege instances at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura, appointment of controversial police officials on top posts.

The high priests’ meeting is crucial for the SAD’s future as rebel Akali leaders have stressed the implementation of the Jhunda committee’s recommendations, which included a change in the party’s top leadership which had been marginalised in the polls repeatedly.

Nonetheless, sources said after the discussion, the five high priests may call both the rebels and the SAD leadership led by Sukhbir Singh Badal separately. It will take some more time for the Jathedars to zero in on a conclusion of this commotion before giving a verdict.

An official of the Akal Takht Secretariat said apart from the SAD leaders’ apology, besides other issues pertaining to the Panth, including the controversial shooting of ‘anand karaj’ (Sikh wedding) scene for a TV serial by setting up a dummy gurdwara at Mohali on July 8, would be the part of the agenda during tomorrow’s meeting.

Meanwhile, a three-member delegation of rebel leaders — Kiranjot Kaur, Karnal Singh Panjauli and Manjit Singh — met Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh here yesterday. The rebels have also intimated the Jathedar about their meeting in Chandigarh tomorrow.

Kiranjot said the five high priests would discuss the points raised by the SAD leaders.”We hope that the five high priests would take the move as per the maryada of the Akal Takht,” she said.

Another Sikh leader, Paramjit Singh Mand, said the Akal Takht Jathedar should take the command in his hands, dissolve the present organisational structure and rebuild a new structure of the SAD.

Fate of Akali leaders hangs in balance

The meeting is crucial for the SAD’s future as rebel Akali leaders have stressed the implementation of Jhunda committee’s recommendations, including a change in the party’s top leadership. Sources said the five high priests might call both the rebels and the SAD leadership separately.