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Sikh definition affidavit to be
withdrawn as SGPC buckles
Jagmohan Singh
 AMRITSAR:
In an unprecedented move, the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee, Avtar Singh Makkar has convened a special
meeting of its executive on 28 December at Teja Singh Samundri Hall,
Amritsar
to consider withdrawal of the impugned Sikh definition affidavit in
the Punjab and Haryana High Court, for which a decision in principle
has been taken.
Buckling under
tremendous pressure exerted by all Sikh religious, social and
political parties across the globe, the Badal Dal leadership of the
SGPC, after a long time has decided to bow to overwhelming Sikh
opinion against its own. The Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat, Shiromani
Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), Sant Samaj, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Nihang
organizations, Dal Khalsa, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Sri Guru
Singh Sabha, Kolkatta, Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Mumbai, Sikh Youth of
America in the United States and many other individuals and
organizations had severely criticized and chastised the SGPC
leadership for submitting a false and misleading affidavit.
During his
recent tour of the
United States,
the SGPC president had to face the ire of the Sikh Sangat there on
this and other Panthic issues.
World Sikh News
was in the forefront in presenting the deliberate faux pas of the
SGPC mandarins and continues to spearhead a campaign for the
withdrawal of the said affidavit and democratization of the working
of the Sikh Parliament.
While the SGPC
may have taken this decision in principle and the executive may pass
a resolution to that effect on 28 December, it is not
going to be an easy journey at the High Court. The court is likely
to ask the SGPC questions which it will find difficult to answer,
"Why was a wrong affidavit filed in the first place?" What made the
earlier affidavit wrong and what new wisdom has dawned on the SGPC
now?
Whether the
decision to withdraw the affidavit will also lead to resignation of
standing counsel H. S. Mattewal, who is close to de facto chief
minister Sukhbir Singh Badal will be another interesting development
to watch. And what face will Anurag Singh, the chairperson of the
SGPC Sikh Historical Research Board present?
26 December
2008
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