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Akal Takht opposes dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s parole
Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said in a video that the government has committed a wrong by granting parole to Gurmeet, who is accused of committing blasphemy
Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, on Friday opposed the parole granted to Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, stating that the move has the potential to again vitiate the atmosphere of Punjab.
Hours after the dera chief, who is undergoing a 20-year jail sentence for raping two of his followers, was released from Sunaria jail on a 48-hour parole, Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said in a video that the government has committed a wrong by granting parole to Gurmeet, who is accused of committing blasphemy.
He said, “I have learnt that some of the Sikh prisoners have tested positive for Covid-19 in Burail jail of Chandigarh, but the government is not releasing them, nor granting them parole. On the other side, the dera chief has been granted the same despite committing heinous offences.”
“This shows the government’s double standards. Releasing him on parole is nothing but a potential act of vitiating Punjab’s atmosphere. Peace in the state must not be disturbed at any cost and the dera chief’s parole must be cancelled,” demanded the jathedar.
The Takht head added, “I think this move is politically motivated. Secondly, once again the government has discriminated against the Sikhs. On the other hand, culprits of the Sikh massacre have not been arrested yet. This is a grave injustice to the community.”
