Jathedar calls for Panthic unity as panel starts SAD induction drive

Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj on Tuesday met members of a panel formed by the temporal seat to undertake a membership drive for the Shiromani Akali Dal and called for Panthic unity.

The move came on a day the Takht-constituted panel initiated the drive, already termed as “fake” by the party that is currently running its own enrolment campaign.

The party had alleged on Monday that the drive by the panel was being conducted for an outfit that even doesn’t exist after the membership slips showed word ‘Shiromani’ omitted from the party’s name. However, on Tuesday, Shiromani was added to the membership slips. The issue had been a bone of contention between the party and former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.

The drive was ordered by the Akal Takht as part of a decree that had forced Sukhbir Badal to quit as the SAD chief amid demands for a reform in the party that has seen successive political debacles after its ouster from power in 2017. The drive was to be followed by organisational polls to restructure the outfit, much to the chagrin of the current party leadership that rejected the Takht panel and initiated its own campaign on January 20.

However, previous Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh kept pushing for the drive by the panel constituted by the temporal seat. He was removed from his post by the SAD-dominated Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) earlier this month.

Earlier in the day, inviting the panel members, including rebel Akali leaders, Jathedar Gargaj said he could not spare time to have deliberations over the standoff on the SAD membership drive due to his occupancy with the Hola Mohalla festival.

The panel members — Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Manpreet Singh Ayali, Santa Singh Umaidpuri, Iqbal Singh Jhunda and Satwant Kaur — were sent separate invitations.

Jathedar Gargaj mentioned that the purpose of meeting was to “persuade all to maintain the Panthic unity” and strengthen the Sikh institutions in the light of the December 2 decree.

“The other factions of Akali Dal too would be called up to make the environment cordial,” he said.

Wadala said following the Akal Takht decree, they had discontinued the Akali Dal Sudhar Lahar, a movement launched by dissident party leaders with an aim to reform the party.

‘Waiting for party response’

“On the December 2 directions of the Akal Takht, we had discontinued the Sudhar Lahar to strengthen SAD. The SAD leadership should also reciprocate the same way,” he said demanding that the party follow the decree.

Former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, who was also part of the movement, said they were ready for “Panthic unity” but waiting for response from SAD.

Meanwhile, the panel initiated its enrolment drive from the Golden Temple entrance plaza after performing an ‘ardas’ at the Akal Takht.

No membership fee was charged from those seeking membership.

The ‘ardas’ was performed by former Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh. He was one of the five high Sikh priests who had issued the December 2 decree.

He was too removed from his post by the SGPC on February 10 over “moral misconduct”.

“How could the membership drive being conducted by the Akal Takht ordered committee be held illegal? Let this exercise be considered on the Sikh principle of ‘Panj Pardhani’ with only five members who were intact on Akal Takht’s directives,” he said.

Akalis reach out to rebels

Meanwhile, SAD working president Balwinder Singh Bhunder reiterated his appeal to all rebel Akali leaders to become a part of its membership drive following the call of “Panthic unity” given by officiating Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj.

“Jathedar Sahib had earlier also appealed for unity during his address on Hola Mohalla. It is our duty to do our utmost to fulfil this directive,” he said in a statement.