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Takht jathedar’s tweet inviting Sikh groups to discuss ‘situation in Punjab’ withheld in India
Comes hours after Punjab CM criticised the Akal Takht acting jathedar for sending out a 24-hour ultimatum seeking the release of Sikh youths arrested as part of the operation to arrest Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh
Hours after Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann criticised Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh for sending out a 24-hour ultimatum to the government seeking the release of Sikh youths arrested as part of the ongoing operation to arrest Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, a tweet from the athedar’s Twitter handle was withheld in India.
This tweet, which contained a poster issued by the office of Akal Takht to invite representatives of Sikh bodies and scholars to the Panthic gathering held on March 27, was withheld on Tuesday night.
Pronouncing his decision during the meeting, the jathedar had also asked the government to revoke National Security Act (NSA) slapped on the eight of Amritpal’s aides.
A day later on March 28 (Tuesday), Mann had tweeted in Punjabi, “Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib Ji. Everyone knows you and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have been favouring the Badals. Look at the history, many jathedars were used by the Badals for their personal interests. It would have been better had you given the ultimatum in the sacrilege and missing ‘sarups’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji instead of provoking people living happily. (sic)”
The back-and-forth continued, with the acting jathedar hitting back within minutes.
“Bhagwant Mann ji, as you represent Punjab, similarly I am also a small representative of my ‘qaum’ (community). I also have right to talk about the rights of innocent youngsters of my community. This is my duty as well,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “You said right that often innoce.nt religious people happen to be used by the political people. However, I am fully conscious in this respect. But, you should take care of yourself… political people like you may be used by the political people to keep Punjab burning to play the politics. (sic)”
The Panthic gathering held on March 27 had been called to chalk out the future course of action to counter the arrests of the Sikh youth as part of the ongoing Punjab Police operation. Representatives of various Sikh organisations, sects, seminaries and nihang bodies, scholars, journalists and intellectuals attended the meeting.
