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Tohra ready to quit

Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee president Gurcharan Singh Tohra has said he was ready to quit his post if asked by Shiromani Akali Dal president and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Addressing the media yesterday after receiving the 'Khalsa March' from Jammu, he said, ''If Mr Badal asked for my resignation I will quit.''

In his first detailed response to the Akali crisis triggered by his December 10 interview, that led to the resignation of five ministers loyal to him, he claimed that ''outbursts'' by the Badal camp were ''pre-planned.''

Tohra said he had already clarified to the chief minister that he only suggested the appointment of the party's acting president and not Badal's replacement.

Denying the charge that he harboured any political ambition, Tohra reiterated that the outcome of the assembly elections in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and the by-election in Adampur assembly constituency in Punjab, had clearly indicated that ''Sikhs are getting alienated from the Akali party''.

''What I said (in my interview) only reflected the sentiments of party workers,'' he added.

Asked as to why he had postponed the SGPC executive meeting scheduled for today at Amritsar, Tohra said, ''I am not keeping well.''

UNI

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