SAD creating hurdles in Sikh body elections: Giani Harpreet
Former Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh on Saturday accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) of creating hurdles in the conduct of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections in a bid to retain control over the Sikh body.
Giani Harpreet, who was sacked as the Damdama Sahib Jathedar by the Sikh body earlier this year, levelled the accusation during a meeting of the Akal Takht-constituted panel that was tasked with holding a membership drive for the SAD.
Uncertainty looms over the fate of panel as the party had rejected it and held its own membership drive, culminating in the organisational polls during which Sukhbir Singh Badal was re-elected the SAD president.
The panel includes rebel Akali leaders, who had pushed for a leadership change in the party.
The panel’s Saturday meeting, which lasted for around six hours, was attended by its all five members, apart from Giani Harpreet.
Addressing the gathering, the former Jathedar held Badal responsible for the “downfall of the SAD”, which is struggling to get back its core Sikh voters who have drifted away from it in recent years.
Giani Harpreet alleged that the SAD was creating hurdles in the SGPC elections fearing defeat.
“Sukhbir Badal is not allowing the elections to take place as he has seen the writing on the wall. He wants to retain power at any cost,” he alleged.
The former Jathedar said a powerful leadership could emerge if the polls were held immediately, leading to the resolution of all Panthic issues.
The members of the committee, including Gurpartap Singh Wadala and Manpreet Singh Ayali, also attacked Sukhbir Badal. They blamed Badal for the schism in the party.
They said the party could be unified if Badal rose above the consideration of holding on to his control by “hook or crook”.
The committee members alleged that the SAD and the SGPC were being controlled by the Badal family.
They also termed as "bogus" the membership drive carried out by the party, saying it was conducted against the directions of the Akal Takht.
The meeting was organised by Amarinder Singh Libra and Gurjeet Singh Talwandi.
