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Akal Takht jathedar announces platform to track, bust ‘anti-Sikh’ content online
Akal Takht jathedar also accuses the Punjab government of trying to create panic by increasing security in Talwandi Sabo and other districts ahead of Baisakhi
Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Friday announced a new platform to track and bust ‘anti-Sikh’ content being circulated online and in a section of the mainstream media.
Jathedar announced while addressing a first-of-its-kind convention on challenges faced by the ‘Sikh media’ at the historic Takht Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda, saying tyros and veteran journalists will be roped in for the forthcoming project aimed at curtailing hateful content against the community.
The jathedar expressed concern about the fake narrative pedalled against Sikhs in the mainstream media and social media platforms and favoured a redressal tool.
In his 19-minute address, jathedar twice read out news content which was live on television channels running stories of fugitive Waris Punjab de chief Amritpal Singh’s possible surrender at Damdama Sahib shrine. He called the news feed sensational and urged the TV crew to fact-check before publishing news items.
Singh lamented the Punjab government and national media for spreading panic among the masses by selectively floating such content.
“Communal riots during Ram Navami in West Bengal and Maharashtra were absent on the national media but Punjab, where no riot took place since police action began against Amritpal, was painted as a highly volatile state. Media should desist from the wrong portrayal of Sikhs as separatists and anti-national,” he said.
‘Don’t create panic by increasing security’
Jathedar criticised the heavy deployment of security personnel at Talwandi Sabo, saying the same had adversely impacted devotees with the site receiving only 10% of the usual Baisakhi rush ahead of the April 14 celebrations. The Head of Sikh’s highest temporal seat urged the community to assemble in large numbers for Baisakhi to show that they were not scared of anything.
Talwandi Sabo is known as the hub of Baisakhi celebrations in Punjab as the day is associated with the birth of Sikhism.
The jathedar asked the media and government to desist from pushing Amritpal Singh’s scare by heavy police deployment and floating conspiracy theories that the fugitive may surrender here. He, however, was quick to add that Akal Takht would stand with media organisations facing oppression from the state.
“We will work to resume social media spaces withheld, removed on the directions of the government,” he said.
He said the Sikh community is not interested in adopting a way of confrontation and ready for dialogues with the governments.
“But in the last 75 years, numerous promises were made to the community but none of them was fulfilled,” he added.
‘Media, judiciary, executive under threat’
Noting that the media, judiciary and executive are under constant “threat” from the government, the acting jathedar said concerted efforts were being made to malign the Punjabis and a section of media is being used for it.
Several journalists from alternative media platforms spoke on the occasion, alleging high-handedness by the state in blocking news platforms critical of the Punjab government. They squarely blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for trying to gag the critical media.
Some of them urged the jathedar to start a Sikh faith-based news channel and newspaper with the resources of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC).
Satnam Manak, an executive editor of a leading Punjabi newspaper, charged the state government with arm-twisting by suspending advertisements for the publication.
Asks SGPC chief to file case against cops
The jathedar also expressed annoyance against the SGPC for its failure in initiating legal action against police officials who allegedly wrongly identified old Khalsa raj flags as those of Khalistan. He said, “Today again, I direct the SGPC to lodge first information reports against police officials as it amounted to character assassination of the community.”
