Congress’ Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday said he will appear before the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, next week.
Bittu’s statement came hours after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) passed a resolution condemning him for using “derogatory” remarks against Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh.
“I will appear before the Akal Takht jathedar next week and will ask him what action he wants against me. Instead of going public against me and my family, he should come to the point,” Bittu, grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, said over phone.
Earlier, Bittu objected to a viral video clip where the Akal Takht jathedar is seen praising the killers of Beant Singh and blaming people for electing wrong people. The jathedar made the alleged remarks at the bhog ceremony of the mother of Paramjit Singh Bheora, who was convicted in the Beant assassination case.
Reacting sharply to the clip, Bittu challenged Giani Harpreet Singh to contest the next parliamentary elections. Bittu said he would appeal to religious heads of various organisations regarding the remarks.
“The language the jathedar used against me and my family was not acceptable. He has been instigating the people against me and my family. We don’t want such jathedars who instigate mob for taking Punjab back into the terrorism days,” Bittu said.
{{/usCountry}}“The language the jathedar used against me and my family was not acceptable. He has been instigating the people against me and my family. We don’t want such jathedars who instigate mob for taking Punjab back into the terrorism days,” Bittu said.
{{/usCountry}}₹1 LAKH RELIEF EACH TO TARN TARAN BLAST VICTIMS
The SGPC executive committee that met in Amritsar on Wednesday announced compensation of ₹1 lakh each to the kin of those killed in the Tarn Taran nagar kirtan blast on Saturday. Besides, ₹25,000 will be given to persons injured in the incident, said Longowal.
The SGPC executive passed another resolution for organising a religious programme every year at Gurdwara Manji Sahib in remembrance of those killed while liberating Gurdwara Paonta Sahib from “mahants, who treated the shrine as their personal property”.
The SGPC decided to install a picture of former gurdwara body president Avtar Singh Makkar in the Sikh Ajaib Ghar (museum).
SGPC vice-president Rajinder Singh Mehta, junior vice-president Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, general secretary Harjinder Singh Dhami and executive members were present during the meeting.