SGPC ex-chief secy Calcutta dead

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 17

Former SGPC chief secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta (79), who was considered an authority on Panthic matters, died here this morning after a brief illness.

He is survived by wife Santokh Kaur, son Gurpreet Singh and daughters Sarbpreet Kaur and Harkirat Kaur.

The former SAD leader was a staunch critics of the Badals. He repeatedly accused them of interfering in SGPC affairs and failing to confront the BJP and the RSS.

Elected MLA from Amritsar South constituency in 1997, Calcutta was appointed Minister for Higher Education by then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. A loyalist of Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who headed the SGPC for a record 27 years, Calcutta was among the five ministers who resigned in protest against Tohra’s expulsion from the SAD in 1999. The others were Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Harmail Singh Tohra, Inderjit Singh Zira and Surjit Singh Koli. They all had formed a party, Sarv Hind Shiromani Akal Dal. In 2012, Calcutta had extended support to the Congress when Capt Amarinder Singh was the PPCC chief.

"He was a staunch believer of value-based politics. He worked relentlessly for the propagation of Sikh tenets."— Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister

"The Sikh community has lost an intellectual. His contribution to the SGPC and the AISSF can never be forgotten."—Gobind Singh Longowal, SGPC president

"He played a long Panthic innings with grace and intellect. His death has left a void in Akali polity which can’t be filled by the present leadership." — Kanwarpal Singh, Dal Khalsa spokesperson