SENIOR Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders reached Amritsar Friday evening to seek an apology from Guru Granth Sahib for “mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly” during party’s 10-year rule in the state. The party was in power from 2007-2010 in Punjab and its top leadership, especially the Badal family, faces allegations of direct and indirect role in incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib across Punjab.
SENIOR Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders reached Amritsar Friday evening to seek an apology from Guru Granth Sahib for “mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly” during party’s 10-year rule in the state. The party was in power from 2007-2010 in Punjab and its top leadership, especially the Badal family, faces allegations of direct and indirect role in incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib across Punjab.
An Akhand Path (three-day long uninterrupted reciting of Guru Granth Sahib) will be installed by the party at Golden Temple premises Saturday. SAD(B) spokesperson and former MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha said, “The almighty made us serve Punjab for 10 years. We served Punjab, Sikh panth and people with dedication and devotion. But we want to seek apology for the mistakes committed knowingly and unknowingly during our service. God always forgives. We will stand in front of Guru to make our submission.”
He claimed, “There was misguiding and malicious propaganda against SAD in the past few years. It was vicious propaganda. So on one side we will stand in front of Guru to seek apology according to Sikh tradition, we will also give a clarification to panth that propaganda against the party is fake.”
“It is Sikh principle to seek apology from Guru for all kind of mistakes. The Badal family used to perform Akhand Path regularly at Akal Takht. Now it is collective prayer from the whole party. We have been neither summoned by Akal Takht nor we have committed any crime. It is a collective apology for all the mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly. Party’s top leadership including former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has already reached Amritsar to install the Akhand Path.”
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament from Khadoor Sahib Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, who was expelled from SAD recently, said, “It is all drama now. We had asked the party several times that we should seek an apology from the Sikh panth for desecration incidents and then seeking votes from Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim. But every time we asked for the apology, we were told by party that it would make people believe that party’s top leadership remained involved in incidents of desecration. So everytime they refused to go for apology. Now as party’s top leadership is already exposed so now there purpose of seeking apology or not. Now the damage is done.”
Brahmpaura and other rebels has already announced to form new Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) on December 14.
An Akhand Path (three-day long uninterrupted reciting of Guru Granth Sahib) will be installed by the party at Golden Temple premises Saturday. SAD(B) spokesperson and former MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha said, “The almighty made us serve Punjab for 10 years. We served Punjab, Sikh panth and people with dedication and devotion. But we want to seek apology for the mistakes committed knowingly and unknowingly during our service. God always forgives. We will stand in front of Guru to make our submission.”
He claimed, “There was misguiding and malicious propaganda against SAD in the past few years. It was vicious propaganda. So on one side we will stand in front of Guru to seek apology according to Sikh tradition, we will also give a clarification to panth that propaganda against the party is fake.”
“It is Sikh principle to seek apology from Guru for all kind of mistakes. The Badal family used to perform Akhand Path regularly at Akal Takht. Now it is collective prayer from the whole party. We have been neither summoned by Akal Takht nor we have committed any crime. It is a collective apology for all the mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly. Party’s top leadership including former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has already reached Amritsar to install the Akhand Path.”
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament from Khadoor Sahib Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, who was expelled from SAD recently, said, “It is all drama now. We had asked the party several times that we should seek an apology from the Sikh panth for desecration incidents and then seeking votes from Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim. But every time we asked for the apology, we were told by party that it would make people believe that party’s top leadership remained involved in incidents of desecration. So everytime they refused to go for apology. Now as party’s top leadership is already exposed so now there purpose of seeking apology or not. Now the damage is done.”
Brahmpaura and other rebels has already announced to form new Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) on December 14.