M A I N   N E W S

Topple-Bibi move upsets CM
Jagir Kaur summoned
From Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, May 2 — Even as the SGPC chief, Bibi Jagir Kaur, left for Chandigarh today on being summoned by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal following reports that her rivals in the SGPC were trying to dethrone her, supporters of the Bibi from Begowal area began rallying behind her.

According to sources close to the Bibi, she left her “dera” in Begowal village in Kapurthala district for Chandigarh early this morning after having received an SOS from the Chief Minister. The latter reportedly has taken a serious view of reports that a move is underway in the SGPC executive to topple her from the presidentship.

When contacted, a functionary of the dera said the meeting with Mr Badal was aimed at discussing the religio-political scenario, particularly following the controversy over the death of the SGPC chief’s daughter.

What has apparently disturbed Mr Badal, who appears in no mood to replace Bibi Jagir Kaur, is the possibility of a revolt by some of the executive members of the SGPC led by Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and Mr Balbir Singh Pannu, the two powerful Majha-based Akali leaders who are reported to have the blessings of veteran Akali leader Jagdev Singh Talwandi.

According to sources, in the 14-member executive of the SGPC, two belong the Sarb-Hind Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, one belongs to the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) headed by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann and three owe allegiance to Mr Pannu. The strategy of the Pannu group is to muster a majority in the executive for this. It is aiming at enlisting the support of Mr Mann and Mr Tohra. If it is able to do so, the Pannu group will need the support of just two members to dethrone the Bibi.

Loyalists of Bibi Jagir Kaur from Begowal and Bolath have started rallying behind her. Their strategy for the present appears to be to corrode people’s sympathy for Kamaljit Singh, Bibi’s daughter’s boy friend, and his family.

A number of supporters today claimed that Kamaljit’s parents had been convicted for taking money from people of the area promising to send their wards abroad. Capt Jabbar Singh, a resident of Bariar village near Bholath, claimed that Mr Darshan Singh and Mrs Balwinder Kaur, parents of Kamaljit, had taken Rs 1.5 lakh from him for sending his son to Germany in 1993. Instead, his son was sent to Moscow for which Kamaljit’s parents were convicted by a Kapurthala court in 1998.

Asked what had led him to speak after seven years, the Captain was at a loss of an answer. Similarly, in an undated application to the SHO, Bholath, Darshan Singh, another resident of Bariar Village, said Kamaljit’s parents had promised his son and daughter-in-law to send them to a foreign country after taking Rs 80000 from them. But neither was sent abroad, nor the money returned.

The Bibi's supporters alleged that Kamaljit’s family was being “used” by Bibi’s rival and former Education Minister Sukhjinder Singh. They even said the family was in the “custody” of Mr Sukhjinder Singh.

Mr Sukhjinder Singh denied that the family was with him “but if needs be, we will offer protection to the family as per the teachings of Gurbani, he said. He described the police inquiry into the incident as a mere eyewash.