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 bye-elections.
Akal Takht jathedar Manjit Singh how over sought to clarify in the general session that it was not an Akali 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 to government repression and atrocities and Sikh religion history tradition and rights were under attack” Uh only way the community could fact the situation was by rising above their petty differences.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 1, 1994
