AMRITSAR: Accusing the Sikh clergy of bowing before Ruling Akali Dal leaders, Sikh groups today tore a copy of the Akal Takht’s order pardoning Dera Sirsa head, Gurmeet Ram Rahim to register their protest.
Sikh organisations, Dal Khalsa and Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardani), held a silent protest outside the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikh religion, to object to the pardon.
“The pardon drama was concocted by Badals and executed by five Takht jathedars. Both organisations have rejected the decision to exonerate pseudo-baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim for his blasphemous act in 2007,” said Dal Khalsa spokesman Kanwarpal Singh.
Later, addressing media, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Kulbir Singh Barapind said that the action of the Sikh clergy was not in consonance with the accepted principles of Sikh religion.
Leaders of the various Sikh organisations from Punjab as well as abroad also demanded the removal of the five jathedars.
The Akali Dal leadership, including the Badals, and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK have said that the decision of the Akal Takht on the sect chief’s pardon issue was final and the Sikh community should accept it.
A major controversy has erupted after the Akal Takht said on last Thursday that it had pardoned the sect chief after he submitted a written apology.
The timing of the pardon is being linked to the assembly elections to be held in Punjab in early 2017 and the interest of the Akali Dal leadership in ensuring a rapport with the sect chief since he has lakhs of followers in Punjab.
The sect chief has written an apology letter to the Akal Takht in which he had stated that he had no intention to show disrespect to the Sikh Gurus or hurt the religious sentiments of Sikh community.
Extending support to the Punjab bandh call on Wednesday to protest against the decision of the Sikh clergy to give pardon to Sirsa Dera head two former Takht Jathedars – Joginder Singh Vedanti of Akal Takht and Balwant Singh Nandgarh of Damdama Sahib – along with Damdami Taksal faction led by Ram Singh have demanded that all the five Jathedars who took the decision be sacked immediately.