Will oppose PCOCA, says SGPC president

GURDWARA BODY CALLS GENERAL HOUSE ON NOV 29 TO ELECT ITS NEW PRESIDENT AND OFFICEBEARERS

PATIALA: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Kirpal Singh Badungar on Monday said the SGPC will oppose the enactment of the Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act (PCOCA) by the Congress government in the state, saying such laws are always used against minorities.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said a decision was taken in a meeting of the SGPC executive committee held at the Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib here.

Badungar said the SGPC will oppose PCOCA, as it suspects the purpose of the proposed law. “This law will create problem for Sikhs, who are a minority. History shows that such laws, including TADA, were misused against minorities, especially Sikhs,” he said.

Badungar said, “The SGPC will write to the chief minister about it (PCOCA), will meet him, and if need be, will move the court to oppose the law.” He added that there is no need of enacting a new law, but the need of the hour is to enforce existing laws to check the rising crime.

The executive also decided to call a General House of the SGPC on November 29 to elect a new executive and office-bearers, including the president.

The executive and office-bearers, as per norms, are chosen by the General House. However, it is an open secret that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which controls the gurdwara body, and party patriarch Parkash Singh Badal decide the names of the president and office-bearers.

Sources said Badungar, who was elected as the SGPC president last year, is likely to retain his post.

SAD TOO OPPOSES LAW Anandpur Sahib MP and SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra also slammed the Congress government for its move to enact PCOCA.

Talking to the media at Rupnagar on Monday, he said the government is preparing to impose a “mini-emergency” by this law.

ORDERS PROBE INTO DALIT GIRL’S SUICIDE Regarding the recent suicide case of a Dalit girl of Phaphre Bhai Ke village in Mansa district, the jathedar ordered a probe into the allegations against the president of village gurdwara.