The joint meeting of party MPs, MLAs, SGPC members and district Akali Dal presidents made no mention of the ongoing feud between Badal and the SGPC president G S Tohra, who was also present and authorised Badal to set up the panel which would chalk out plans to celebrate the formation of the Khalsa Panth 300 years ago by the 10th Guru Gobind Singh in this town.

Those present at the meeting confined themselves to plans for the celebrations and projects for the development of Anandpur Sahib city and avoided any reference to the Akal Takht or its jathedar Ranjit Singh who had on December 31 issued a Hukamnama (edict) directing the two leaders to stop all controversies till thecelebrations ended by April 15.

On Wednesday, ten of the 15 members of the SGPC, owing allegiance to Badal had questioned the Hukamnama issued by the Akal Takht and had appealed for its withdrawal.

The factional feud between Chief Minister Badal and Tohra came into the open about a month ago when Tohra demanded Badal's resignation from the party president's post.

A resolution passed at the meeting said, "This meeting unanimously gives full authorisation to Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal to set up a committee which would plan and execute all ventures for tri-centenary celebrations taking along the SGPC and other religious and social organisations."

Later, addressing a press conference Badal termed today's meeting as "unprecedented and most representative", adding the committee would be formed within a week.

Asked whether the Akal Takht jathedar Ranjit Singh would be included in the committee, Badal said, "We do not know whether he would like to be a part of the committee."

Ranjit Singh hadearlier boycotted the State government-backed celebrations here on November 22 and criticised the plans chalked out by the Badal government saying since the celebrations were religious they should be left to the SGPC.

Akali Dal sources said in the absence of any dissenting note from Tohra or his loyalists and the fact that Badal had been vested with all rights for the celebrations, which are primarily religious, showed that the Akali Dal president had strengthened his grip over the party and the SGPC.

Hukumnama right

AMRITSAR: SGPC senior secretary and former Punjab minister Manjit Singh Calcutta today said only Akal Takht jathedar had the right to issue hukumnama although he could take suggestions from jathedars of other four Sikh Takhts or other Sikh priests or religious personalities. Calcutta who resigned in the wake of the controversy between SGPC president G S Tohra and CM Parkash Singh Badal said, "Had such been the condition, no hukumnama could have been issued."