E-Paper
Punjab: Rebel SAD leaders appear before Akal Takht to apologise for 4 mistakes
Hold Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh responsible for revoking case against Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim; failing to punish guilty in Bargari sacrilege and Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing cases, appointing Sumedh Singh Saini as Punjab DGP and failing to deliver justice to fake encounter victims.
Rebel Shiromani Akali Dal leaders appeared before the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Monday and apologised for “four mistakes” committed by the SAD-led government of which they were a part during its two tenures from 2007-17.
Handing over the apology letter to jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, the SAD leaders said they are ready to face any punishment, according to Sikh tenets, for the mistakes committed so that they could get rid of the burden on their conscience. The leaders included former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jagir Kaur, former ministers Surjit Singh Rakhra and Parminder Singh Dhindsa, besides Charanjit Singh Brar, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Bhai Manjit Singh and Gurpartap Singh Wadala.
The leaders met Giani Raghbir Singh at the Takht secretariat and blamed SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal for the mistakes after which they did ‘ardas’ (recited prayers), by standing in front of the Akal Takht and sought forgiveness.
The four mistakes they listed are: Revocation of the case registered against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim for the blasphemous act of imitating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007; failing to punish perpetrators of the Bargari sacrilege and police officials for the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents; allowing the appointment of controversial IPS officer Sumedh Singh Saini as the Punjab DGP besides giving the wife of controversial police officer Izhar Alam the party ticket in the assembly elections and appointing her chief parliamentary secretary; and lastly, failing to deliver justice to the victims in fake encounter cases.
While mentioning the mistakes, the SAD rebels held party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was the deputy chief minister at that time, responsible. They did not mention the role of then chief minister, the late Parkash Singh Badal.
During the meeting, the jathedar received the letter and listened to them carefully. However, he did not speak on the issue.
Later interacting with the media, the rebels said it was now up to the Akal Takht jathedar to decide on their letter. They urged the jathedar to play a role in strengthening the Sikh political party.
“We raised these issues within the party (SAD) many times and also advised the party leadership to appear at the Akal Takht to tender an apology properly, according to Sikh maryada, but the leadership did not agree. So, we are appearing here for atonement as we were also part of the government that committed the mistakes that left the Sikh panth (community) and the people of Punjab disappointed. These were reasons that a big section of the Sikh panth and the people of Punjab are angry with the party.
They alleged that the SGPC and they were being ignored on various issues, including the release of the Bandi Sikhs or Sikh prisoners who have completed their sentences. “Election after election since 2017, the SAD’s condition has only deteriorated,” the letter in Punjabi said.
Last week, the rebel leaders met in Jalandhar to launch the Akali Dal Bachao Lehar and sought Sukhbir Badal’s ouster as party chief.
Before apologising before the Akal Takht, the rebel SAD leaders visited Jallupur Khera, the native village of Khadoor Sahib MP-elect Amritpal Singh, who is detained in the Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act, and met his parents. “It was just a courtesy call. We have already raised the issue that the NSA against him should be revoked. The mandate of the people should be respected,” Chandumajra said.
The rebel leaders have already said that the SAD should have supported Amritpal’s candidature during the elections.
