CHANDIGARH: The Akali Dal (Badal) leaders are perturbed at the letter written by the Akal Takht acting jathedar, Manjit Singh, to the party president, Parkash Singh Badal, stirring up the issue of Akali unity a few days before the executive committee election of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Manjit Singh released the letter at Anandpur Sahib last week. The letter is highly ‘critical of the functioning of Badal and amounts to his indictment. ‘The intention behind the letter, according to the Akali Dal (Badal) leaders is to summon Badal at Akal Takht, the institution for prayer and politics.

Interestingly, the Akal Takht chief has come to the rescue of the SGPC chief, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, by commending him; Tohra is seeking election for the SGPC president ship for the 20th time.

‘The senior Akali Dal (Badal) leaders, have taken strong objections to the letter and allege that Manjit Singh ‘was playing into the hands of the SGPC chief, They feel that Manjit Singh has deliberately brought in the Supreme temporal institution in this war of attrition between the warring Amritsar and Badal factions of the ‘Akalis at this crucial juncture. ‘The letter said that Badal must remove the stigma of being a deserter by presenting himself at the Akal ‘Takht. Manjit Singh warmed him that this was the last opportunity for him to give up obdurate behavior and join other Akali leaders for Panthic unity. He regretted that expression of Sikh feelings through him had failed to shake Badal who continued to be the victim of his bloated ego and selfishness; He has not directly summoned Badal.

‘That the letter is an attempt to meddle in the SGPC election is indicated from the way Manjit Singh has questioned Badal for refusing to respond to Tohra who offered to sit in the last row provided Badal appeared at Akal Takht. “Why do you hesitate to give up your just for power?” the acting jathedar asked him. It is the timing of the letter which is significant. Badal would be opposing. Tohra in the SGPC election for the first time. The Akali Dal (Amritsar) has already announced the candidature of Tohra for the president ship of the SGPC in the election stated for November 25. The Akali Dal (Badal) had decided to take Tohra head on. Though the party is yet to finalize its candidate, the name of prem singh Lalpura, who has been inactive in the Akali politics for the last many years, is under serious consideration.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 18, 1994