Even as religious songs are being sung and devotees are coming here in lakhs to celebrate a never-before Baisakhi at the birthplace of the Khalsa, stormy undercurrents of the Parkash SIngh Badal- Gurcharan Singh Tohra rift are gathering beneath the calm of the Sutlej waters.

The rival platform for former president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Tohra, and suspended Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh is ready and volunteers are putting the finishing touches to the pandal with its banners of Akal Takht ton aayi awaz; Khalsa Panth Zindabad (The cry from Akal Takth calls for victory to the Khalsa Panth).

The volunteers at the Tohra camp who are awaiting the `real Sikh leaders', who haveplanned a show-of-strength entry here with the three processions meeting at Morinda tomorrow afternoon and then moving on together here, are vocal in their criticism of Chief Minister Badal and the `sarkari' (governmental) celebrations of a religious event.

Badal when asked if he was expecting any confrontation during the celebrations, ruled out any such possibility. However, he added that a rival platform had been created. ``If they had wanted to give out a religious message, they could have used a common platform with us,'' he said.

However, there is a feeling in the Sikh circles that Badal could have avoided the rift till April 15 as per a Hukamnana issued against Akali infighting by Bhai Ranjit Singh on December 31, 1998.

At the rival camp, Arvinder Singh, member SGPC, Chandigarh, who was involved in hijacking an aeroplane in the days of militancy, says, ``We are waiting for our leader Tohra Sahib to give us a political agenda and also Bhai Rajnit Singh's religious message to the community. We havenothing to do with the sarkari celebrations here.''

``The entire exercise by Badal is aimed at appeasing the Hindus and Hindustan. He is not doing anything for the Sikh Panth. The inaugural ceremony saw flouting of Sikh traditions as there was no parkash of the Guru Granth Sahib (commencement of uninterrupted recitations from the Holy Book) in the inaugural function. Guru Granth Sahib was brought in only the next day,'' he says.

HS Bhanwar, former media adviser to the SGPC, went a few steps ahead to call Badal `Babur' and Brajinder Singh, Editor, Ajeet `today's Dogra'. The latter reference is to an adviser to Maharaja Ranjit Singh who betrayed the Sikh kingdom.

The sevadars at Takht Keshgarh Sahib too continue to be loyal to Tohra. As devotees buy kirpans as mementos, they are asked if they want the real Tohra kirpan or the fake Badal kirpan.

The appointment of Jagir Kaur as SGPC president is being seen as a proxy rule by Badal. The Chief Minister says, ``She wasappointed because she was capable and suited for the post. I do not wish to say anything that may cause a controversy here.''

However, the stage is set for controversy in the rival camp where Tohra is expected to announce Bhai Ranjit Singh the real Jathedar of the Akal Takht. Sikh circles are also apprehensive of the religious message which Bhai Ranjit Singh is to give out to the Sikh community for it is felt it may sway the masses into supporting the hard line.