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Sunday, February 23, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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19 hurt as Khalsa Panchayat men, SGPC staff clash
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

An activist of the Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat brandishes sword at SGPC activists.— Reuters photo

Amritsar, February 22
In a no-hold-barred clash at least 19 persons, including 14 activists of the Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat (SKP), three SGPC employees and two members of the Sikh Students Federation (Mehta), were injured when they clashed in the SGPC complex for more than half an hour here today.

In the scuffle turbans fell off as both the factions used swords, lathis and attacked one another with fists and blows. The police has booked 11 persons of both sides, including Mr Rajinder Singh Khalsa and Mr Charanjit Singh Channi of the SKP, and Mr Rajinder Singh Mehta, adviser, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), for rioting.

Weapons like swords and bricks were used in the clash which is unprecedented in the history of the SGPC. The trouble started when activists of the SKP who were chanting Satnam Waheguru tried to stage a dharna in front of the historic Teja Singh Samundari Hall (SGPC complex). The SKP activists who were about 500 were demanding the removal of Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and Prof Manjit Singh as Jathedars of Akal Takht and Keshgarh Sahib respectively, who allegedly faced charges of corruption.

After performing ‘ardas’ at Akal Takht, the SKP activists, including women, tried to sit in dharna in front of the SGPC office. However, the Task Force of the SGPC and activists of the Sikh Students Federation formed a human chain to prevent them from staging the dharna. A scuffle took place when they (Task Force and SSF) pushed the protesters towards the exit gate of the SGPC complex, with the result turbans fell off on both sides. The clash became violent when certain activists from both sides attacked one another with unsheathed swords. The convener of the SKP, Mr Rajinder Singh, Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, Mr Apandip Singh and Mr Damandip Singh (son of Mr Rajinder Singh) were severely beaten up.

Unlike at the time of the election of the SGPC when the police had entered the SGPC complex, today it left the entire show to the Shiromani Committee. The police started action when the SGPC Task Force pushed the agitating SKP activists out of the complex. The police chased those clashing which resulted in a stampede. During the election of the SGPC Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar had opposed the entry of the police on the plea that the SGPC was competent to handle any eventuality within the complex.

Among those injured in the clash including Mr Gurbachan Singh, Mr Kulwinder Singh and Mr Balwinder Singh, all SGPC employees, Mr Rajinder Singh Khalsa, Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, Mr Daljit Singh Sodhi, Mr Damandeep Singh (son of Mr Rajinder Singh), Harjit Singh, Nihang, Mr Manohar Singh, Mr Manjit Singh, Mr Tejinder Singh, Mr Apandeep Singh, activists of Khalsa Panchayat, Surinder Pal Singh, a student, and Dilbag Singh of the SSF (Mehta). All injured, including three seriously injured ones, have been removed to Civil Hospital and SGPC-run Guru Ram Das Hospital.

Even as the SGPC had requisitioned its Task Force and employees from other gurdwaras. Activists of the SSF had come from far-off places for the occasion.

A case under Sections 324, 325, 326, 148, 149 and 188 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Kotwali police station and 11 persons belonging to both groups have been arrested. The police dispersed the groups of the SKP led by Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, who again tried to stage a dharna outside the SGPC complex.

Mr Alwinder Paul Singh Pakhoke, senior vice-president, SGPC and Mr Raghbir Singh, personal assistant to the SGPC chief, claimed that the activists of the SKP had assaulted SGPC employees. They said there was no precedent in the history when the SGPC had allowed any dharna in its complex against the Sikh clergy.