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Damdami Taksal chief accuses Sukhbir Badal-led SAD of damaging panth
Speaking at an event organised by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) to release the election symbol of the Harmeet Singh Kalka-led ‘Shiromani Akali Dal-Delhi State’, the Damdami Taksal chief also criticised the SAD leadership.
Hitting out at the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), its former supporter and chief of the Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal and Sant Samaj, Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa accused the party of damaging the panth.
Speaking at an event organised by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) to release the election symbol of the Harmeet Singh Kalka-led ‘Shiromani Akali Dal-Delhi State’, the Damdami Taksal chief also criticised the SAD leadership.
He said, “The SAD’s duty is to spread Sikh principles, deal with the challenges the panth is facing, ensure dominance of Khalsa across the world and lead the community in the political field. Members of this organisation have a history of making sacrifices and attaining martyrdom while fighting against the excesses of the rulers.”
“However, the founding principles of the organisation have long faded and the panth had to bear the brunt of this,” he said while extending support to the party’s breakaway faction led by Harmeet Singh Kalka.
Kalka, who is believed to be close to the Bharatiya Janata Party, had recently tried to remove the SAD office from the premises of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in New Delhi.
The Khalsa-led Sant Samaj, an organisation of heads of traditional Sikh organisations and Sikh seminaries, was in alliance with the SAD during 2011 general elections of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Following that, he continued to extend support to the SAD both covertly and overtly in the assembly and parliamentary elections in Punjab.
Khalsa continued to support the SAD even when it was under fire in 2015 over the issues of Bargari sacrilege, Behbal Kalan police firing and pardon granted to Sirsa dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a blasphemy case.
Khalsa’s latest stance has however left many segments of the Sikh community surprised.
When contacted, SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said, “Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa is a figure of respect for us. We worked with the Sant Samaj for a long time. We cannot react to his statement.”
