CHANDIGARH: The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is in a catch-22 situation as the Dera Sacha Sauda’s decision to extend support to the SAD-BJP alliance in the Punjab Assembly polls slated for February 4 is being widely criticised by the Sikh radicals in the state, claiming the accord will make the party meet its waterloo.
SAD senior vice-president and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee member Karnail Singh Panjoli on Thursday lodged a written complaint with the Akal Takht seeking action against all those Akali Dal candidates who have taken the support of Dera Sacha Sauda in the Assembly elections ‘thereby violating the edict issued by the supreme Sikh institution’.
Panjoli had taken up the matter with Akal Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh over a telephonic conversation on Wednesday night. He followed it up with a written complaint on Thursday. In his letter, he referred to the edict issued by Akal Takht on May 17, 2007, from Takht Damdama Sahib directing social, political and religious boycott of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh and his followers for imitating Guru Gobind Singh.
Panjoli said pictures were published of the Akali Dal candidates attending a meeting of the Dera followers in Bathinda. The list includes the names of Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Jagdeep Singh Nakai, Sikander Singh Maluka, Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, Dilraj Singh Bhunder, Amit Ratan and Harpreet Singh.
He maintained it was a very serious issue as the so-called Panthic Akali Dal had violated the Akal Takht edict. He appealed to the Jathedar to take strict action against those who had violated the Hukamnama so that no one dares to commit such violation in future.
Also radical Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa predicted that after handshaking with the Dera, the Akali Dal will meet its waterloo in the upcoming polls. General secretary of the outfit, Kanwar Pal Singh said God-fearing and devout Sikhs will teach Akalis a lesson for hobnobbing with the anti-Sikh elements.
He said the support that Akalis have managed from the Dera and in lieu of which, they had given assurance to felicitate Dera’s satsang in Punjab was in total violation of the hukamnama issued by five high priests of the Sikhs on May 17 and 20, 2007.
Blaming SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal for conniving with Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Kanwar Pal Singh said the Badal family has completely ditched the Panth (Sikhs). He urged the SGPC chief Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar to perform his role and responsibility boldly to re-establish that religion is above politics. He added that these last minute measures will not save the sinking ship of the Badals.