PATIALA: The acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Prof Manjit Singh, has said that he is “determined” to bring about unity among the various Akali factions as this was the desire of the Sikh panth. “If they really want to solve the problems facing the Sikh community, the panth feels that a divided community may not be able to achieve the objective,” the jathedar said.

Prof Manjit Singh said “I as a humble servant of the community feel my responsibility to convey the Panth’s sentiments to the Sikh leaders concerned.” As a result, I wrote to the Akali Dal (Badal) president, Parkash Singh Badal. Instead of giving a patient thought they (Akali Dal Badal) attacked the Akal Takht, said Manjit Singh.

Declining to comment on the statements made by Badal or any other leader of his party in the press, he said that Badal had deputed Kanwaljit Singh, vice-president of his party, to discuss the unity issue and the contents of my letter written to him (Badal), “I had conveyed to him the stand of the Akal Takht. It was for the Dal (Badal) to decide if they claimed to be “genuine Sikhs’ and cared for the community they would have to respect the Akal Takht,””

However, Manjit Singh declined to comment when asked if he would issue any edict” (hukamnamas) before or on November 25 the day of the SGPC election, he said that there was” ‘cough time until November 25. ~ When asked if the Akali Dal leaders come here to gherao him, the © jathedar smilingly reacted that it would be “a good opportunity” to hold talks with Badal. ‘The jathedar parried many questions about the controversy sparked off following Te a— noun cements of the SGPC polls and his unity move. He was visibly upset but not pessimistic about his unity move. Manjit Singh said that he knew why leaders say “irrelevant things” in the press. They were egoistic, separated from each other because of their vested interests, headed. But he hastily added that it was the duty and responsibility of the Akal Takht to understand what was in their Ming and then act. Prof Manjit Singh said I would not tell you when the Akal Takht would act. But I am determined to bring about unity among them. When asked if Badal would be called at the Akal Takht for his utterances, the jathedar said that there was no such move at the moment and there was enough time to resolve the unity issue.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 25, 1994