Amritsar – The Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal visited Amritsar today and paid obeisance and performed ‘sewa’ at Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple).
Kejriwal washed utensils at Golden Temple early on Monday morning as atonement for the party’s recent gaffe over its youth manifesto that triggered a controversy.
AAP spokesperson Ashish Khetan, who was booked under Section 295-A (for hurting religious sentiments) by the Amritsar police, also joined him.
Kejriwal said AAP workers and he were there to submit an apology for the party’s “unintentional mistake”.
Kejriwal arrived around 3.40 am at the shrine’s Sri Guru Ramdas Langar Hall along with party workers and performed sewa like other devotees. They washed utensils and later paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum and attended ardas. They also sat for a few minutes to listen to the morning Gurbani kirtan and walked the Parikarma, before leaving around 5.30 am.
On July 3, after unveiling the party’s youth manifesto, Khetan was accused of equating it with Guru Granth Sahib, Bible, Gita and the Koran.
There were also objections to the title page of the manifesto, which carried a picture of the Golden Temple with the AAP poll symbol of the broom superimposed at the top.
Following strong criticism, Khetan had submitted a verbal apology, yet a case was registered against him on the basis of a complaint submitted by AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammad.
Khetan’s visit on Monday morning was a surprise as observers believed he would skip the sewa to avoid any chance of being arrested.
Kejriwal had arrived the previous evening to join the sewa.
There was no party meeting on the itinerary of Kejriwal’s visit, and he returned to New Delhi, a party leader said.
Among the party leaders present were state affairs head Sanjay Singh, state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Supreme Court lawyer H.S. Phoolka (who had also performed sewa last week), and Punjab Dialogue Committee chairman Kanwar Sandhu and his team that had prepared the controversial manifesto.
Kejriwal greeted with Protests
As Kejriwal reached the Circuit House, activists of the All India Hindu Students Federation raised slogans against him and showed black flags.
Amritsar police commissioner Amar Singh Chahal said that police would provide all security to Kejriwal.
“Protest and demonstrations are democratic rights. But we will not allow any one to physically harm Arvind Kejriwal. We will provide required security to him,” said Chahal.
“Kejriwal and his aides are anti-Sanatan Dharam. We protest AAP’s move to equate its youth manifesto with the Bhagavad Gita, Guru Granth Sahib and the Bible,” said Rahul Sharma, state president of the federation.
A similar protest was held by the Dharam Jagran Samanvya Vibhag (DJSV) and the Sant Samaj on the Airport Road. The protest was led by Dinesh Sharma from the DJSV, and Swami Swarupa Nand and Sadhwi Atam Jyoti from the Sant Samaj.
Kejriwal will be accompanied by party leaders Sanjay Singh, Durgesh Pathak, Sucha Singh Chhotepur, and Kanwar Sandhu during his early-morning visit to the Golden Temple. He will perform “sewa” at the “jodha ghar” and wash utensils at the Guru Ram Dass langar hall. — TNS
‘Sewa’ acceptance of guilt, says Badal
Kejriwal’s decision to perform ‘sewa’ at the Golden Temple amounts to AAP’s confession that it has hurt Sikh sentiments for political gains. It is for the ‘parmatma’ (Almighty) to accept their apology. — Parkash Singh Badal, chief minister