Support pours in for Dhami, SGPC to take call on his resignation today

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) executive will take a call on the resignation of Harjinder Singh Dhami as the chief of the Sikh body at an emergency meeting tomorrow, according to sources.

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Earlier, while calling the meeting, the SGPC had not disclosed its agenda.

SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan said all members of the executive body had been informed about the Friday meeting.

The executive body can either accept or reject Dhami’s resignation.

If the resignation is accepted, then a general house meeting will have to be called in the next seven days to elect a new president. During this period, the senior vice-president of the SGPC will work as the acting president of the Sikh body.

Dhami, a four-time SGPC president, had announced his decision to step down from the SGPC chief’s post days after Giani Harpreet Singh was removed as the Jathedar of the Takht Damdama Sahib. He had also offered to quit as the chief of the seven-member committee appointed by the Akal Takht to oversee the membership drive of the Shiromani Akali Dal on “moral grounds”.

He had also cited Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh’s statement on the social media, which criticised the procedure used to remove Giani Harpreet Singh.

Meanwhile, support continued to pour in for Dhami ahead of the executive body meeting.

Paramjit Singh Raipur, an executive member representing the opposition group in the SGPC, said Dhami’s resignation should not be accepted keeping in view the existing crisis.

“Though it will be the decision of the majority of the executive members, I believe Dhami should not quit. I will support if his resignation is not accepted. At the same time, if he continues, he should fulfil his responsibilities in the interest of Panth devoid of any political pressure,” he added.

Former SGPC president Jagir Kaur said, “Dhami should not have resigned in the present situation. Rather, he should have shouldered responsibilities and duties assigned by the Akal Takht.”

SGPC member Kiranjot Kaur said if the executive refuses to accept Dhami’s resignation, he would have another opportunity to prove himself as the Sikh body chief.