45 SGPC employees demoted
All were promoted by Bibi Jagir Kaur
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 3
As many as 45 SGPC employees promoted during the presidentship of Bibi Jagir Kaur have been demoted, causing resentment and insecurity among the employees.

In a virtual watch-hunt as many employees who had shifted their loyality to Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi were spared. Many employees who were loyal to Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, a former SGPC chief, were reverted by Bibi Jagir Kaur.

The game of political vendetta was first launched by Bibi Jagir Kaur a few months after taking over as SGPC chief. She reverted and promoted 150 employees. Large-scale promotions and revertions took place for the first time during the time of Bibi Jagir Kaur, employees said.

With this step the differences between the Bibi and Mr Talwandi have widened.

Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister and President, Shiromani Akali Dal, has publicly asked Mr Talwandi and Bibi Jagir Kaur to sort out their differences. Mr Talwandi and the Bibi have rushed to the press on various issues, criticising each other. Mr Talwandi has gone to the extent of stating that Bibi Jagir Kaur had no knowledge of Sikh affairs and took irrational decisions.

On the other hand, the Bibi has criticised Mr Talwandi for withdrawing the decision on sending jathas to Pakistan taken in protest against the formation of the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee headed by a former ISI chief.

Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, secretary, and Mr Dayal Singh, personal assistant to Mr Talwandi, said the decision on demotions would not affect the grades of the employees. The employees against sanctioned posts during the presidentship of Bibi Jagir Kaur had not been touched.

Sources said another list of low-ranked employees would be released after gauging the mood of the employees.

Mr Onkar Singh Sharifpura, executive member belonging to the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, said it was unfortunate that a ‘wrong precedent’ set by Bibi Jagir Kaur had been repeated by Mr Talwandi. He alleged many employees were reverted by the then SGPC chief, Bibi Jagir Kaur, on the pretext that they were ‘Tohra loyalists’.

He said there must be a set procedure for promotions.

Among those demoted are five Assistant Secretaries who have been made supervisors, three assistant managers (now inspectors) and three assistant superintendents (now clerks).

Interestingly, the employees were reverted when five assistant secretaries approached the SGPC executive for revising their scales. On hearing that they were promoted by Bibi Jagir Kaur, Mr Talwandi constituted a sub-committee to seek a report on “out-of-turn promotions” during the tenure of the Bibi.

Insiders say Mr Badal is perturbed at the animosity between Bibi Jagir Kaur and Mr Talwandi. Mr Talwandi has reversed several decisions by Bibi Jagir Kaur. Immediately after taking over as President, SPGC, he appointed Giani Puran Singh as Head Granthi, Golden Temple. He was sacked as Jathedar, Akal Takht, by the executive committee during Bibi Jagir Kaur’s tenure.

‘Gadar’ sells like hot cakes in Pak
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepore, July 3
The much-publicised Zee Telefilms production “Gadar” has virtually created “Gadar” in Pakistan. This Sunny Deol-Amisha Patel starrer is being shown all over Pakistan in small cinema halls and CDs are also reportedly available in which Sunny Deol’s provocative dialogues against Pakistan have been erased. This information was shared by Mr S. Harpal Singh Bhullar, President, International Bhai Mardana Society, who recently came back from Pakistan along with 12 Sikh prisoners detained there.