Takht unlikely to act against Makkar

His intervention was sought by the executive members, including Karnail Singh Panjoli and Gurvinder Singh Shampura.

Sources close to Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti said the Akal Takht would let the SGPC decide on the matter. On the other hand, it was learnt that five inquiry committee members might come up with some clarification shortly.

The probe panel members, including Rajinder Singh Mehta, Dayal Singh Kolianwali, Surjit Singh Garhi, Jagrup Singh Dhillon and Baba Tek Singh, had exonerated the now suspended SGPC additional secretary and media in-charge, Bedi, of moral turpitudes charges.

Following their clean chit, Bedi was reinstated last week despite some opposition, but had to resign after the media published his photographs with a woman.

Now, the opposition members of the SGPC are training guns at Makkar and supporters and have taken up the issue of deteriorating values in the committee.

The splinter Akali factions, including SAD (A) supremo Simranjit Singh Mann, SAD (1920) head Ravi Inder Singh and All India SAD head Jaswant Singh Mann, have closed ranks to aim at Makkar and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for “defaming the religious body”.

Jathedar Vedanti’s close associate and his secretary Prithipal Singh Sandhu said they had received the memo and the matter was under perusal of the jathedars.

“This is an internal matter of the SGPC and the Takht should not be involved in it,” he said. The splinter groups had hoped that Makkar would have to face the ire of the Takht, which now looks unlikely.

Though Vedanti had developed differences with Makkar, he later made peace with him when the latter agreed to the terms of the Jathedar on various administrative and religious issues, including the appointments of ‘ragis’ at Harmandar Sahib and publication of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Mehta said when they were investigating the charges against Bedi, the pictures, which appeared in media, were not given to them. “There was no major evidence and Bedi was exonerated. The pictures appeared later,” he said, adding that they would soon clarify their position.