Akali Dal abstains from Central government's all-party meeting

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), also known as Akali Dal, and a key ally of BJP in Punjab, on Thursday abstained from the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA government here to discuss the issues to be considered and taken up during the Interim Budget Session of Parliament, beginning January 31.

SAD MP Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, who was supposed to attend the meeting on behalf of his party, said that "there are some issues, which need to be sorted out and I am confident these issues will be resolved mutually."

"It was actually a coincidence that at the same time I had to attend a programme. But, yes, there are some issues, which need to be sorted out and I am confident that these issues will be resolved mutually," said Prof Chandumajra while speaking to ANI.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, however, said: "Akali Dal MP Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra had attended the all-party meeting. He had to leave for some work. So he informed me and left."

SAD has accused the BJP of meddling in Sikh's religious affairs by trying to install its own people in the management of gurdwaras.

Akali Dal, which has a majority in the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) headquartered in Amritsar, is said to be upset with the alleged move of BJP government in Maharashtra to appoint its own man as the head of the board of Gurdwara Takht Hazur Sahib, Nanded.

It is worth mentioning that the Maharashtra government has effected an amendment in Section 11 of Sri Hazur Sahib Management Act, which empowers the state to elect the head of gurdwara management.