CHANDIGARH, India: The batches of the task force being raised for the Golden Temple Complex at Amritsar have started to arriving the Golden Temple Complex. The top floor of the Guru Nanak Niwaa has been placed at its disposal. Consisting mainly of ex-servicemen, the task force is intended to maintain the sanctity ‘of the Temple and ensure that the freedom fighters do not occupy the complex again. The work of recruiting volunteers is reportedly being done by a retired Brigadier and a Colonel. Initially the task force was to have one hundred ‘men but there was rethinking, the task force will now comprise three hundred men. As soon as the formalities are over, the task force will replace the B.S.F. and Punjab police personnel now inside the complex. The expenses of main training the force will be paid by S.GP.C. Which is already on the brink of a financial crisis? With a sharp drop in the number of pilgrimages to the Temple, the S.G.P.G. has been forced to withdraw Rs, Ten lakhs from its fixed de posit account to pay the force staff. Even if the S.G.P.C. pays one thousand rupees to each of the ‘one hundred task force personnel the additional monthly expend true will mount to one lakh rupees.
On the other hand all is not well within the S.G.P.C; It has been learned that since its president Mr. Kabal Singh, has totally aligned himself with Mr. Surjt Singh Barnala who is also the President of Akali Dal there is a move by certain S.G.P.C. members to send in a requisition to the President to call a meeting of the S.G.P.C. General House. Thirty five S.G. P.C. members can serve a fifteen day notice to the President for such a meeting. The present move is aimed to give the dissidents a shot in the arm. Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, and Mr., Jagdev Singh Tal wandi have about eight five sup porters in the S.G.P.C, whose effective strength at present is 139. The requisition plans to express no confidence in the S.G.P.C president who supported the April 30th police action in Golden Temple. However, they may take the plea a meeting of the General House as is necessary to discuss the police action and find ways and means to stop its recurrence. The formation ‘of a parallel Akali Dal maybe announced here on June 4th. The ‘Akali Dal leader, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal yesterday also announced that their Dal will start its Dhara in Golden Temple Complex against the presence of police in the Complex from June 4th and they will not vacate the Temple until the police personnel vacate the Golden Temple Complex. The Akali dissidents are schedule to hold their concluding meeting here on June 4th. The All India Sikh Student Federation convener, Mr. Harinder Singh Kahlon, has sent a request to S.G.P.C. to allow it to hold a Shaheedi conference at the Diwan Hall Munji Sahib on June 6th. Mr. Kabal Singh has deferred his decision on application. It has been learned that the decision to summon Mr. Sujit Singh Barnala at Akal Takht on May 17th was not taken by Jathedar Kirpal Singh himself. He was under pres sure to sign on the dotted line.
‘On the eve of Mr. Surjit Singhs visit here, Cabinet Ministers and a few others met Jathedar Kirpal Singh at his Ajit Nagar residence and reportedly discussed the action that the priests would take against Mr. Sunjit Singh Barnala. Infect the May 15th letter said to have been sent to Mr. Surjit Singh through a special messenger by the Jathedar was delivered to the Ch ‘Minister at Akal Takht on May 17th by a Cabinet Minister.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 30, 1986
