M A I N   N E W S

Pressure on Jagir Kaur to quit
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Oct 6 — Even as pressure has mounted on Bibi Jagir Kaur to step down as President of the SGPC in the wake of the case registered by the CBI in connection with the mysterious death of her daughter, yet sources claim that she won’t oblige her detractors without fighting it out.

Earlier, too, Bibi Jagir Kaur had openly flouted the directives of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the highest decision-making body of the Shiromani Akali Dal, by not tendering her resignation when then Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Puran Singh had directed Mr Parkash Singh Badal to secure her resignation. Instead she made it a ‘show of strength’ when she pushed her way to pay obeisance before Akal Takht and returned without appearing before the Sikh clergy.

However, the sources say if the CBI takes direct action against Bibi Jagir Kaur then she could be forced to resign immediately. Some rebel ruling SGPC members, too, have started demanding the resignation of Bibi Jagir Kaur on moral grounds.

Though Mr Balbir Singh Pannu, Senior Vice-President of the SGPC, refused to comment on registration of a case and arrest of the SGPC chief’s relatives by the CBI, he said, “I would have resigned had such a case been registered against me”. Mr Pannu said religious personalities should not stick to coveted posts’ till the disposal of criminal cases. However, Mr Pannu refused to entertain any direct question about the demand for the resignation of Bibi Jagir Kaur. He said, “Such questions should be addressed to her.”

Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, an Akali MLA and former SGPC secretary, however, said Bibi Jagir Kaur had no moral right to hold the post of SGPC chief. He said she was the first president of this ‘mini parliament of Sikhs’ against whom serious charges were levelled. Mr Calcutta alleged that the prestige of Akal Takht had been denigrated during the presidentship of Bibi Jagir Kaur. “There is no such example when a President refused to resign in such circumstances”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal and All-India Sikh Students Federation, led by Mr Harminder Singh Gill, has threatened to launch a mass movement if Bibi Jagir Kaur fails to resign.

Many SGPC members, contacted by TNS condemned the postponement of the executive meeting twice in a week without assigning any reason. Mr Pannu said as per the bylaws of the SGPC, it is mandatory to hold an executive meeting once a month. He said the previous meeting was held on August 21 at Anandpur Sahib. He said the SGPC bylaws clearly mentioned that the venue of the executive meeting would be Amritsar only. In case of extraordinary circumstances, the venue could be shifted to any other place. However, for the second consecutive time, the venue of the meeting was fixed at Anandpur Sahib, which was a violation of bylaws, he alleged.

Meanwhile, sources say that Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, has been closely watching the situation.