JALANDHAR: Shiromani Akali Dal (B) president Prakash Singh Badal has said that the forthcoming SGPC election would be a sort of referendum on Sikh leadership. He said that if the mandate goes in favor of any other Akali group then his party would accept the Supremacy of that group. However if the Sikhs voted for Akali Dal (B) then all other groups would have to manage with his party he said
Speaking to media persons here Feb.27 Badal said that he was skeptic about the elections. Holding the elections early would be in the interest of Sikhs and the state of Punjab he said.
Regarding delimitation of constituencies the Akali leader said that it would not affect public opinion. He said that his party would adopt all measures to conduct free and fair polls.
Criticizing the Beant Singh Government the Akali leader said that the Government had betrayed the Punjabis by not fulfilling their demands. He said that unless the Punjab problem was resolved peace would not be restored in the eater
HOSHIARPUR: Gurcharan Singh Tohra president Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has denied that there were any differences with Akali Dal (Badal) president Prakash Singh Badal over the submission of the thanksgiving memorandum meant for Bill Clinton at the American Embassy.
Talking to this reporter at Kaler Khalsa High School 15 km from here on Saturday Tohra clarified that he could not join the delegation due to some engagements. He said that Akali Dal (Mann) had also approached him to lead their contingent but he set the condition that the charter would be written on the letter head of the SGPC. He said that the party president told him that he would consult his party members and inform him accordingly But it was only through the
Newspapers that he (Tohra) came to know that the Mann faction had already submitted their memorandum
Tohra said that had all the Akali Groups presented a joint memorandum it would have been very satisfying for him.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 4, 1994
