Reconsider resignation, SAD panel asks Sukhbir

The Shiromani Akali Dal working committee on Monday refused to accept Sukhbir Singh Badal’s resignation as party president and asked him to reconsider his decision.

The committee expressed “complete confidence” in the leadership of Badal, who has been declared a “tankhayia” by Akal Takht for religious misconduct. Sukhbir is awaiting “tankhah” — the quantum of punishment. A person pronounced ‘tankhayia’ cannot participate in religious, social or political matters till he undergoes the punishment and is accepted back in the Sikh Panth.

The committee, which represents all sections of the party, resolved to fight for Punjab’s right on Chandigarh and oppose any move to give land to Haryana for a separate Vidhan Sabha.

Badal loyalist Balwinder Singh Bhundar said the committee decided take the opinion of party’s district presidents, halqa in-charges and members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Sukhbir’s decision. The committee resolved to resign en masse if Sukhbir failed to withdraw his resignation.

Badal, recuperating from a foot fracture, had resigned from the post on Saturday. Party leaders and SGPC members are highly unlikely to accept the resignation as most of them are Badal loyalists. Earlier, Youth Akali Dal members led by Sarabjeet Singh Jhinjer assembled at the party’s headquarters here to oppose the resignation. He along with former MLA NK Sharma and Ludhiana urban president Bhupinder Singh Bhinda announced his resignation.

Bhundar, in a press release, later said the committee unanimously expressed its confidence in Badal’s leadership, adding he should continue to steer the party. “This is the need of the hour,” the members said in a resolution.

The members asserted they were aware of a conspiracy to render the party rudderless. “We will not allow this to happen. Badal is our leader and will continue to be so,” it said.

“The members conveyed that the party needed his services even more so at this crucial juncture. This is why they stood up collectively in one voice and asserted they would tender their resignation in case the president did not withdraw the same,” said Bhundar. The committee expressed displeasure at the “evasive” statement made by the Punjab Governor and UT Administrator that the decision to allot land to Haryana in Chandigarh for a separate Assembly had not been taken yet. The members also slammed the AAP government for failing to give a no-objection certificate to the SC to facilitate the release of Balwant Singh Rajoana on parole.