Shiromani Akali Dal: Plot to break party hatched long before Akal Takht edict

The SAD on Thursday alleged that a conspiracy to split the party was set in motion by rebel Akali leaders long before the Akal Takht decree that ordered it to launch a membership drive and organisational polls to elect its office-bearers.

The party also alleged that Giani Harpreet Singh, the chief of the SAD breakaway faction, was part of the conspiracy despite being “adjudicating” on a complaint against its president Sukhbir Badal.

Giani Harpreet Singh was one of the five high Sikh priests that had pronounced the edict on December 2 last year. He was the Jathedar of the Takht Damdama Sahib at that time. The accusation came a day after the party breakaway faction held a parallel show of strength in Sangrur on the 40th death anniversary of former SAD president Harchand Singh Longowal.

SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said dissident leader Prem Singh Chandumajra told the gathering that the conspiracy to form a breakaway faction was hatched at the residence of the late Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. He and other SAD leaders — including Maheshinder Singh Grewal — urged Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj to take cognisance of the “inadvertent confession”.

The leaders alleged that the plot was hatched in the presence of Surjit Singh Rakhra, Bibi Jagir Kaur and Parminder Singh Dhindsa. Terming this a “massive betrayal” of the Akal Takht, they said it had now become clear that Giani Harpreet Singh visited the Chandigarh residence of Dhindsa to participate in the dialogue at a time when he was “adjudicating on a complaint filed by the same leaders against Sukhbir”.

Punjab