Takht jathedar stirs row, assigns probe to complainant

A delegation of Majitha faction had met Giani Gurbachan Singh over alleged malpractices

AMRITSAR: Amid the row over ‘patit’ (Sikhs who trim their hair) members of the Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD), Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has sparked another controversy by asking the complainant to inquire into the alleged “extraconstitutional practices” and “irregularities” during the bypolls held on March 25 for three top posts of president, vice-president and one post of honorary secretary.

In a triangular contest, noted surgeon Dr Santokh Singh was elected the new president of the organisation by defeating his nearest rival former Akali member of Parliament (MP) Rajmohinder Singh Majitha. Of three posts, the Majitha faction, backed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP, could win only the post of honorary secretary and their candidate Surinder Singh was elected as honorary secretary.

But, a few days after the polls, a delegation of the Majitha faction, including newly elected Surinder Singh, approached Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh with a written complaint alleging ‘irregularities’ and malpractices in the polls.

The delegation alleged that the bybolls witnessed many irregularities and sought a probe and their cancellation.

Referring to the constitution of the organisation, they said that the members, who do not attend consecutive 12 general House meetings or deposit membership fund, would automatically lose the membership and have no right to vote.

They alleged that such members

› Firstly, the CKD is competent to resolve its matters on its own. Secondly, a political family wants to dominate the CKD through the SGPC, which manages affairs of Sikh temporal seats.

DR SANTOKH SINGH, CKD president

had also managed to cast their votes. They also alleged that ‘patit’ members also voted in violation of the constitution.

Acting on the complaint, Satinderpal Singh, personal assistant of the jathedar, on the jathedar’s behalf, issued two separate letters to the two honorary secretaries — Narinder Singh Khurana and newly elected Surinder Singh — on April 5 directing them to probe the “irregularities” and submit their reports in a week. Assigning the probe to Surinder Singh, who was one of the complainants, has irked other factions.

“First of all, the CKD is competent to resolve its matters on its own. Secondly, a political family wants to dominate the CKD through the SGPC, which manages affairs of Sikh temporal seats,” said president Dr Santokh Singh.

He said he is apolitical man and wants the organisation to stay away from politics, but some people want otherwise.

“The SGPC was founded by CKD members, but now it is interfering in its internal affairs, which is wrong. It is well known that which political force is behind the SGPC,” he added.

Meanwhile, Surinder Singh said the probe has not only been assigned only to him, but also to Khurana.

A senior member from the CKD management, who does not want to be named, “A person cannot be the judge of his own cause.” “It seems ironical that a person, who contested the poll and won it and then raises the objection over the fairness of the poll and lodges a complaint. And, surprising, the same person is deputed to probe the complaint,” he said.

Principal (retd) Baljinder Singh, one of the election officers, said that they did not allow ‘patit’ members, including the son of Majitha, to cast vote.

“Secondly, we followed the list provided by the CKD under the signatures of the then acting president Dhanraj Singh and honorary secretary Narinder Singh Khurana,” he added.

He said the voter lists were provided to all the candidates 10 days ahead of the polling day and all carried out their poll campaigns as per these lists without any objection.

“Then each group was allowed two polling agents during the polling. During the counting and declaration of the result, they remained calm. Why are the bypolls being questioned now?,” he asked.

Former Delhi Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Paramjit Singh Sarna also termed the jathedar's order as unnecessary interference in the CKD affairs.

Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh confirmed that the letters asking both the honorary secretaries to hold a probe were issued on his instructions.