Will approach Centre for SGPC elections: Taksalis
AMRITSAR: Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali), a splinter group of the SAD, said on Monday that its deputation would soon meet officials in the Union home ministry to press for holding of general elections of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex institution that manages the affairs of gurdwaras in the county.
“We have decided to meet the home ministry to urge it to conduct gurdwara elections, which is the constitutional right of the Sikhs. Not holding these is grave injustice to Sikhs. If all kinds of other elections are conducted, why not this one? Ten years, which is equal to two tenures of the SGPC general House have passed, but why is the Union government not conducting elections?,” said SAD (T) president and former Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura after presiding over a meeting of the party core meeting on Monday.
He added that the SGPC passed budget in crores of rupees, and claimed that not holding elections of the institution was discrimination with the Sikh community.
He added, “To strengthen the party among the masses, our district presidents have been told to hold gatherings in respective areas and constitute units on circle level. We are also holding a religious function in each district to celebrate the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak.”
On the controversy over the stage at Sultanpur Lodhi, Brahmpura added, “Following the directions of the Akal Takht, we will attend the function being organized by the SGPC but as devotees.”
Former Punjab minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan hailed Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh’s statement where the jathedar had said that if the entire Sikh community stood by it, the Takht could play the role it played during the 18th century. “I urge the jathedar to play this role and my party stands with him,” Sekhwan added.
SAD (T) also congratulated
Justin Trudeau for retaining the Prime Minister’s post in Canada and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh for holding a key position in Canadian parliament.
On the result of the recent bypolls in Punjab, Brahmpura said, “Both the ruling Congress and the SAD have faced a debacle in these elections as they lost their prestige seats — Dakha and Jalalabad, respectively. This is a sign that people have been left disappointed by both these parties.”
At the core committee meeting, former deputy speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Bir Devinder Singh; former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala; former MLAS Manmohan Singh Sathiala and Ujagar Singh Wadali were also present.