M A I N   N E W S

Tohra men stage walkout
‘Ardas’ held to atone for sins
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, March 30 — The annual budget session of the SGPC was marked by a walkout by pro-Tohra members for the second consecutive year.

When pro-Tohra members stood up and began shouting slogans to protest against Bibi Jagir Kaur presiding over the session they were pushed out by pro-Badal members.

After the walkout, the pro-Badal members passed the Rs 173 crore budget by voice vote. Three members of the SAD (Amritsar) who did not join the walkout tried to raise objections after presentation of the budget, in vain.

After 20 minutes of protests and before staging a walkout, pro-Tohra members shouted slogans like “Akal Takht mahan hai, Sikh panth di shaan hai” (Akal Takht is supreme and is the pride of the Sikh panth) and “maryada de kaatal murdabad:” (killers of (Sikh) tradition murdabad).

Significantly, Mr Puran Singh Josh, a senior pro-Badal member also staged a walkout on the issue of denigration of Akal Takht. He strongly condemned the ruling SGPC for its unceremonious removal of Giani Puran Singh and appointing of Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti as Acting-Jathedar.

Senior leaders like Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal and Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president SAD (Mann) were conspicuous by their absence.

Leaders of the SAD (Badal) however succeeded in persuading Mr Balbir Singh Pannu and Mr Hardalbir Singh Shah, senior vice-president and general secretary SGPC to attend the budget session. They had stayed away from the executive meeting which removed Giani Puran Singh as Jathedar.

Mr Hardalbir Singh Shah, who presented the annual budget today, refused to present it till Bibi Jagir Kaur was re-admitted to the Sikh panth. To pave the way for this an ‘ardas divas’ was held at Akal Takht which clarified that all those excommunicated by the controversial hukamnamas issued by Giani Puran Singh stood readmitted.

The ‘ardas divas’ was held to seek a public apology from the Sikh sangat for the unsavoury incidents of the past few months.

Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC chief, Prof Manjit Singh, Giani Kewal Singh and Giani Bhagwan Singh who were ‘excommunicated’ from the Sikh panth by hukamnamas issued on January 25 and March 12 joined the ‘ardas divas’ and recited path of Japji Sahib.

Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Acting Jathedar, Akal Takht, Giani Mohan Singh head granthi Golden Temple, Giani Gurbachan Singh and Giani Charan Singh were also present.

Pro-Tohra women members including Bibi Kuldip Kaur, Bibi Nirnal Kaur, Bibi Daljit Kaur, Bibi Amrit Paul Kaur and Bibi Jaswinder Kaur lodged strong protests with Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, a pro-Badal SGPC member and officer on special duty to the Chief Minister alleging ‘misbehaviour’ against female members during the budget session protests.

The female members also said that they could not allow Bibi Jagir Kaur to preside over the budget session after ‘denigrating’ Akal Takht. At this, Mr Badungar asked them why they were silent when, as Jathedar Akal Takht Bhai Ranjit Singh tampered with the evidence at the takht to save Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra from charges of visiting the Nirankari Bhavan at Patiala.

Mr Surjan Singh Thekedar, Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur senior leaders of Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Harbans Singh Manjpur, Mr Gurbax Singh Purain — both executive members and Mr Jaswinder Singh claimed taht in all 47 members had staged a walkout.

However, the pro-Badal leadership claimed that the number did not exceed 30.

Bibi Jagir Kaur, Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, Mr Mohinder Singh Romana, Mr Sohan Singh Josh (Kapurthala) and many pro-Badal members condemned the leadership of the SHSAD for protesting in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib”.

Addressing the budget session, Bibi Jagir Kaur said the current budget of Rs 173 crore was Rs 32 crore higher than the previous budget of Rs 142 crores. Part of the increase would go towards, opening more schools and colleges during the coming financial year.

In a resolution, the SGPC urged the Centre to take up the demand for disbanding the controversial Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee with Pakistan.

Another significant resolution urged the Centre to concede the genuine demands of Punjab, Punjabis and Sikhs including the transfer of Chandigarh and other left out Punjabi speaking areas from Punjab, fair adjudication of inter-state river waters on the basis of international riparian law and exemplary punishment to those responsible for the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

The general house of the SGPC also asked the central government to hand over control of Panjab University to Punjab as the state government was paying its expenses. It also demanded according second language status to Punjabi in adjoining states.

Significantly, the General House unanimously endorsed the decision of removing Giani Puran Singh as Jathedar and appointing Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti in his place.

Edicts irrevocable: Puran
Refuses to join at Muktsar
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, March 30 — The “sacked” Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Puran Singh today refused to join duties as granthi at Muktsar.

Giani Puran Singh, who was unceremoniously removed at Jathedar of Akal Takht and suspended as granthi of the Golden Temple on Tuesday at a meeting of the SGPC executive, was transferred to Muktsar. He was also asked to join there immediately.

Talking to TNS, the former Jathedar contested his transfer said that a granthi of the Golden Temple could not be transferred out as he was not “posted” but “installed” at a special ceremony attended by heads of various Sikh organisations.

Giani Puran Singh, who was bitter at the decision of the SGPC executive, said he was suspended without specific charges and had not been given any show cause notice till today. He said except for the claim of the SGPC that “I have created unnecessary confusion in the Sikh Panth”. There is no specific charge.

Refuting even this charge, Giani Puran Singh said that he stood solidly by the traditions and maryada of the Sikhs and the highest Sikh seat.

Asked whether an Acting Jathedar could revoke the “hukamnamas” issued by a permanent Jathedar, Giani Puran Singh said a “hukamnama once issued cannot be withdrawn or revoked by anybody, whether acting Jathedar or permanent Jathedar. “Nobody has the right to do this”.

Citing his own example, Giani Puran Singh said despite constant pressure from the ruling Akali Dal he had refused to withdraw hukamnamas issued by his predecessor, Bhai Ranjit Singh.

The Acting Jathedar has created an unsavoury condition in the Sikh Panth and no Sikh will feel bound to honour any hukamnama in the future, he said. “This was a major blunder committed by the acting Jathedar”.

Without mincing words he said Sikh traditions were thrown to the winds by the acting Jathedar to safeguard the political interests of the ruling party.

Referring to slogans raised at the general house meeting of the SGPC against Bibi Jagir Kaur today he said this amply proved that Bibi Jagir Kaur was still an ex-communicated Sikh despite the acting Jathedar having ‘exonerated’ her of the charges of violating the hukamnama. “This is no way to pardon a person excommunicated from the Sikh Panth. He or she can be taken back only after seeking pardon from Akal Takht”, he added.

Asserting that a “granthi” of the Golden Temple could not be transferred once appointed, Giani Puran Singh said the SGPC had earlier tried to transfer Bhai Ram Singh but he refused to obey the SGPC’s orders and preferred to quit.

He said common Sikhs had not accepted the decision of the SGPC.

Meanwhile an SGPC spokesman said the body might take action against Giani Puran Singh if he did not join duty at Muktsar.