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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Giani Harpreet opts out, Satwant Kaur set to head breakaway Akali faction
Senior SGPC employee Bibi Satwant Kaur is set to be the new chief of the breakaway Akali Dal faction as former Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Friday said he is opting out of the race. Akal Takht appointed panel will hold delegate session on August 11. (HT File) The Akal Takht-appointed panel, which was given the mandate to recast the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the December 2 decree, has scheduled the delegate session to elect new president and office bearers on August 11. Kaur, part of the Takht panel and currently serving in a senior position in the SGPC's education wing, has strong panthic roots. She is the granddaughter of former Damdami Taksal chief Kartar Singh Bhindranwale. Her father, Bhai Amrik Singh, president of the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF), was killed during Operation Bluestar. She hails from Bhoora Kohna village in Tarn Taran district and is considered a good orator with command over panthic politics. Giani Harpreet Singh, who was part of the December 2 decree pronounced by Sikh clergy, in a Facebook post, said he doesn't wish to be part of the race for the presidency. 'The five-member committee has scheduled the election meeting for August 11. I have come to know that during this election, my name, as well as the name of Bibi Satwant Kaur Ji, the daughter of the great martyr Bhai Amrik Singh Ji, are being considered for the presidency of the Shiromani Akali Dal. Some voices are being raised in my support, and some in favour of Bibi Ji. I appeal to the five-member committee that I do not wish to be part of the race for the presidency in competition with Bibi Satwant Kaur. Hence, my name should not be considered for the position of president,' Giani Harpreet said in his post. BOX: Takht panel allotted alternative venue by SGPC The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday allotted Bhai Gurdas Hall, in the vicinity of the Golden Temple, to the Akal Takht panel to hold its elections. The panel had earlier sought the SGPC headquarters, Teja Singh Samundri Hall, for the delegate meeting. 'The SGPC has not granted permission to hold the meeting at Teja Singh Samundri Hall. Instead, Bhai Gurdas Hall has been allotted to us. However, we have not finalised yet whether we are to organise the meeting at this venue. Gurdwara Burj Akali Phoola Singh is also under our consideration. We are holding a meeting tomorrow to finalise the venue,' Gurpartap Singh Wadala, one of the committee members, said. The meeting is scheduled to be held on August 11.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Satwant Kaur, Giani Harpreet emerge as contenders for SAD prez's post
Bibi Satwant Kaur and former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh have emerged as frontrunners for the top post as the five-member committee, constituted by the Akal Takht on December 2 last year to supervise the recast of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), gears up for its delegate session. Giani Harpreet Singh While one of the group, consisting two members of Takht appointed panel, are backing Kaur, who is daughter of Amrik Singh, the other faction, led by a leader who led the SAD rebel faction who approached Akal Takht for course correction, has puts its weight behind Giani Harpreet Singh to be at the helm of the new faction of SAD. The election for the office bearers has been fixed for August 11; however, so far, a venue has not been finalised. The delegates elected from among 26 lakh members recruited by the five-member committee will elect the office bearers. 'We are trying for a consensus, and every senior leader will get a respectable role in the party matters,' Manpreet Singh Ayali said on being asked about the presidential candidate. Ayali refused to comment on his choice of the top leader and said, 'The delegates will have a final say.' Bibi Satwant Kaur was serving in a senior position in the education wing of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and comes from a panthic family. Her father, Amrik Singh, was an associate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and was killed during Operation Bluestar. Amrik's father, Kartar Singh Bhindranwale, remained head of Damdami Taksal. She was among the seven members named by Akal Takht, which included SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, former president Kirpal Singh Badungar, Ayali, Jhundan, Gurpartap Singh Wadala and Santa Singh Umaidpur. Dhami and Badungar resigned, after which the five members started a membership drive in March. Giani Harpreet Singh, who was jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, was one of the key curators of the December 2 edict. He was later removed by SGPC but continued to support the membership drive and was also critical of the SAD leaders, including party president Sukhbir Singh Badal. Wadala said that, as per feedback and sentiment in the panthic circles, Giani Harpreet is emerging as a choice for the top post. 'He is an intellectual, possesses panthic ideals. He has not compromised with principles and traditions,' Wadala said. Giani Harpreet Singh also faced criticism from the Sukhbir-led SAD, which alleged that he had a tacit understanding with the BJP.
