Ayodhya invite: Akal Takht chief, SGPC president, and Sukhbir Badal express gratitude

In the statement, they said, “In the hearts of the people of every religion, there is determination and belief in the holy shrines of their prophets/incarnations. Everyone is blessed with his faith and sacred belief and we wish that religious freedom, communal harmony and peace should prevail in the world, so that every human being is free, safe and fearless to practice his/her religious beliefs while being in the devotional memory of the leaders and follow the holy beliefs.”

Expressing “deep gratitude” for invitation, Badal, in a letter to Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai, stated, “On this pious occasion, I offer my best wishes and congratulate the entire Hindu community settled in the country and abroad.”

A post on the official Akali Dal account on X (formerly Twitter) read, “Fully in accordance with and total devotion and commitment to the high sacred principles, spiritual guidance and direction as enshrined in Jugo Jugo Atal Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji Maharaj, Shiromani Akali Dal extends sincerest good wishes and heartiest congratulations to the entire Hindu Bhaichara all over the world and pious inter faith reverence on the occasion of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Pran Pratishtha Samaroh at Ayodhya tomorrow.”

It added, “Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji teaches us the eternal and all embracing ideals of Human Brotherhood, reverence for every different path to Akal Purakh and full respect for people belonging to different faiths or religions all over the world. Shiromani Akali Dal also offers sincerest prayers at the abode of Akal Purakh that this occasion may help in ushering in an era of peace, communal harmony and sincere love and mutual respect among people of all faiths across the world.”

Although there has been no word yet on whether Giani Raghbir Singh and Harjinder Singh Dhami will attend the Ayodhya temple event, Badal is expected to attend an event being organised by SAD member Anil Joshi celebrating the consecration.

Joshi, who is one of Hindu faces of Akali Dal, confirmed Badal’s attendance at the ceremony in Amritsar, while adding that local party leaders, including constituency in-charges of all the nine assembly segments under the parliamentary constituency would also be present.

Meanwhile, no other leader from Akali Dal is scheduled to attend the ceremony at Ayodhya either. Akali Dal spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said, “The invitation was for party president Sukhbir Singh Badal only. And since the entry is strictly by invitation, no other party leader is going to attend the ceremony.”

Over 70 Sikh religious leaders were invited to attend the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya as BJP, RSS, and VHP workers in Punjab carried out a door-to-door campaign.

There were reports of a section of Sikhs living in the US urging the jathedars of the five Sikh Takhts and the community to stay away from the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony in Ayodhya. The deity Ram’s idol has been positioned within the temple’s sanctum sanctorum.