Amritsar, September 23
The first SGPC general house of the millennium today elected Bibi Jagir Kaur as the 39th president of the Shiromani Committee amidst raising of slogans by members of Panthic Morcha and the SAD(A), who were opposed to her candidature.
Panthic Morcha failed to field any candidate, with the result that all office-bearers were elected through voice vote.
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Chinks in Panthic Morcha?
Chinks apparently appeared in the Panthic Morcha after Mr Hardip Singh Mohali, an SGPC member from Mohali, walked out of the general house meeting to protest the alleged indifferent attitude of its leadership here today.Panthic Morcha — comprising Akali
Dal(A), All-India SAD (Ravi Inder Singh) and Akali Dal (Longowal) — came into being before the SGPC general election. Talking to mediapersons, Mr Mohali said members belonging to morcha behaved in a manner that amounted to violation of the Panthic Morcha’s line of thought. He said there was a move to field a candidate of Panthic Morcha for the post of president but the members made a volte-face after getting a telephone message from “someone”. However, Bhai Ranjit Singh said he had no knowledge on the issue.
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Bibi Jagir Kaur had to step down as SGPC chief in November, 2000 after she was booked on charges of getting her own daughter killed in mysterious circumstances.
Bibi Jagir Kaur’s election left other contenders high and dry with veteran Akali leader, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, who was in the race for the post, leaving the general house immediately after the declaration of the new president.
Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, former SGPC chief and contender for the post, also seemed unhappy.
Mr Badungar’s name was left out as he had sought the support of “Brahmpura group”, which has been cut to size in the new setup.
It is for the first time in the 79-year history of the SGPC that a woman has been elected as president twice.
The Shiromani Akali Dal had started giving indication of her candidature for the post ever since the “bhog” of Gurcharn Singh Tohra.
While due representation has been given to Tohra loyalists by accommodating Mr Sukhdev
Singh Bhaur as general secretary and three others — Mr Gurwinder Singh Shampura, Mr Harjinder
Singh Dhami and Baba Tek Singh — in the executive body, the “Brahmpura group” has been left out of the new formation.
Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, another Tohra loyalist who played a vital role in the new equation, merged with the SAD(B) today. With this, the Tohra faction has completely merged with the SAD(B).
Activists of the SAD(A) hold a
dharna against the election of Bibi Jagir Kaur as president,
SGPC, in Amritsar on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Rajiv
Sharma |
Mr Gurpal Singh Gora, a resident of Gidderbaha, the hometown of SAD chief, has been elected as senior vice-president, while Mr Kewal Singh Badal has succeeded in retaining his earlier position of junior vice-president.
The names of the 11 member of the Executive Committee are: Mr Shingara Singh Lohian, Mr Joginder Singh Panjrath, Mr Gurwinder Singh Shampura, Mr Harjinder Singh Dhami, Baba Tek Singh, Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, Mr Suba Singh Dabwali, Mr Raghujit Singh and Mr Didar Singh (both from Haryana), and Mr Jagir Singh Kang.
Meanwhile, the SAD(A) held a dharna in the SGPC complex to protest against the election of Bibi Jagir Kaur.
The activists carried placards ridiculing the decision of the SAD(B) to appoint her despite her involvement in a criminal case.
Another SGPC member was criticised for his involvement in an alleged molestation case.
The general house also reconstituted the Dharm Parchar Committee (DPC) by taking Mr Surjit Singh Cheema, Mr Jang Bahadur Singh Rai, Mr Bharpur Singh Rai, Mr Rattan Singh Zaffarwal, Mr Hardalbir Singh Shah and Mr Hazoor Singh Hyderabad as its members.
However, Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli, a leader of Panthic Morcha, termed the election to the DPC as “illegal”, as it should have been held on the pattern of executive body elections.
He said no member of Panthic Morcha was accommodated in the DPC. The new members of the Sikh History Board are: Dr Kirpal Singh, Prof G.S. Nayyar, Dr B.S. Dhillon, Dr Madanjit Kaur, Prof Prithpal Singh Kapur and Mr Sulakhaanmit Singh.
