Amritsar: 'Only Simranjit Singh Mann has always abided by Akal Takht directions'

AMRITSAR: Though the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Amritsar president Simranjit Singh Mann does not have any significant association with Amritsar, but since the formation of SAD(Amritsar) on the direction of Akal Takht, he has been emphatically leading the party and towing its ideology despite his colleagues marooning him.
"Only Simranjit abided by the directions of Akal Takht and continued to lead SAD(A) and further its ideology since its formation in 1994.Now people of Punjab have given their mandate in his favour" said Harbir Singh, a long-time colleague of Simranjit, who works as office secretary of SAD(A).
He said then jathedar of Akal Takht, Professor Manjit Singh had convened a meeting at Akal Takht and directed the unification among Sikh leaders following which SAD (A) was founded in May 1994 and the then Sikh leadership unanimously appointed Simranjit as its president.
Harbir, who was also part of the meeting, said Sikh leaders, including Captain Amarinder Singh, Surjit Singh Barnala, Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Bhai Manjit Singh and Gurcharan Singh Tohra were part of the meeting while claiming that Parkash Singh Badal was not part of it.
He said with time almost all Sikh leaders, in violation of Akal Takht directives, choose their own political course but it was Simranjit who kept on advocating a separate state for Sikhs. He has always been taking cudgels in support of his party's ideology and has not been hesitant even in criticising Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee management or the high priests of Akal Takht, added Harbir.
Simranjit's sister had her house at Mall Road in Amritsar and now Mann owns a house in New Amritsar, said Harbir.