SAD declares Harjinder Singh Dhami as party candidate for top SGPC post

Amritsar, November 4

Amid the defiant attitude of Bibi Jagir Kaur, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today declared incumbent Harjinder Singh Dhami as the party’s official candidate for the SGPC president’s post.

Lalpura approaching SGPC members

BJP leader and Chairman of National Commission for Minorities Iqbal Singh Lalpura has been approaching SGPC members to cast their vote against the SAD candidate. Harjinder Singh Dhami

It was one of the rare occasions when the SAD leadership declared its candidate five days prior to the election, apparently to cast away the alleged label of “lifafa culture”, under which the president’s name used to be declared at the eleventh hour.

Bibi had claimed that she had asked SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal to shun this practice and make an open contest this time, as it had been hitting the credibility of the SAD and the SGPC. She had also apprised Sukhbir of her aspirations to contest the coveted post again.

Before receiving the green signal, Bibi went on her own to meet SGPC members. This did not go down well with the party leadership and the disciplinary committee suspended her on November 2 and served a 48-hour notice on her seeking an explanation for her “anti-party” activities and asking her to withdraw her decision to contest.

SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema declared the party’s decision on Twitter in favour of Dhami. He had replaced Bibi Jagir Kaur in the 2021-2022 elections and his tenure as 44th president of the Sikh body remained non-controversial.

SGPC members will meet to elect the president, other office-bearers and the executive body for the next annual term on November 9 at Teja Singh Samundri Hall in the Golden Temple complex.

Meanwhile, the SGPC chief has blamed the RSS and the BJP for making mischievous attempts to interfere in Sikh affairs and take control of the Sikh body. “The BJP took control of the Delhi Sikh body, Hazur Sahib Takht board and the Haryana Sikh body and is now casting an evil eye on the SGPC,” he said.

He claimed that BJP leader and Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Iqbal Singh Lalpura had been approaching SGPC members to cast their vote against the SAD candidate.

“Allurements were offered to members by leaders who joined the BJP from different parties and Lalpura was anchoring it. This was disclosed to us by members themselves, who said no to any such offer,” he said.

Refuting the allegations, Lalpura said: “Neither me nor any of my relative or acquaintance has been a member of the SGPC. Why and for what purpose should I approach any SGPC member? I have absolutely no concern with the SGPC poll. The SGPC is a constitutional body and I pray for its ‘charhdi kala’ (prosperity). It is the same SGPC which had honoured me with the “Shiromani Sikh Sahitkaar” award in 2006. I am an Amritdhari (baptised) Sikh for the past 63 years and have full devotion towards Akal Takht and the Sikh Panth,” he said.