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Delhi Sikhs support Tohra

After a month-long silence over the ongoing Badal-Tohra feud, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee leaders have came out openly against Badal loyalists for asking Akal Takht jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh to withdraw his recent edict accusing them of playing petty politics.

DSGMC general secretary Bhajan Singh Walia challenged the 10 executive members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, who are Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal loyalists, to seek re-election as SGPC members on the issue of withdrawing the edict issued by Bhai Ranjit Singh.

SGPC member Harinderpal Singh said the demand for withdrawal of the edict was mischievous and politically motivated, aimed at undermining the Sikh institution of the Akal Takht.

Dazzled by the power wielded by ruling Akali leaders, these SGPC executive members had conveniently forgotten that the edict could not be taken back; their insistence on that amounted to violation of it, he added.

Ten of the 15 SGPC executive members have opposed the continuation of G S Tohra as their president and have sided with Badal in demanding the withdrawal of the edict.

Another senior Sikh leader, Hharvinder Singh Sarna, criticised the Akali Dal and SGPC leaders meeting convened by Badal at Anandpursahib in Punjab Thursday for ignoring the issue of the United States cancelling the visitor's visa of the Akal Takht jathedar a couple of hours before he was scheduled to leave for that country. They seemed to have forgotten that religion and politics are inseparable and they should protect the Sikh institutions, Sarna said.

UNI

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