CKD president resigns, takes it back amid uproar
AMRITSAR :Amid drama and confusion over the resignation of Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) new president, Santokh Singh, at Saturday’s executive meeting held to pass the organisation’s budget, the meeting was adjourned to Monday.
Some members at the meeting, held at the Gurdwara Kalgidhar, had demanded that 20 ‘special invitees’ from 500 members of the organisation should also have been present.
There was mud slinging, too, that forced the president to announce that he was resigning as members were indulging in unbecoming behaviour in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. Later, he announced that he was taking back his resignation.
The furore started over 20 ‘special invitees’ from the 500member general body not being part of the meeting. Of the general body, 31 members, including the president, are members of its executive body that has the authority to take decisions. Previous CKD chief Charanjit Singh Chadha, who had to resign after a video surfaced where he is allegedly seen in a compromising position with a woman principal of a school that the CKD runs, used to have special invitees as part of the executive meeting.
Jaswinder Singh Dhillon, an executive member, who attended Saturday’s meeting, said, “During the last meeting of the CKD, it was decided that ‘special invitee’ members would also take part in meetings where decisions are to be taken. However, they were not invited on Saturday. Some members raised the issue and insisted on passing a resolution that special invitees were to be part of such a meeting. The president, Santokh, however, did not agree.”
He added that when members persisted with their protests, Santokh announced his resignation which he later withdrew.
Another executive member, who was also present in the meeting, but did not want to be named, said, “When the CKD chief announced his resignation, around six-seven members stood up and hailed the decision. He took back his resignation.”
MEMBERS DEMAND THAT 20 ‘SPECIAL INVITEES’ FROM 500 MEMBERS OF THE ORGANISATION SHOULD BE PRESENT