Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa ‘rejects’ expulsion of eight rebel leaders from SAD

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 31
A day after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) expelled eight leaders from the party, the rebels have rejected the expulsion. SAD patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said: “The SAD leadership or the disciplinary committee does not have any right to expel anyone from the party and only the working committee of the party has the right to take such an action. As party’s senior-most leader, I reject the expulsion of eight leaders who were not rebels, but the real loyalists of the Sikh Panth and the Akali Dal.”

No authority to stay proceedings
Party patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa does not have any authority to stay the proceedings of the disciplinary committee. Dhindsa is a senior leader and should know that the party patron cannot overrule any party decision. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, SAD leader

Dhindsa continues to be the patron of the SAD even as his son and former Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa was expelled by the party on Tuesday. He said he and those who raised their voice against the Badals were part of the Akali Dal and would not form any other party.
Accompanied by Gurpartap Singh Wadala, who is the convener of the rebel group, and senior leaders, including former SGPC president Jagir Kaur and ex-MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, Dhindsa said they would call a meeting of the party delegates to restructure the party.
Wadala said if action was warranted against anyone, it had to be against Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders who had caused much damage to the Panth by taking several anti-Sikh decisions. He said a recent interview of Pradeep Kaler, a close aide of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, had exposed how Akali leaders, especially the Badals, used to meet him regularly for personal and political gains.
Kaler, an accused in a sacrilege incident, has recently turned an approver. He was arrested in February this year after absconding for more than six years. He was booked for hatching the conspiracy to commit sacrilege in 2015.
Meanwhile, SAD senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder said party patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa do not have any authority to stay the proceedings of the disciplinary committee.