CHANDIGARH, Jan 29: Toughening his stand in the ongoing tussle with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee president G S Tohra today rejected the demand to prepone SGPC executive meeting and ruled out his resignation unless asked by Akal Takht Jatehdar Ranjit Singh.``As SGPC president, only I have the right and prerogative to call a meeting,'' Tohra told reporters here when asked whether SGPC meeting would be held on February 15 as demanded by 10 members of the 15-strong executive in a petition to the Gurdwara Judicial Commission yesterday.
Reacting to the demand for his removal, the SGPC chief said he had offered to quit office if asked by Badal, but now he did not intend to take any such decision ``as the Akal Takht has intervened'' in the matter.
``Now, I can resign only if Akal Takht Jathedar Ranjit Singh asks me to. I consider Akal Takht the supreme authority and all other authority is secondary to it,'' he said.
Asked whether any demand by a generalhouse of the SGPC for his removal would be a violation of the controversial edict asking the warring Akali leadership to halt infighting till April 15, Tohra said, ``Why should I presume that the general house would take such a decision?''
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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