SAD rebels’ apology to be discussed at July 15 Akal Takht meeting

Apart from the apology issue, other Panthic discussions will also be taken up during the meeting that will be chaired by jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.

A meeting of the Panj Singh Sahiban (Akal Takht jathedar-led five Sikh clergymen) will be organised at the Akal Takht on July 15 during which a discussion will take place on the apology letter submitted by the rebel leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

All eyes are on the Akal Takht jathedar after the rebel Akali leaders handed over the letter to him on July 1 and apologised for the “four mistakes” committed by the SAD-led government of which they were a part during its two tenures from 2007-17.

People familiar with the development said the meeting would start at 12 pm. Apart from the apology issue, other Panthic discussions will also be taken up during the meeting that will be chaired by jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.

All eyes are on the Akal Takht jathedar after the rebel Akali leaders handed over the letter to him on July 1 and apologised for the “four mistakes” committed by the SAD-led government of which they were a part during its two tenures from 2007-17. The rebel SAD leaders had said they were ready to face any punishment according to Sikh tenets “so that they could get rid of the burden on their souls”.

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) and sought forgiveness.

The four mistakes they listed included revocation of a 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.

During the meeting, the Sikh clergy may summon various Akali leaders to the Takht for further action, said people familiar with the development.

Various Sikh organisations have been urging the jathedar to intervene in the matter.