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Soon after being elected as party president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, in his speech, alleged that previous jathedars of Sikh Takhts (temporal seats) were under the control of the BJP-led Centre and the SGPC executive committee ended the conspiracy to finish SAD by removing them. Terming what happened at Akal Takht in relation to affairs of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as a conspiracy to finish the party, Sukhbir said the conspiracy started when the party parted ways with BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over (now repealed) three farm laws. “In the last six months, a big conspiracy was hatched to finish the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its leadership.
Basically, this conspiracy started at the time when we parted ways with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to express its solidarity with the farmers who were agitating against the three farm bills. This conspiracy was accelerated during the last six months”, Sukhbir alleged. Addressing the delegates assembled at the SGPC headquarters Teja Singh Samundri Hall, Sukhbir justified the removal of the previous jathedars.
“It was most unfortunate that even the decisions of the quom (community) were manipulated by such forces and even our respected jathedar Sahiban, who should have acted as custodian of panthic interests, chose to play into the hands of these forces. I congratulate the SGPC executive committee for vacating the ‘kabja’ of anti-Sikh central forces over our Takhts and reinstated control of panth,” the 62-year-old leader said in reference to previous jathedars—Giani Raghbir Singh (Akal Takht), Giani Harpreet Singh (Takht Damdama Sahib) and Giani Sultan Singh (Takht Kesgarh Sahib). The trio were part of five Sikh clergymen who pronounced the December 2 decree from the highest Sikh temporal seat, awarding tankhah (religious punishment) to the party leaders including Sukhbir for the mistakes committed by the party and its government from 2007 to 2017, on complaint of the rebel party leaders.
The decree had also called for the re-organization of the party under a panel constituted by the Sikh clergy and asked the party working committee to accept the resignation of the leaders including Sukhbir’s, besides revoking Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum conferred on Parkash Singh Badal. In February this year, the executive committee of the SAD-controlled SGPC unceremoniously removed all three jathedars in a contentious move. The SGPC and Badal camp faced backlash from the community over this move which was termed as one which hit the supremacy, respect, sanctity and maryada of the Sikh temporal seats.
The newly appointed acting jathedar of Akal Takht and jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj was installed by the SGPC covertly amid the opposition. Sukhbir said when they (SAD) were part of the NDA, the party never let the centre work against the Sikhs. “It is unfortunate that when we left the NDA, the Centre decided to bring its stooges to the fore.
The managements of Sri Hazur Sahib and Patna Sahib were expanded to bring them under government’s control. The Centre also took over the DSGMC by inducting its leaders into the BJP besides forming a new gurdwara committee for Haryana”. Sukhbir further said that the Centre attempted to enter Punjab but failed.
“They found that the only way to control Punjab was to finish the SAD. Like other managements outside Punjab, they attempted to take over the SGPC twice, but to no avail. Thanks to the commitment of the SGPC members their attempts failed.
As a last resort, they brought our Takht jathedars under their control”, he said. Bhundar apologises to Majithia During the delegate meeting, outgoing president Balwinder Singh Bhundar apologised to senior party leader and close relative of Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia over his ‘backstabbing’ remark. Majithia, along with other leaders, had questioned the removal of jathedars by SGPC in March last month.
The party office had issued a press statement quoting Bhundar which said that Majithia had backstabbed Sukhbir. Later, Bhundar disowned that remark. After Majithia addressed Bhundar during the meeting over his remarks, the latter tendered an apology.
“Forgive me if any of my words hurt you. You are like my son”, Bhundar said..
