CHANDIGARH : Akal Takhts acting Chief Gurdev Singh today directed five member Panthic Committee Member Bachan Singh and All India Sikh Student Federation convener Harinder Singh Kahlon to present themselves before the Akal Takht to explain their conduct and to accept punishment for criticizing the Akal Takht acting Chief. A hand written copy of the notice to this effect was read out to the newsmen by the personal assistant to the Akal Takht Chief at the residence of the United Akali Dal acting convener Baba Joginder Singh in the Golden Temple Complex. It said if they failed to appear at the Akal Takht action would be taken against them according to Sikh traditions Mr. Kahlon has been asked to appear on April 24 and Bachan Singh on April 25. Both Kahlon and Bachan Singh had gone to the press alleging that Akal Takht Chief had played a one sided role in recognizing the Presidium of A.I.S.S.F a rival leadership to by Mr. Kahlon Mr. Bachan Singh had said that if the Akal Takht Chief did not recognize the Five Member Panthic Committee they also did not recognize him as the Akal Takht Chief. Mr. Bachan Singh today challenged the authority of Mr. Gurdev Singh to summon him and said that instead we would summon him for his failure to maintain the status of the office he occupied and allowing himself to be used by the Untied Akali Dal In a statement Mr. Bachan Singh said that the Panthic Committee Members were not answerable to anyone other than Sarbat Khalsa which had appointed the Committee.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 25, 1986
