Top poll official named, Sikh bodies gear up for SGPC battle

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 11

Sikh organisations have pulled up their socks to prepare for the much-awaited SGPC polls after the appointment of Justice SS Saron (retd) as the Chief Commissioner, Gurdwara elections, by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

SAD (Democratic) leader and senior SGPC member Sewa Singh Sekhwan said the SGPC elections were long overdue. He said the polls were being pushed ahead unduly by the SAD (Badal) leadership for the fear of losing grip over the Sikh apex body.

“Now that the BJP-SAD alliance has broken, the Centre has started the process to hold elections. Our aim is to root out Badal and his supporters from the SGPC. In SAD (Democratic), it was unanimously decided that the one who will fight the SGPC elections will not hold any political position,” he said.

SAD (Taksali) spokesperson Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad said the core committee meeting had been scheduled for October 10 to strategise about the SGPC polls. “Since the membership process is a time-consuming exercise, we hope that the elections will be held in May-June 2021,” he said.

Under the leadership of former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Ranjit Singh, many existing SGPC members have joined hands to topple the existing body.

On the other hand, SGPC member Balwinder Singh Bains said, “I don’t think the SGPC elections will be held in the near future. I feel that by appointing the chief commissioner, the BJP has just given a hollow allurement to the Sikhs for its political goals in state.”

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