[W.S.N. Fresno Bureau] TURLOCK: S, Kuldip Singh Wadala, a senior vice president of Akali Dal (B) in a statement, dissociated himself from Mr. Narinder Pa! Singh Hundal who has claimed himself as president of California’s newly constituted Akali Dal. Wadala said that he has personally checked with Mr. Parkash Singh Badal in India to see if he might have appointed Hundal as President of local Wing. However, Mr. Buda) was not even aware of Hundal’s name, much less appointing him as leader of California’s Sikhs.
However, Mr. Wadala admitted that Hundal has some political connection with Gurcharan Singh Tohra. He informed that Tohra participated in a religious function hosted by Hundal at Garh Shankar in Punjab a few months ago. Hundal at that time also sent invitations to several senior Akali leaders but none showed up. Mr. Wadala made these comments at Turlock Gurdwara when pressed by local Sikh dignitaries to explain the role of senior Akali Dal’s leaders in appointing Hundal as its local president. However, he said that his Akali Wing was planning to establish its unit mm California and was considering several local Sikhs to be involved in the process.
Wadala visited Turlock Gurdwara Sahib at the invitation of Mr. Zora Var Singh Sandhu, a Sikh activist in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Mr. Wadala chastised report published in local Indian press and a Punjabi weekly that his whirlwind tour of America and Canada was to propagate his political philosophy. He said that the sole purpose of his visit to the countries was (o attend a marriage; meet family members, and relatives who have settled here. He, however, felt obligated to be 3 part of extended family of Sikhs in general, He made the remarks during his participation in a dinner hosted in his honor by local Sikhs on June 18, 1996, and He was the guest of honor.
Responding to questions from the audience regarding how much close and how much apart Mr, Badal and Mann were from each other, he said that both were friends and shared the same political ideology. But the differences, crept mainly over the sharing of high political offices. He however, was hopeful that the differences could be resolved amicably. He felt that the unity among Sikhs leaders was the need of hour. “In unity lies our strength,” he said, “If we are united then no body in the world can distract Sikhs from their destination.”
Noted Sikh luminaries like S, Charanjit Singh Batth, Charanjit Singh Sihota,(Expressway trucking), Avtar and Harry Gill (Gill Insurance), Tut brothers and Didar Singh Bains were among the participants in the dinner party. Efforts of Paul Mahal and Narinder Singh Sanghera Were appreciated for arranging the dinner at B.J. Country kitchen where Mr. Wadala’s itinerary includes his keynote.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 26, 1996
