I may quit as SGPC chief, says Tohra
From A.S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Dec 30 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra indicated today that he was contemplating quitting as the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

"I consider no sacrifice too great to maintain and strengthen Panthic unity....I will not do anything which might harm the Panthic government, the Akali Dal and Punjab," he said.

"I have no love for the position I am holding (in the SGPC). I have served the people for too long."

Mr Tohra was speaking at the bhog ceremony of Avtar Singh Grewal, father of former Punjab minister Maheshinder Singh Grewal, a staunch follower of Mr Tohra. Mr Grewal was among the five ministers who resigned from the Badal ministry earlier this month.

Mr Tohra said if the Badal camp was of the view that his removal from the SGPC presidentship alone would solve the present political crisis in the Akali Dal, "then let them commit this excess also. I am ready for it."

During the course of his brief speech, Mr Tohra made a passing mention of the present political crisis. He said he had already stated at Fatehgarh Sahib that he would not do anything which might harm the government or the party. He would like to reiterate that he was ready to do anything in the larger interests of the people to ensure that the Panthic government lasted its term.

The function was well-attended but none of the Punjab ministers belonging to the Akali Dal or the BJP was present. The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who was invited, did not turn up. Among those who were present were Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Chairman of the Disciplinary Action Committee of the Akali Dal, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, Mr Harmail Singh Tohra and Mr Surjit Singh Kohli, former ministers, all belonging to Tohra camp. The local BJP MP, Lala Lajpat Rai, was also present.

Mr Talwandi also made a brief speech at the ceremony but made no mention of the political crisis facing the Akali Dal.

Mr Tohra's utterances should be music to the ears of the Badal camp which has been moving relentlessly towards forcing Mr Tohra to resign from the presidentship of the SGPC — a post he has held for a quarter of a century.

The Badal camp's calculation is that once Mr Tohra is deprived of the presidentship of the SGPC, he will cease to be a political force in the state.

Mr Tohra's followers here, however, insist that the removal of the old Akali warhorse from the presidentship of the supreme Sikh religious body will not make much difference to him. It will mean a new turn in the long political career of Mr Tohra.

Mr Tohra is reported to have met Mr Talwandi here a couple of days ago and complained that the Badal government was doing nothing to strengthen Sikhs' faith in Sikhism and gurdwaras. The Badal government was, therefore, moving away from the Panthic mandate and its commitment to propagate Sikhism.

Lala Lajpat Rai met Mr Tohra separately after the bhog ceremony today and was closeted with him for a while, amidst reports that the BJP leader was trying to broker peace among the warring Akali factions.

Badal-Tohra conflict: Takht chief not to intervene
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Dec 30 — Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh has said that Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president of the SGPC were fighting for "vested interests" and hence he would not interfere in their squabble.

Talking to TNS here today, Bhai Ranjit Singh said in view of the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth he had urged both warring leaders to put off their tussle till April 13, 1999, so that the celebrations could be completed in a befitting manner.

However, he said, Akal Takht could intervene anytime if the infighting had an adverse effect on the Sikh religion.

He said he would continue to perform his duties as Jathedar of the Akal Takht and would not act in a partisan way. "I don't have any vested interest and I never approached any leader for personal work".

Bhai Ranjit Singh said the tercentenary celebrations would be organised under the auspices of Akal Takht and an impressive religious procession organised from Kirtpur Sahib to Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi (April 13, 1999). In the proposed march Sikh saints and organisations all over the world would participate.

To a question, Bhai Ranjit Singh said the tercentenary celebrations would also be organised in other countries.

Bhai Ranjit Singh said the Panthic leaders should rise above petty issues and work for the welfare of the community. Replying to another question, Bhai Ranjit Singh said he had neither approved nor rejected the designs of religious symbols being installed at Anandpur Sahib to mark the tercentenary celebrations. "I do have a serious objection over certain plans, but I was not consulted by the Shiromani Akali Dal or the Badal government," he said.