Akal Takht panel says its delegate session on Monday to decide president of SAD faction

Chandigarh, Aug 10 (PTI) The Akal Takht-constituted committee on Sunday said its delegate session in Amritsar on Monday will decide on the name of the president of the breakaway faction of Shiromani Akali Dal.

The development came after dissident Akali leader and former minister Surjit Singh Rakhra claimed that former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh would be unanimously elected as the president of the faction.

Rakhra also claimed that Satwant Kaur will head the religious council of the faction.

Kaur is the daughter of the former president of the All India Sikh Students Federation, Amrik Singh, who was a close associate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, and was killed in Operation Bluestar in 1984.

Hours after Rakhra's claims, the Akal Takht-appointed committee on Sunday issued a statement, saying the final decision regarding the president will be taken by delegates in the meeting.

It further said that statements by any leader should be considered their personal opinion.

Later, Rakhra, in a Facebook post, said, "Tomorrow, history will be written. Rising above factions, the president of Shiromani Akali Dal will be elected by delegates 'Sahiban' in a democratic way." The five-member Akal Takht-appointed committee will hold the delegate session to elect the president and office bearers at Gurdwara Burj Akali Phoola Singh in Amritsar.

The committee, which was given a mandate to supervise the reorganisation of the Shiromani Akali Dal in December last year, comprised MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, Iqbal Singh Jhunda, Santa Singh Umaidpur, former MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala and Satwant Kaur.

On December 2 last year, the Akal Takht, in its edict, formed a seven-member panel to start a membership drive and hold elections for the post of SAD president and office bearers within six months.

At that time, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs had pronounced "punishment" for SAD leader Sukhbir Badal and others for the "sins" of the party and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

Badal was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) after rebel leaders, including Prem Singh Chandumajra, former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, ex-MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala, and former minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, appeared before the Akal Takht on July 1, 2024, and sought forgiveness for "mistakes" during the SAD regime between 2007 and 2017.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami and former SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar later resigned from the Akal Takht-appointed panel.

But the SAD working committee, in January, formed its own panel and initiated its membership drive, drawing criticism from the rebel leaders for defying the Akal Takht directive.

On April 12, Badal returned to the helm of the Shiromani Akali Dal with his unanimous election as president of the party.

The Akal Takht-appointed committee, however, started a parallel membership drive in March. After completion of the drive and electing delegates, the committee is scheduled to hold the delegate session for electing office bearers on Monday.

On August 7, SAD president Sukhbir Badal urged all Akali leaders who left the party on one pretext or another to come back to the fold in the wake of an appeal by the Akal Takht, calling for unity in the 'qaum' (community).

"I bow my head towards the Takht. I feel it is the duty of every Sikh to obey the directives of the Singh Sahiban. I appeal with folded hands to all Akali leaders who have parted ways with the party to return to their roots to strengthen the 'Panth' and Punjab.

"I also appeal to them to forgive me if I have hurt them in any manner whatsoever while urging them to keep in mind the need to strengthen the 'jathebandi' (SAD) at this crucial juncture", Badal had said. PTI CHS VSD NSD NSD