The Technical Education and Industrial Training Minister, Punjab, Mr. Charanjit Singh Channi has held badal family directly responsible for the death of late Panth Rattan Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra. The minister was paying homage to Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra in a state level function organized by Punjab Government at the anaj mandi in village tohra during the 14th death anniversary of the departed leader.Airing his views regarding demise of Jathedar Tohra, Mr. Channi said that Parkash Singh Badal levelled false allegations against jathedar tohra for serving his own personal interests and removed him from the Presidentship of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) the result being that jathedar tohra could not tolerate these baseless and false allegations which lead to his demise.Calling President of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Sukhbir Singh Badal as the one deviated from the path of Guru Sahiban, Mr. Channi demanded from the Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib that Sukhbir Singh Badal be declared a tankhahiya and summoned at Sri Akal Takht Sahib because Sukhbir Singh Badal had forsaken the ideals of guru sahiban after partaking Amrit at Sri Kesgarh Sahib.The minister also demanded the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal from the Presidentship of SAD because every leader serving as the President of this panthic organization has worn all the 5 Kakars (Articles of Faith) bestowed by the Guru. The minister further said that had jathedar tohra been alive today then Sukhbir Singh Badal wouldn’t have become the President of SAD. So, Sukhbir Singh Badal has no moral right to continue as the President of SAD.
Mr. Channi also said that today in the function held to commemorate jathedar tohra the leaders of all other parties came but the very party for whom jathedar tohra dedicated his entire life didn’t deem it fit to mark their presence. He also said that whether or not SAD remembers jathedar tohra but the entire sikh panth would forever remain indebted to jathedar tohra. Calling jathedar tohra an exceptional personality, Mr. Channi said that he (jathedar tohra) always fought for the just rights of Punjab with the Union Government and always lead from the front. The minister further declared that the stadium being constructed at Fatehgarh Sahib would be named after jathedar tohra and besides this, an ITI or a Skill Development Centre would come up at 20 acres of land kept at village tohra for his memory. A sub-tehsil at chanarthal has already been established and Rs. 20 crore are being spent on development of Fatehgarh Sahib. Mr. Channi further added that jathedar tohra contributed a lot in the religious, educational, administrative, political, social and other spheres and remained President of the SGPC for consecutive 27 years rendering selfless service apart from serving as an MP.Describing the initiative undertaken by the state government, Mr. Channi said that till date the Punjab Government has provided jobs in the Government and the private sector to 1.66 lakh youth. He also revealed that the state government has given a platform to the youth in the form of job fairs and brought the scheme of ‘Punjab Youth Training Fees’ in place of skill development allowance. He also disclosed that the syllabus in the ITIs and the Technical Education colleges of the state is being implemented in Punjabi. Adding more, he said that the students of these institutions would be taught a course of 6 months duration in the skill university which would increase the recognition of their certificates.
Addressing on the occasion, MLA Fatehgarh Sahib Mr. Kuljit Singh Nagra exhorted the youth and the political leaders to derive inspiration from the life of jathedar tohra and come forward for selfless service. He also said that during the past 10 years, the ideology of selfless service towards humanity was completely forgotten and politics was given the form of a business enterprise. On the occasion Rajya Sabha MP from AAP Sanjay Singh said that jathedar tohra would always be remembered for his immensely inspiring legacy. Ex-General Secretary of SGPC Jathedar Sukhdev Singh Bhaur and Secretary All India Kisan Morcha on behalf of BJP Sukhminder Singh Grewal also addressed the gathering. Former minister Mr. Harmel Singh Tohra thanked all on behalf of the Tohra family.On the conclusion of the function, ex-head granthi of Gurudwara Sri Dukh Niwaran Sahib Giani Sukhdev Singh performed ardas and hazoori ragi of Gurudwara Sri Dukh Niwaran Sahib Bhai Jaswinder Singh performed kirtan. Earlier, the senior cabinet minister of Punjab Mr. Sadhu Singh Dharamsot paid homage to jathedar tohra at the function held at the ancestral home of the departed leader. Among others present on the occasion included Bibi Kuldeep Kaur Tohra (Daughter of Jathedar Tohra), OSD to the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh-Mr. Damanjit Singh Mohi, ex Chairman market committee Patiala Jathedar Harinder Pal Singh Tohra, Engineer Kanwarbir Singh Tohra, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Kumar Amit and SSP Dr. S. Bhupathi.