LUDHIANA: Akali Dal factions led by Mr. Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala are making behind the scenes efforts to bring about unity between the two, and the leaders of both factions claim to have made some headway.

Mr. Talwandi has consolidated his position as President of the UAD as he has won over Mr. Amarinder Singh and Mr. Ravi Inder Singh. Besides, the supporters of Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra have extended their unqualified support to him. But the Badal faction in the UAD’s is still undecided. And supporters of Mr. Tohra hold Mr. Badal responsible for this sorry state of affairs. They allege that Mr. Badal has persistently followed a policy of divide and rule.

Mr. Barnala, Mr. Balwant Singh, Mr. Prem Singh Chandomajra and Mr. Amar Singh Nalani of the Akali Dal (L) recently met Mr. Talwandi. Sources close to both factions are hopeful of unity between the two factions before the election of SGPC office bearers scheduled for November 30.

Mr. Talwandi has undertaken a tour of the districts and met all SGPC members individually and sought their support for the candidature of Mr. Tohra.

A section of the UAD wants that instead of Mr. Tohra some other candidate for the SGPC President ship should be fielded, but the supporters of Mr. Talwandi say this will amount to stabbing Mr. Tohra in the back particularly when he is under detention.

There are reports that Mr. Tohra himself is not very keen on his re-election as SGPC President. Mr. Talwandi has been authorized by his party to announce a nominee for the President ship,

The excommunication of Mr. Barnala from the Sikh Panth by Akal Takht is not likely to pose any problem; He will be punished and pardoned after November 30.

According to the Akal Takht traditions, when a guilty person makes a petition for mercy, he is bound to be forgiven after punishment. The supporters of Mr. Barnala insist on an honorable position for him in the case of unity between the two Dals, The efforts of the two factions are to isolate Baba Joginder Singh and Mr. Jasbir ‘Singh Rode.

The issue of kar sewa at Akal Takht will also be decided after the election of SGPC office bearers. The Kar sewa is likely to be entrusted to the Damdami Taksal led by Baba Thakur Singh. Negotiations with Baba Thakur Singh have already been held by SCPC leaders. In view of this, the Damdami Taksal has adopted a neutral attitude in the present struggle between the different groups of Akali Dals on the one hand and the militants on the other.

Now two sets of high priests are functioning in their own right in the same posts.

Similarly, the Panthic Committee, the supreme body of the militants, has been divided and two Panthic Committees are functioning now.

One Panthic Committee consists of militant leaders like Gurbachan Singh Manochahal and Wassan Singh Zaffarwal besides KCF leaders.

A new Panthic Committee was announced by Mr. Daljit Singh, Convenor of the All India Sikh Students Federation recently at a Press conference near Hoshiarpur. The committees consist of leaders who can be called moderate.

The All-India Sikh Students Federation is also a divided house, after the exit of Mr. Gurjit Singh; Mr. Daljit Singh took over the reins of the federation of the group which was led by Mr. Gurjit Singh.

BEWARE

OF

ANTI-SIKH

RUMOURS

Article extracted from this publication >> November 25, 1988