SAD asks Punjabis to unite against ‘extremist’ forces
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday urged the people of Punjab to unite against “extremist forces” who, it said, were attacking Sikh religious institutions as well as the SAD-BJP government to destabilise peace in Punjab.Web Summary
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday urged the people of Punjab to unite against “extremist forces” who, it said, were attacking Sikh religious institutions as well as the SAD-BJP government to destabilise peace in Punjab.
In a statement here, SAD MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Ranjit Singh Brahmpura said extremist forces were working to dilute the authority of both the Akal Takht and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
“They are simultaneously targeting the SAD so that all Panthic institutions are destroyed and turbulent times return to the state,” they said, without naming any organisation or individual as the extremist force.
The statement of the SAD leaders coincided with SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar’s decision of re-instating the ‘Panj Pyaras’ at the fag-end of the day on Sunday.
The SAD leaders asserted that the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib was planned to fan religious passions, which were now being directed against the very religious institutions as well as the party that had always stood for protecting the interests of Sikhs.
They said the earlier phase of terrorism had also started with “provocative actions like the recent incidents”.
The leaders urged Sikhs to have faith in both the SGPC and Akal Takht and work with the Sikh institutions to resolve the issue of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, and understand why these desecrations had taken place and who was behind them.