M A I N   N E W S

Impasse on eve of SGPC meeting
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, March 27 — Senior Akali leaders including Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Cooperation Minister today made last ditch efforts to bring about rapprochement between SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur and Giani Puran Singh, Jathedar Akal Takht in light of the crucial executive meeting of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee scheduled for tomorrow.

They met Giani Puran Singh at his residence and tried to persuade him to give a fresh date to Bibi Jagir Kaur to seek apology before Akal Takht for her alleged religious misconduct. Though Giani Puran Singh had virtually rejected a third letter of Bibi Jagir Kaur yesterday as he found its contents ‘unsatisfactory’ the mediators promised to get a fresh letter.

Giani Puran Singh had asked Baba Kashmira Singh, president Gurmat Gurbani Sant Samaj, who had brought the third letter of Bibi Jagir Kaur yesterday that she (Bibi Jagir Kaur) had to mention it clearly that she wanted to seek pardon for her ‘religious misconduct’. She had also laid preconditions to appear before the five designated Sikh high priests.

Giani Puran Singh told Baba Kashmira Singh that the five Sikh high priests could not be called for the meeting as most of them had challenged his ‘hukamnama’ issued from Guna (Madhya Pradesh). Three high priests have also been excommunicated from the Sikh Panth for challenging the hukamnama.

Meanwhile, two Sikh high priests, Giani Gurbachan Singh and Giani Charan Singh — both granthis of the Golden Temple, held a closed door meeting with Giani Mohan Singh, head Granthi Darbar Sahib to discuss ‘maryada’. Some supporters of Bibi Jagir Kaur and Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, secretary SGPC also met Giani Mohan Singh and discussed at length ways to defuse the ongoing Panthic crisis.

All eyes are now on the crucial meeting of the SGPC executive tomorrow. The executive has already been postponed for the fourth time. Originally the meeting was scheduled for January 27 but was cancelled by Giani Puran Singh by issuing a hukmnama from Guna. The meeting would recommend the annual budget of the SGPC to the general house which would meet on March 30. Apart from its annual budget, the meeting could discuss the ongoing Panthic crisis and ‘maryada’.