SGPC chief Dhami slams Giani Harpreet, says breakaway faction will deepen divisions in Panth

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday said that the elevation of former Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh as the head of the breakaway Akali Dal faction will further intensify the fight within the community. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami addressing a press conference on Tuesday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)
Replying to queries on the delegate session called by the Akal Takht-appointed committee mandated to recast the SAD, Dhami said the entire exercise was to make two Akali Dals.
'When I first heard that Giani Harpreet Singh wants to become president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), I questioned him about this. He himself said that if both groups wished, he might become the president. Now, his long-cherished wish has been accomplished. This has created divisions in the panth. This will intensify the fight within the community,' Dhami said.
Dhami said that as the chairperson of the seven-member committee, he made efforts to unite both the groups. 'I wanted to prevent the internal dispute in the panth. When I saw that my efforts were going in vain, I resigned from the committee and presidency of the SGPC,' he added.
Dhami also questioned the delegate session and alleged that the entire process was pre-planned.
'They said they have elected 500 delegates. Have you got a list of the delegates? They are talking about the restoration of democracy within the party. Surjit Singh Rakhra announced a day before that Giani Harpreet Singh would become president and Satwant Kaur would head the panthic council. They failed to introduce a new system. Everything was finalised before the meeting of the delegates', he said.
Dhami said SAD had split in the past as well, and through the election, people decided which one was real.
'However, I never saw that president of one faction calling for snatching of SGPC, party symbol and office. Is there any connection behind this language used by Giani Harpreet Singh? Such things never happened in the Sikh panth before. What is the intuition behind this statement? Anyone can contest SGPC elections to take its control?' the SGPC chief added.
Responding to Giani Harpreet Singh's allegation that Centre is not conducting SGPC elections because it is in understanding with Sukhbir-led SAD, the SGPC chief said, 'This is not happening first time. There is no role of the SAD to prevent the polls. Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed the process after a petition was filed in this regard'.
Hitting back at Dhami, some of the SGPC members, including Mithu Singh Kahneke, Malkit Singh Changal, Satwinder Singh Tohra and Jarnail Singh Kartarpur said, 'The internal war was started by none other than Sukhbir Singh Badal, and the SGPC chief supported him. Amid the calls for his resignation as party chief, Sukhbir started expelling his colleagues. That was the beginning of the internal war.'
'Sukhbir didn't implement the Jhundan committee report. It was all about monopolising control over the party. If Sukhbir had given up his control and allowed a universally accepted presidium to be formed, or appointed another president, or had a president elected through the seven-member committee, we would not be seeing this day today,' Kahneke said.