Jathedar to panel: SAD cooperation not a must for recruitment drive

GIANI RAGHBIR SINGH SAYS PANEL APPOINTED BY TAKHT CAN GO AHEAD WITH THE MEMBERSHIP DRIVE ON ITS OWN

- Surjit Singh

AMRITSAR: Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Saturday stated that the seven-member committee constituted by the highest Sikh temporal seat to conduct the recruitment drive of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the reorganisation of the party structure did not require the cooperation of the party's existing leadership and the panel was asked to initiate the process of recruitment on its own.

His statement comes days after the panel members met him at his residence to tell him that the SAD leadership was "not cooperating" with them in initiating the recruitment process.

While interacting with the media here, the jathedar stated that as per the December 2 decree of the Akal Takht, the SAD recruitment drive had not started yet. This implies that he has rejected the recruitment drive being conducted by the Sukhbir Singh Badal camp.