AMRITSAR, Dec 13 — Withdrawing the 21-month-old boycott, the SGPC executive today decided to send jathas to Pakistan from Baisakhi next year.

Stating this after the two-day marathon meeting of the ‘mini Parliament’ of Sikhs, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, President, SGPC said he would approach Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee through Mr Parkash Singh Badal for taking up the issue of disbanding of the Pakistan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee with the Government of Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that the then SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur, had stopped jathas to Pakistan after April 13, 1999, in protest against the formation of the PGPC.

In yet another significant decision, the executive confirmed the appointment of Giani Puran Singh as Head Granthi, with amendments in the earlier appointment order. The executive first revoked his suspension as granthi and then promoted him as Head Granthi. Giani Puran Singh was placed under suspension as granthi on March 28. Simultaneously, he was sacked as Jathedar, Akal Takht, by the pro-Bibi Jagir Kaur executive.

The SGPC executive reverted Mr Harjit Singh, a confidant of the Bibi to the post of Assistant Secretary. Mr Harjit Singh, who was also PA to Bibi Jagir Kaur, had procured his promotion orders as Additional Secretary a few hours before her removal. However, the executive did not take any decision on removing Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan as Secretary.

Mr Talwandi said no action had been taken on the inquiry report which had indicted Dr Bachan for making “wrong payment” of Rs 2 lakh to an SGPC member in violation of SGPC bylaws. Mr Talwandi said the executive meeting did not take up the issue of the pending inquiry against Prof Manjit Singh and Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedars of Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Takht Damdama Sahib, respectively.

Mr Talwandi said the Chief Minister had expressed apprehension that the appointment of Giani Puran Singh as Head Granthi might annoy other Sikh Priests. He said Giani Puran Singh had assured him that he would not attend the meetings at Akal Takht to avoid confrontation.

When contacted, Baba Mangal Singh Satlani, acting President, Gurmat Gurbani Parchark Sant Samaj and a confidant of Giani Puran Singh, said the latter had suggested that any of his representatives (granthis of the Golden Temple) could attend the meetings.

Mr Talwandi said the SGPC could not withdraw the appointment of Giani Puran Singh. Mr Harbans Singh Manjpur, executive member belonging to the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, who was seated alongside Mr Talwandi, said that all agenda items, including confirmation of the appointment of Giani Puran Singh, were passed unanimously. In all, as many as 549 items were passed at the meeting.

Insiders said ticklish issues, like allegations of corruption, were postponed till the next meeting. Mr Manjpur said that Mr Talwandi had assured the house that he would order a probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds during the time of Bibi Jagir Kaur by constituting a sub-committee.

The executive withdrew the enhancement of Rs 200 in the salaries of all SGPC employees. Though this had been done to mark the ‘bandichhor divas’ (Divali), the step was aimed at wooing the employees.

In another significant decision, the executive accepted the decision of its general house that the word of “Sehajdhari” be deleted from the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925. It confirmed that “non-Sikhs” should have no right to vote during the general house elections of the SGPC.

It also held that the draft amendment of Justice Harbans Singh (Retd), Chairman, Sikh Gurdwara Commission, be accepted in toto suggesting that the definition of voter be on the pattern of the Delhi Gurdwara Management Act, 1971.

Many issues on which cases have been filed against Bibi Jagir Kaur in the Sikh Judicial Commission were kept pending on the pretext of their being “subjudice”. The issue of ‘surplus recruitment’ during the tenure of Bibi Jagir Kaur were also kept in abeyance.

On the RSS, Mr Talwandi asserted that the executive was unanimous that no ‘non-Sikh’ organisation had the right to intervene in Sikh affairs. He said Sikhs had a “separate identity”. He said the Sikhs respected all religions and their followers, but nobody could be allowed intervene in Sikh affairs.