The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Thursday, February 13, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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Remove Vedanti: riot widows
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 12
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to bear the expenses of court case of the victims of Delhi riots. The 1984 riots’ widows today demanded immediate removal of Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti as Akal Takht Jathedar for his failure to get them justice.

The jatha of the 1984 riots’ widows, led by Bibi Darshan Kaur, held a dharna in front of Akal Takht and alleged that Jathedar Vedanti had failed to perform his duty as Takht Jathedar.

Jathedar Vedanti had promised to a deputation of the widows a patient hearing today afternoon but he did not turn up at Akal Takht secretariat till late in the evening. Earlier, instead of redressing the grievances of the victims of Delhi riots, the Jathedar allegedly was not forthcoming to them during their previous visit to Akal Takht. The jatha members said that it was shocking that the Jathedar failed to come to their rescue even after 18 years of Delhi riots.

The widows announced that two of them would commit suicide on February 16 at an undisclosed place. Bibi Darshan Kaur, said that the names of the ‘suicidal jatha’ and place was being kept secret as intelligence men were following them.

Officials of Akal Takht secretariat claimed that the Takht had already taken up the release of pension with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). Reminders were also sent to DSGMC chief Parmjit Singh Sarna.

Talking to The Tribune from Germany, Mr Sarna confirmed that he had received letters from Akal Takht Jathedar. He said that pension to the widows was stopped four years ago by the DSGMC when the Akali Dal (Badal) was in power. He asked as why Akal Takht had not taken up the matter with the DSGMC at that time. He said that total amount for releasing pension to the widows would come out to be Rs 70 lakh per month which only the general house of the DSGMC could approve.