Amritsar: All eyes are on the meeting of Sikh priests today

AMRITSAR: A day before the meeting of five high priests to take a decision on the existential crisis in the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a group of Sikhs under the banner of Panthic Talat Sangathan has approached Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and said that the ‘culprit’ should not be let off by giving a light ‘religious punishment’. The group, led by former Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Kewal Singh, also urged that Panthic representatives should also be taken into confidence before passing the verdict. On July 1, a group of rebel Akali leaders appeared before the Akal Takht and apologised for the ‘mistakes’ committed by their party when it was in power.

These mistakes include favouring Dera Sirsa chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, appointing Sumedh Singh Saini as DGP and other “anti-Panthic” decisions taken by the Akali government during its 10-year tenure in the state, they said. After this, on July 24, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami individually submitted separate written explanations. In his explanation, Sukhbir had admitted to ‘conscious-unconscious (intentional or unintentional) mistakes’ during the SAD tenure between 2007-2015. The ‘apology’ letter written by his father and then CM Parkash Singh Badal in 2015 was also made a part of the explanation.
Gyani Kewal Singh said that the matter of exonerating the Dera Sirsa chief should be taken up thoroughly and the then Jathedars of the Takhts should also be included in the investigation. He said, “Their statement should be put on record, so that it can be known under what circumstances and pressure the Dera Sirsa chief was pardoned. Also, the then SGPC officials and executive members should also be questioned for spending a huge amount of Rs 91 lakh on advertisements to justify it.” Jaswinder Singh Advocate of Akal Purakh Ki Fauj said the SAD president and other Akali leaders should be exposed for aligning with the Dera chief for political gains. “We urge the Jathedar to refrain from passing mere religious punishments,” he said.