Don't adopt 'dilly-dallying' tactics, accept Sukhbir's resignation: Akal Takht to SAD

The Akal Takht on Monday directed the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to refrain from adopting ‘dilly-dallying’ tactics on the orders of accepting the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal from the post of party president.

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It also condemned the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for initiating inquiry against Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpeet Singh, whose services were temporarily suspended on charges of allegations leveled against him over domestic dispute.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh said the compliance of five high priests’ verdict pronounced from the ‘faseel’ (podium) of the Akal Takht has to be fulfilled in toto.

“The Akali Dal should not adopt ‘aana kaani’ (dilly dallying) in accepting the resignations of Sukhbir and other leaders lying pending till date”, he said.

While pronouncing ‘tankhah’ on Sukhbir and other ‘guilty’ Akali leaders on December 2, Giani Raghbir Singh had ordered the SAD working committee to accept the resignation of party chief Sukhbir Badal and others within three days.

The party’s working committee was supposed to report back to the Akal Takht on its decision on resignations by December 5.

After completion of 10-day ‘tankhah’, the SAD leaders procured the ‘clearance’ from the Akal Takht on December 20 that they were absolved of all the charges, yet the component of ‘resignation acceptance’ remained unfulfilled, till date.

The SAD leaders had claimed that a 20-day grace period was given for the resignation acceptance. However, after missing this deadline too, the SAD leaders apparently stated that the decision on resignations would be taken up in the working committee meeting, supposed to be called up in the first week of January.

Sukhbir, who was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht on August 30, had tendered his resignation on November 16.

Similarly, other Akali leaders — Harmeet Singh Sandhu and Anil Joshi —had resigned from the primary membership of the party on November 19 and 20, but the decision was pending.

On SGPC initiating inquiry against Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh said, “It was a violation of Akal Takht’s jurisdiction. Only the Akal Takht possesses the power of probing allegations against the Takht Jathedars, not the SGPC. The inquiry has to be handed over to the Akal Takht. I have already expressed my displeasure with the SGPC on this issue.”

The SGPC in its executive meeting on December 19 had suspended Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh temporarily and a three-member sub-committee was constituted to investigate the allegations leveled against him.