M A I N   N E W S

Badal faction routed in DSGMC poll
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 2
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) faction was today routed in the elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. The pro-Tohra Akali Dal won 27 seats whereas the Badal faction could manage to win only 14 seats. Five seats were won by Independents.

In the 46-member DSGMC, the pro-Tohra faction has secured a comfortable majority in the elections held for the religious body after seven years.

The head of the SHSAD, Delhi, Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, claimed that the vote was against the “corrupt” practices of the Badal faction which controlled the committee.

“The DSGMC poll was the first Sikh trial of Mr Badal’s family-centric politics after he had used his official capacity as Chief Minister to remove Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh and foisted his control on the premier Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee three years ago,” said a former SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, in a statement.