Taking a strong note of recent comments posted on social media sites accusing Punjab revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia of distorting verses from the Gurbani, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh on Friday said Majithia had already tendered an apology for the comments that he had made at a campaign during the Lok Sabha elections.
The minister had to undergo a ‘tankha’ (religious punishment) for his comments after the Akal Takht took notice, he added.
“It seems some mischievous elements are using social media to malign the minister for something for which he has tendered an apology,” said the Jathedar, while issuing a strict warning to halt this campaign.
The comments posted on Facebook refer to a speech that Majithia delivered during a rally in favour of BJP candidate Arun Jaitley (now union finance minister) during the election campaign.
In his speech, the minister had distorted a particular verse from Gurbani for which he had to appear before the Akal Takht, which directed him to undergo a ‘tankha’.
The comments apparently have been made by supporters of BJP leader and former MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is being accused of distorting Gurbani during the course of a public meeting in Ludhiana sometime back.
The opponents of Sidhu are demanding the BJP leader to be summoned by the Akal Takht and applications in this context have already reached to the Akal Takht jathedar.
Release of Sikh detainees
Meanwhile, Takht Keshgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Mal Singh has demanded that the union government should order the release of all Sikh detainees, who have completed their jail terms. In this context, he referred to those who were detained during the militancy in Punjab.
The opponents of Sidhu are demanding the BJP leader to be summoned by the Akal Takht and applications in this context have already reached to the Akal Takht jathedar.
Release of Sikh detainees
Meanwhile, Takht Keshgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Mal Singh has demanded that the union government should order the release of all Sikh detainees, who have completed their jail terms. In this context, he referred to those who were detained during the militancy in Punjab.
“There is an urgent need for the union government to review every case and then order the release of those who have completed their jail sentences. Many are behind the bars without a trial, they too should be let off,” the jathedar said in a statement issued here.
The Keshgarh Sahib head took exception to Ludhiana Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu’s comments in the Lok Sabha, referring “Sikh martyrs as terrorists”.
“Those who have sacrificed their lives while defending gurdwaras have always been held in high esteem by the Sikhs. For us, they are martyrs. It’s unfortunate that some people dub them as terrorists,” he added.