Sikh organisations not aligned with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have not only begun mobilising ahead of the Dec 2 meeting of the five Sikh high priests but have also approached
the Akal Takht. They have urged the Sikh clergy to “make their decision independently and without external pressure”. Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh’s father Tarsem said on
Wednesday that he, along with Waris Punjab De functionaries and Faridkot MP Sarabjit Singh Khalsa believe that a “situation is being engineered around the Sikh clergy”, allegedly by the SAD to provide an easy way out for its functionary Sukhbir Singh Badal and his former cabinet colleagues in an attempt at “face-saving”. “We have been informed that pressure is being exerted on the Sikh high priests through various channels to secure a favourable atonement,” alleged the father of Amritpal, currently incarcerated in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act.
Both Tarsem and Sarabjit — son of Beant Singh, former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassin — met Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Wednesday and handed over a memorandum in this regard.
Tarsem said they have also urged the Sikh clergy to form a ‘Talmel Committee’ sans Badals for the rejuvenation of the SAD. Sarabjit alleged that Akali Dal’s sole aim is to “protect the interests of the SAD and Badal family” and it’s not concerned about the interests of panth.
“Since the matter is in the Sikh spiritual court, all eyes are set on the Sikh clergy about their decision with regard to Sukhbir and others which may be taken on Dec 2,” the Faridkot MP said. They have also called for the release of a white paper on former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and the revocation of the ‘Fakhar-e-Quom’ title conferred upon him.
Tarsem said that this was high time that Akal Takht should issue a white paper on Badal “for his role in antiPanthic activities and also revoke the Fakhar-e-Quom award given to him at Akal Takht”.