Chandigarh: The four major Akali Dal factions: Mann Baba Babbar and Sikh Student Federation.
(Mehta group) have joined forces to give a united front for Punjab to rally behind.
AMRITSAR: The general session of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) last week initiated a move to forge unity in the fragmented Akali Dal by authorizing its president Gurcharan Singh Tohra to take concrete and decisive steps in this direction.
A private resolution moved in this regard ‘by SGPC members Basant Singh Khalsa who is a close confidant of Tohra was unanimously passed by a voice vote.
Later speaking on the subject representatives of the Badal Mann Talwandi and Barnala factions of the Akali Dal pledged their support lo Tohra.
This move by the SGPC considered the Parliament of the Sikhs is seen as a maneuver by Tohra to corner Akali Dal (Badal) president Parkash Singh Badal in their ongoing tussle for leadership of the Dal.
The Khalsa march to be taken out from Baba Bakala on April 10 is also being seen as a step towards forging a common front against the Congress in the coming by-elections.
Akal Takht jathedar Manjit Singh however sought to clarify in the general session that it was not an Akal march but of all those who believed in the concept of Khalsa (the pure).
Moving the unity resolution Basant Singh said that at a time when the Sikh community was a victim of government repression and atrocities and Sikh religion history tradition and rights were under attack the only way the community could face the situation was by rising above their petty differences.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 1, 1994
