Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) core committee member Sucha Singh Chhotepur on Sunday strongly criticised the appointment of advocate Satnam Singh Kler as chairman of the Gurdwara Judicial Commission, alleging that he had represented the accused in the Jaswant Singh Khalra case and the decision had “hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community”.
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In a statement, Chhotepur said it was unacceptable that at a time when the Sikh Panth was remembering human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, a lawyer who had defended those accused in his disappearance had been elevated to a key position in one of Panth’s premier institutions.
He claimed that the appointment, reportedly made on the recommendation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), amounted to disrespecting the memory of Khalra and other Sikh martyrs.
He further alleged that Kler’s son Arshdeep Singh Kler was a prominent spokesperson of the faction led by Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and questioned the propriety of the appointment.
Chhotepur said it was ironic that those who advocated showcasing films based on Khalra’s life had simultaneously entrusted senior positions within Sikh institutions to lawyers who had represented the accused in the case. He termed the move “highly condemnable”.
Appealing to Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Chhotepur urged him to ensure that individuals, who defended the accused in cases involving Sikh martyrs, were identified and removed from influential positions in Sikh institutions.
