Amritsar, June 13: The SGPC’s participation in the SAD-BJP’s statewide protest against the Congress government has not gone down well with Akal Takht.
Criticising the move, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said the SGPC should have refrained from participating in any political programme. “Personally, I feel that the SGPC president and other office-bearers should have avoided being part of a political protest. SGPC’s jurisdiction should be restricted exclusively to religious matters,” he said.
The SAD-BJP combine had staged protests against the Congress over the alleged impropriety in sand mine auctions and its “failure” to fulfil pre-poll promises, including farm debt waiver.
While SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar addressed political gathering at the Patiala DC office, several prominent SGPC members were present in the protest held at the Amritsar DC office.
The SGPC chief had maintained that the apex body was compelled to join the protest against the Congress as various issues related to the Sikh religion were being “overlooked”. He cited the example of encroachment of the SGPC-owned gurdwara land at Bhai Rupa in Bathinda at the “behest” of Congress leaders.
SAD (Delhi) general secretary and former DSGMCpresident Harwinder Singh Sarna emphasised that the SGPC president’s presence at the SAD protest testified that the existing body of the SGPC had “surrendered itself before the Badals”.
“Badungar should put in his papers and become an OSD to the SAD president,” he said.
News Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
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