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FIFTH
TIME: Flexible Makkar is SGPC president again
WSN Bureau
 AMRITSAR:
Avtar Singh Makkar who at one stage was seen as a Falstaff who had
become the King seems to have become well entrenched, thanks to the
art of obsequousness and least resistance to the Badals. On
Wednesday, Makkar became President of the SGPC for the fifth time in
a row after his name was proposed by Bibi Jagir Kaur whom he had
replaced in 2005.
The name
was decided by Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal in what was a
significant change from earlier tradition of Prakash Singh Badal
making that decision. Thus, the election of Makkar was more
significant in that it underlined the increasing shift of power from
the elder Badal to the younger one.
The general
house of the SGPC took the decision which was a mere formality since
Makkar was widely known to be the choice. The Badals were reluctant
to make any change in a year that is likely to see SGPC elections
and Makkar has proved his worth by not allowing any resistance to
the centralisation of all powersin the hands of the Badal family and
has managed many contradictions by taking stands ever so flexible.
His tenure
this past year was marked by the most unsavoury controversy over
definition of a Sehajdhari Sikh in the High Court, an affidavit
filed wrongly by the SGPC, the withdrawal of the same and much
embarrassment to Akali Dal as well as the SGPC.
But
Makkar's success probably lay in his discretion as to when to remain
silent. Something as important and crucial as the arrest of Bhai
Daljit Singh has not inspired Makkar to make a single statement. No
wonder the Badals have once again expressed confidence in his
leadership.
Thanks to
ts brute majority in the SGPC, the Shiromani Akali Dal this time to
stuck to the tradition to unanimously authorise party chief Sukhbir
Singh Badal to name the next president of the Sikh body. CM Badal,
in a move to send clear signals to alliance partner BJP for the
impending shift of power, allowed his son to independently handle
the SGPC office-bearers' poll.
Toeing his
father's line, Sukhbir kept his cards close to his chest till the
last minute causing Makkar to miss some heart beats and taking his
time to send the famous sealed envelop that was opened before the
SGPC general house meeting.
Sukhbir
urged SGPC members to start groundwork for the committee's general
election, likely to take place in March-April next year. He said the
management needed to streamline the committee's functioning by
bringing in transparency and computerisation.
At a
separate meeting, opposition members authorised veteran Akali leader
Manjit Singh Calcutta to name their candidate for the SGPC chief
election. Nearly 30 members, including Haryana Sikh Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee ad hoc chief Jagdish Singh Jhinda, SAD (Longowal)
leader Baldev Singh Mann, Akali Dal (1920) leaders Raghbir Singh and
Darshan Singh Isapur, declared that each post of office-bearer in
the SGPC would be contested and they would urge members to vote
according to their conscience.
25
November 2009
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