Amarinder calls for fresh election to SGPC

Congress MP Amarinder Singh today blamed Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for the ongoing stand-off between various Sikh groups in the state and appealed against "any move" that he said may harm the sanctity and authority of Sikh institutions.
Reacting to the "appointment" of Akal Takhat jathedar and other head priests at the Sikh congregation at Amritsar today, Amarinder said, "this way we will only kill the institutions that have been set up after a lot of struggle and sacrifice".
The former chief minister said that while it is the prerogative of the SGPC to make such appointments, at the same time, he has always maintained that the present SGPC was under the arbitrary and authoritarian control of Badal (chief minister).

"We need fresh and immediate SGPC elections under credible authority," he said, adding, afterwards the new SGPC can make the appointments of the jathedars and head priests.
"Let us not repeat what Badal has done all his life by subverting and destroying the sacred institutions of the community for his vested interests," Singh said.
"The way the jathedars have been appointed today will only further undermine the authority of the institution set up after much sacrifice," the former Punjab chief minister said.