VIRAL VIDEO ROW Sikh bodies urge Akal Takht to take against Randhawa
Police complaint filed against minister at Gurdaspur
A day after Punjab cooperation and jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa filed a police complaint against a TV channel for broadcasting a video in which he is purportedly seen making an objectionable remark on Guru Nanak, claiming it to be “doctored”, some Sikh organisations urged the Akal Takht on Monday to take action against the minister.
The organisations, which lodged a written complaint to the Takht in this regard, include ‘Jatha Sirlath Khalsa’, ‘Akal Khalsa Dal’, ‘Sikh Virsa Sambhal Sudhar Committee’, ‘Baba Baaz Singh Misal Shaheedan Tarna Dal’, ‘Dashmesh Tarna Dal’, ‘Baba Budha Jee International Gurmat Granthi Sabha’ and ‘Baba Deep Singh Shiromani Gatka Akhara’.
Parmjit Singh Akali, who led a delegation of representatives of these organisations, said, “Earlier, minister Randhawa tried to thwart the functions organised at Sultanpur Lodhi to celebrate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. Now, he has hurt Sikh sentiments by making an objectionable remark in the viral video”.
In the complaint, which was received by the assistant to the jathedar of Akal Takht, the Sikh bodies sought action against Randhawa and his aides who are seen in the video, as per Sikh traditions.
They also urged the Akal Takht jathedar to issue a direction to the administration to take action against the minister.
POLICE COMPLAINT
Meanwhile, a police complaint was filed against Randhawa in Gurdaspur by Satnam Singh Sooch and some other persons. They sought an FIR against him under Section 295-A of the IPC for allegedly hurting the Sikh sentiments. They also demanded immediate arrest of the minister.
Randhawa has alleged that the video has been doctored under a deep-rooted conspiracy by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders to tarnish his image. He said he cannot “even think in a dream about making any kind of remark” on Guru Nanak. For broadcasting the video, he sought a damage of Rs 100 crore from the TV channel.