Tohra had called Dera chief Pakhandi Sadh

LATE SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra had called the dera sacha sauda chief a Pakhandi Sadh. Read the Indian express on Saturday, September 12, 1998

Tohra now in Sacha Sauda row
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
BATHINDA, Sept 11: The controversy over his equating the Bharatiya Janata Party with the Congress still far from over, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Gurcharan Singh Tohra has now invited another controversy with his onslaught on the "Sacha Sauda" sect.

In a statement in Ludhiana yesterday, Tohra had described "Sacha Sauda" chief Sant Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh as a "pakhandi sadh (hypocrite)" and had asked people to avoid following him.

Joining the issue with Tohra, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Jagmit Singh Brar today termed his statement as being contemptuous, irresponsible and misleading. Brar, who spoke to ENS over telephone from New Delhi, said that Tohra had no right to term the "Sacha Sauda" chief a hypocrite.

"Tohra, who has been heading the SGPC for the past three decades or so, should instead introspect why the Sikhs are becoming followers of other sects," Brar said, adding that Tohra should express his regret for such "derogatory remarks against the Sant, who is spreading the message of love, peace and welfare of humanity".

Brar argued that if Tohra had such disregard for the "Sacha Sauda" chief, why had the Akalis then cajoled him to come to their rescue during the elections. "Instead of blaming the Sant, Tohra should first challenge Cabinet minister Tota Singh, state ministers Inderjit Singh Zira and Chiranji Lal Garg, MLA Malkiat Singh Kitu and other senior Akali leaders on what they were doing at the religious congregation of `Sacha Sauda' sect at Salabatpura in Bathinda district on September 8," he said.

In a separate statement, PPCC organising secretary Jagroop Singh Gill and Congress district general secretary Premi Kewal Krishan Agarwal have also criticised Tohra for his "derogatory and irresponsible statement" against the sect chief.

Tohra's remarks have also caused a flutter among leaders of other parties. Several senior Akali leaders are also reportedly upset over the statement but are not coming out openly against Tohra for obvious reasons.

The "Sacha Sauda" sect, the clout of which was on display on September 8 when nearly five lakh people gathered at their religious congregation, has so far no political affiliation but leaders from almost all political parties could be seen seeking the blessings of its chief during the elections.

An Akali leader, who did not want to be quoted, said that "merely a sign of the sect chief could tilt the scales during elections". The sect is stated to have played a significant role in the victory of Sukhbir Singh Badal during the recent Lok Sabha elections.