E-Paper
Ram Temple consecration: Takht jathedar, SGPC head likely to skip event
Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Harjinder Singh Dhami are likely to skip the Ram Temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya on Monday (January 22).
Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami are likely to skip the Ram Temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya on Monday (January 22).
In a carefully-worded joint statement issued by Akal Takht secretariat, both leaders thanked Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for extending them invite to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony but did not express their desire to attend the event. Additionally, the Takht and SGPC secretariats have also not issued any schedule for their visit to Ayodhya.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, however, made it clear that he won’t be attending the consecration event. In 2020, the then-acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had skipped the bhoomi pujan ceremony at Ayodhya.
“As followers of the divine Gurbani and unique Gurmat philosophy blessed by the ten gurus, being advocates of inclusiveness, universal communion and inter-faith harmony, we respect the beliefs of every religion,” the Takht secretariat statement read. The statement further said that in the hearts of the people of every religion, there is a special reverence, determination and belief in the holy shrines of their prophets/deities.
Representatives of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sikh wing, had on January 10 sent the invitation for the event to the Takht jathedar and the SGPC president.
Sukhbir, who was under pressure from several Sikh groups to not attend the Ayodhya ceremony, has decided to give the ceremony a miss. Party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema confirmed the decision. He said the Akali Dal chief would visit the temple to pay obeisance in the near future.
In a letter to trust general secretary Champat Rai, Sukhbir congratulated the entire Hindu community for the Ayodhya event. “Fully in accordance with and total devotion and commitment to the high sacred principles, spiritual guidance and direction as enshrined in Jugo Jug Atal Shri Guru Granth Sahibji, the Shiromani Akali Dal extends sincerest good wishes and heartiest congratulations to the entire Hindu Bhaichara all over the world and pious inter-faith reverence on the occasion of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Pran Pratishtha samaroh at Ayodhya tomorrow,” reads the message posted on SAD handle on the micro-blogging site X.
The party was initially divided over whether Sukhbir should attend the ceremony or not. A section within the party wanted Sukhbir’s presence at the event, while the Sikh intellectuals, think tank and radicals were suggesting that SAD should not take part in the ceremony on the grounds that Sikhism doesn’t allow ‘idol’ worship.
