At a meeting today, 10 of the 15-member SGPC executive committee--all Badal's men and opposed to Tohra and his three associates--appointed Giani Puran Singh as the acting Jathedar after Giani Mohan Singh, their earlier choice, refused to accept the office.

Bhai Ranjit Singh had only yesterday lashed out at Badal accusing him of denigrating the Sikh maryada and playing politics with the Akal Takht. Therefore, it wasn't surprising when Ranjit Singh was suspended at an hour-long closed-door meeting at the Guru Nanak Niwas--but what followed was embarrassing for the Akali Dal. Mohan Singh declined to replace Ranjit Singh saying hedidn't want to be a ``joker'' in the Akali infighting. ``Tomorrow, Tohra will remove me,'' he said, ``Bhai Ranjit Singh is a friend, how can I replace me.''

So five hours later, several ministers and Badal loyalists reached the residence of Giani Puran Singh who agreed to come to their aid. SGPC secretary Balbir Singh Pannu claimed that Mohan Singh had declined the offer because his son was killed by militants.

More noise is expected tomorrow when Bhai Ranjit Singh, who rejected today's decision, chairs a meeting of the Sikh clergy while Giani Puran Singh announced that the meeting was postponed.

Calling the suspension ``partisan, illegal and unfortunate,'' Bhai Ranjit Singh said that he might call a Sarbat Khalsa (a meeting of Sikh representative organisations) ``to do away with the confusion.'' Badal, he alleged, had tried to unseat him by using unfair means but these would not succeed.

``The SGPC cannot remove me. Tomorrow, the Delhi Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee or the Hazoor Sahib ManagementCommittee will remove any jathedar. Would that be acceptable to the Sikh Panth?'' he asked.

He said that the Badal government wanted to portray him as another Bhindranwale. ``I stand guarantee for peace in the state.'' He said he would walk alone from his residence to the Akal Takht tomorrow. And if any attempt was made to put him under house arrest or stop him, it would ``further expose the real face of the government.''

Tohra, too, lashed out at the suspension order. Speaking to The Indian Express, he argued that the Akal Takht Jathedar could not be removed in this manner despite the fact that the SGPC executive committee is the appointing authority and the appointment is later ratified by the general house. He said the issue was not one of law but of Sikh conventions. If the Jathedar violated Sikh tenets, he said, then a Sarbat Khalsa should be convened to take the decision.

When pointed out that earlier, Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Jasvir Singh Rode was dismissed by the SGPC, Tohra said that hewas in jail at that time and the government had put pressure on the executive.

Earlier, a resolution was passed at today's pro-Badal SGPC meeting saying that due to unnecessary confrontation between the three Jathedars, the sentiments of Sikh devotees were hurt and a serious threat was being posed to the unity and harmony of the Panth. It said that Bhai Ranjit Singh had created an atmosphere in which he wasn't even on speaking terms with the other Jathedars.

The resolution also mentioned the case of purchase of a plot by Ranjit Singh in Mohali and alleged that he had tried to hide his identity. ``Executive members reached at the conclusion that to maintain Panthic maryada and to prevent any harm to the 300th Sikh tercentenary celebrations, the Jathedar should resign.'' It further said: ``We have decided to suspend Ranjit Singh from the sacred seat of Akal Takht and a 30-day show-cause notice has been served on him.''