sukhbir-badal-appears-before-shri-akal-takht-sahib

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal appeared before the Akal Takht Jathedar in Amritsar on Wednesday, submitting his explanation regarding rebel Akali leaders' accusations that he failed to represent the sentiments of the Sikh community.

 

The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, had summoned Badal to provide a written explanation within 15 days.

 

The jathedar stated that Badal's explanation would be discussed by five Sikh high priests in the coming days.

 

The rebel SAD leaders, including Prem Singh Chandumajra and Bibi Jagir Kaur, had earlier issued an apology for the mistakes committed during their party's rule from 2007 to 2017, including failure to punish those responsible for the 2015 sacrilege incidents and pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2007 blasphemy case.

 

Among the prominent leaders who have raised a banner of revolt against Badal are former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, Bibi Jagir Kaur, former MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala, former minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, and party leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur, all of whom had earlier presented themselves before the Akal Takht Jathedar.

 

Their letter referred to the 2015 sacrilege incidents, saying the then Akali government could not ensure punishment to the guilty in these cases.

 

The Akal Takht Jathedar had also sought clarification from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) regarding allegations of spending Rs 90 lakh on advertisements. SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami submitted the clarification, but Badal did not speak to the media.

 

The rebel leaders had accused Badal of using his influence to pardon the Dera chief and alleged that the SGPC spent nearly Rs 90 lakh on advertisements to justify the decision. The Akal Takht had initially pardoned the Dera chief in 2015 but later annulled the decision due to pressure from the Sikh community.