Don’t punish Akali Dal, SGPC for my faults, says Sukhbir Badal at Golden Temple

Congress spreading false propaganda even as entire cabinet led by them CM Parkash Singh Badal tendered an apology for sacrilege incidents during Akali Dal’s tenure in Punjab, says Sukhbir Badal

Having faced the flak over the issue of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday exhorted the Sikh community not to punish the party and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for his “faults or flaws”.

Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badala being honoured by SGPC chief Jagir Kaur at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Addressing the devotees at Manji Sahib Diwan Hall in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar to mark the SGPC’s 101st foundation day, Sukhbir said, “We must identify who is our own and who is not. I may have flaws. I may commit a fault or a sin, but the Akali Dal or SGPC must not be punished for that. I may be replaced as party chief tomorrow. But the institutions will be there and they are real strength of the Sikhs. They need to be defended by defeating the propaganda of the Congress”, he added.

The Akali Dal and the apex gurdwara body, he said, are repositories of Sikhs’ faith and of the Punjabis’ trust in the Guru’s philosophy.

“Both belong to all those who subscribe to the Panthic philosophy and Punjabi identity,” he said. Differences among Sikhs can and must be resolved within the family. Criticise me, correct me whenever you think I am wrong. But do not join the Panth’s enemies to weaken our treasured institutions,” the SAD chief said.

“We tried to solve these cases, but we had to hand over the inquiry to the CBI under the circumstances. Ironically, the issue is being raised by the party that attacked the Sri Darbar Sahib with tanks and massacred thousands of our brothers and sisters,” Sukhbir said.

Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh appealed to the Sikhs to unite to further strengthen the SGPC.

SGPC president Jagir Kaur said preachers of different languages would be recruited and sent on tours to different states and countries for spreading Sikhism. “The Central Sikh Museum would be further expanded and the Sikh history would be portrayed in a modern way,” she added.