Moga/Jagraon – DEPUTY Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal held a closed-door meeting with the Nanaksar Sant Samaj at the sect’s gurdwara in Jagraon on Saturday, the day another desecration incident was reported in the district.
Sukhbir visited Nanaksar Kalera, Badhni Kalan and Lopo in Moga district and promised the heads of these sects that the SGPC would install CCTV cameras at all gurdwaras in over 12,000 villages in the state by January next year.
The meeting was attended by the Nanaksar Kaleran head Sant Lakha Singh, Sant Ghala Singh, Sant Harbhajan Singh and other high-priests including Giani Karnail Singh Gareeb and Baba Inderpal Singh. Sukhbir was accompanied by Irrigation Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon.
His meetings are being viewed as an attempt to pacify the high priests and draw away support for the Sarbat Khalsa.
Sources at the meeting told The Sunday Express that the three top Nanaksar priests, Lakha Singh, Ghala Singh and Harbhajan Singh, made it clear to the deputy chief minister that the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib was unacceptable and urged him to ensure all accused are arrested.
Sukhbir discussed the political scenario in Punjab with Baba Lakha Singh. It was learnt that Sukhbir also sought the sect head’s help to steer the Akali Dal out of the difficult situation.
Giani Karnail Singh Garib, chief secretary, Nanaksar Sect, said political and religious situation was discussed, but denied that the Deputy CM sought their help. “The Deputy CM was here to pay obeisance. He held meeting with our sect head and discussed sacrilege incidents. Our head asked him to speed up the probe into such incidents,” he said.