
CHANDIGARH: Rebel Shiromani Akali Dal leaders today met Akal Takht (Highest Temporal seat of Sikhs) Jathedar (High priest) Giani Raghbir Singh and sought directions to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to maintain the sanctity of the seven-member committee constituted by Akal Takht to revive the party.
The two members of the Akal Takht-formed seven member committee Gurpratap Singh Wadala and Santa Singh Umaidpuri met the Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and told him that the party leadership is non-committal in implementing the directives issued by the Akal Takht last month.
After meeting the Jathedar at his office in Golden temple complex in Amritsar, Wadala said that he (Jathedar) had declared that only the seven-member committee had been entrusted with the responsibility of revamping the party.
As per the directive of the Jathedar they have also submitted a letter to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami requesting to hold the meeting of the committee that was headed by him.
He further said that despite clear instructions given by Singh that only the seven-member committee constituted by Akal Takht can start the membership drive and revamp the party and that these directions would have to be abided by in toto, the Akali Dal just chose to ignore them.
"That is why we had no option left but to meet the Jathedar who specifically told us that only the seven member committee appointed by the Akal Takht has been authorized to chalk out and oversee the membership drive in the party,” claimed Wadala.
The other members of the committee included former SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badhungar, Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Manpreet Singh Ayali, Santa Singh Umaidpuri and Satwant Kaur.
Recently Singh has shown his "displeasure ‘’ saying that the Shiromani Akali Dal is yet to implement the December 2 edict 'in toto' and that the body cannot overlook the seven-member committee set up to reorganise the party. He had asked the party to immediately make operational the panel headed by SGPC Dhami.
While pronouncing ‘tankhah’ to former Shiromani Aklai Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and other guilty party leaders on December 2, last year, Giani Raghbir Singh had announced from the ‘faseel’ of Akal Takht that ae seven-member committee headed by SGPC chief Dhami will oversee the new membership drive in the party ad reorganise the party structure, appointment of fresh delegates in addition to the existing ones and members within a span of six months.
Interestingly the party’s Dakha MLA and leader of the legislative party in the state assembly Manpreet Singh Ayali and the party’s Panthic Advisory Board member Santa Singh Umaidpur refused to accept the new duties allocated to them by the party working committee saying that they would go only by the directions of Akal Takht.
Ayali was deputed to oversee the membership drive in Rajasthan whereas Umaidpuri was to perform the same task in Himachal Pradesh.
The SAD had claimed that recasting the party through the seven-member committee might lead to cancellation of its recognition from the Election Commission of India (ECI) as the Representation of the People Act, 1951, mandates for running a political party in a secular manner, and not as per the directions of a religious body.
Meanwhile the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to focus on conducting the targeted 25 lakh strong membership drive as part of its organizational elections.
Senior party leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said “all plans are being finalized to start the membership drive on January 20. These include printing copies for distribution to the party cadre as well as framing the rules and regulations for the drive as per constitutional norms.’’
Cheema said, "the party is committed to ensuring that a genuine membership drive is conducted and that the same is ratified by party Observers under the supervision of the chief election officer for the drive – former minister Gulzar Singh Ranike”.
He said it had been decided to hold training sessions for the designated Observers so that the entire process could be conducted smoothly in a free and fair manner.’’