Chandigarh, Feb 19 A delegation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday met Harjinder Singh Dhami and appealed to him to continue as the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Party leader Daljit Singh Cheema told the media that the delegation met Dhami to understand the circumstances under which he had tendered his resignation as the SGPC President.
"It is clear that Dhami chose to resign due to mental agony. He has taken a few things to heart due to which he resigned all of a sudden. We have, on our part, assured Dhami that the party is with him and that the Panth needs his leadership at this crucial juncture," he said.
Asserting that the Akali Dal was keen to resolve the entire issue pertaining to Dhami’s resignation, Cheema said: "We will continue to engage with him and arrive at a resolution to all issues."
He also said that Dhami has made immense contributions to both the SAD and the SGPC and held important positions in both due to his capability and honesty.
"Sometimes organisations have to take tough decisions while performing their duties. These are necessary as the SGPC, which was formed as per an Act of Parliament, has to take decisions on appointments of jathedars."
Amid the crisis between the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Dhami resigned from his post on Monday.
Saying he has resigned as a token of respect for the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, Dhami, who is known for his proximity with the Badal family, also offered to step down from the seven-member committee formed by the Akal Takht Jathedar in December last for reorganisation of the Akali Dal.
Dhami had been facing "criticism" from the Akal Takht Jathedar (high priest) for removing Giani Harpreet Singh as the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib.
The Akali Dal's acting President Balwinder Singh Bhundar also did not appear before the seven-member committee headed by Dhami.
The resignation of Dhami is seen as a setback for the Akali Dal that had "put pressure" on the SGPC executive committee to remove Giani Harpreet Singh as he played a key role in last year’s decree of the Sikh clergy in which tankhah (religious punishment) was given to Sukhbir Badal and other Akali leaders. While the Akal Takht is the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, the SGPC is known as a mini-parliament of Sikh affairs.
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