PANTHIC BODIES DIVIDED OVER ATTENDING SGPC EVENT

AMRITSAR: : Various Sikh organisations in Punjab are divided over attending the gathering called by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on the issue of Sikh prisoners lodged in different jails of the country, with some accusing the SAD of using Sikh issues for their own interest.

On Akal Takht’s directive, the apex gurdwara body had called the meeting of Sikh political and religious organisations at its headquarters at Teja Singh Samundri Hall on May 11 to chalk out a strategy for a joint struggle for the release of the Sikh prisoners, including Balwant Singh

Rajoana, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Davinderpal Singh Bhullar.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal along with some other senior leaders of the party, that controls the SGPC, will be present at the event, according to party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema.

Former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) presidents Paramjit Singh Sarna and Manjit Singh GK, who are heading two different splinter groups of the SAD, will also attend the meet. Sarna and GK had visited the SAD’S office at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj at New Delhi recently. The presence of Badal, Sarna and GK in the meeting will be a significant development as Sarna and GK are staunch opponents of the Badals.

However, various Sikh groups have said they would not be attending the gathering.

Baba Sarabjot Singh Bedi, head of a faction of Sant Samaj, who attended the meeting called by Akal Takht recently on the issue of distortion in gurbani, said, “nobody is representing our organisation in this gathering. They (SAD) ruled Punjab for 15 years and never remembered panth.

After decimation (in assembly elections), they have remembered the Panth and the Sikh issues”.

Sukhdev Singh, leader of Alliance of Sikh Organisations, which is a common platform of various young Sikh groups, also said that they have no plans of attending the gathering.