100 years of Saka Panja Sahib: Centre trying to ‘weaken’ SAD, SGPC, says Sukhbir Badal

Badal appealed to the Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat, as well as heads of ‘panthic’ organisations to “guide” his party in protecting ‘panthic’ institutions, including the SGPC, from the “onslaught” of nefarious elements who were bent on dividing the Sikh community.

“SAD and the SGPC are not anybody’s property. Both are democratic bodies whose heads are elected to office. It is unfortunate that the Centre as well as its agencies are trying to weaken both institutions by misusing members of the community. It is because of these agencies that the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has been overtaken by anti-panthic forces,” said Badal.

He said “such forces want to sub-divide the community and its institutions” into small groups to erode the strength of the Panth.

He was addressing a gathering of Sikh devotees at Diwan Hall in the Golden Temple complex on the centenary of ‘Saka Panja Sahib’. “We should together act as a buttress against such divisive forces in order to give them a befitting response,” Badal said.

Later talking to the media, Badal said, “There is no envelope culture in electing the president of the SGPC as is being claimed by opponents.”

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh appealed to the Sikh community and the SAD leadership to strengthen the SGPC and the SAD, saying the two bodies were the true representatives of the Sikh community.

“Today Sikh institutions are being challenged at the behest of the government. Whether it were the Mughal and British governments or the current one, none were never in favour of Sikh Qaum (community). Therefore, the Sikh community itself has to come forward to strengthen its institutions,” Jathedar said.

He urged the ‘Sangat’ to imbibe Sikh principles and suggested that “training camps” should be held to prepare SAD workers to “fight” against anti-panthic forces.

He also asserted that the ‘Khalsa Diwan’, ‘Takht boards’ and other institutions should be freed from the clutches of individuals and that they should be used to strengthen the Sikh community.