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Majority in DGMC governing body backs Tohra

Barring Jaswant Singh Sethi, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, the entire fifteen-member governing body has switched loyalty to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Gurcharan Singh Tohra.

They also announced that the tercentenary of the Khalsa Panth will be celebrated under the leadership of suspended Akal Takht jathedar Ranjit Singh.

The Tohra loyalists, who have floated a parallel Akali Dal by quitting the Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, claimed that almost all prominent Akali politicians have joined them.

Twenty-four of the 46 DSGMC members openly severed their links with the Badal camp. Earlier, the SAD dominated the DSGMC, sweeping the polls held four years ago.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, the new Akali Dal convenor Avtar Singh 'Autopin' and former DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna, who was recently suspended from the post of SAD general secretary, said they would begin a week-long celebrations in the first week of April.

They said they would invite political leaders on the occasion.

They also plan to take out a march from New Delhi to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab on March 28 as part of celebrations.

Akali sources said Badal had persuaded Sethi against leaving the party after a long meeting yesterday.

UNI

EARLIER REPORTS:
Tohra asks SGPC members for 'conscience vote'
Political crisis could bring back militancy, warns Congress
Five Akali leaders seek Tohra's expulsion
Badal tells Tohra not to boycott Khalsa celebrations

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