In U-turn, Punjab govt now gives clean chit to Banga Gurdwara: ‘No discrepancies in records’
Cheema blames 'miscommunication' between SIT, CM's office; decision on Sukhi resignation today
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said road accident deaths have dropped 48% after the Sadak Surakhya Force improved emergency response and treatment. (File) The Punjab government Monday said there were no discrepancies in the records pertaining to ‘saroops’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at Rasokhana Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib Gurdwara at Banga, the U-turn coming days after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed that 169 saroops were found at the shrine during the ongoing investigation into the alleged disappearance of 328 missing holy books. Finance Minister Harpal Cheema blamed “a miscommunication” on part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in conveying the matter to the state government.
Following Mann’s statement, Banga MLA Dr Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi on Sunday resigned as the chairman of the Punjab State Container and Warehousing Corporation (CONWARE). The gurdwara management had countered the CM, claiming that all ‘saroops’ were accounted for. Amid reports that a number of AAP MLAs and leaders were restive after Mann’s statement at the Maghi conference, Cheema, accompanied by Cabinet colleague Harjot Singh Bains and Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang, visited the Rasokhana and held a meeting with the gurdwara management committee.
“The records available at the Gurdwara Sahib are completely accurate and properly maintained. The issue (of 169 missing saroops being traced) arose due to miscommunication between the SIT and the Chief Minister’s office,” Cheema said.
Kang told the The Indian Express that the “misunderstanding” has been cleared. “There was a rumour that there an FIR against the Gurdwara management. There is no such FIR. Investigation will continue in the missing saroops but the Raja Sahib gurdwara has nothing to do with that investigation,” Kang said.
Cheema clarified that 169 saroops at the gurdwara are accounted for and in proper condition. The Gurdwara management committee had earlier explained that out of the 169 saroops, 107 were printed before 2012 and issued by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), while the remaining 62 were printed by private publishers.
The Finance Minister also announced that Mann will soon visit the shrine and interact with the gurdwara management.
Sukhi, who had won from Banga on SAD ticket but had later joined AAP, was not present when Cheema and others visited the shrine. Cheema said that Sukhi’s father is critically ill and currently on a ventilator. “Given the family emergency, he could not be present,” Cheema added.
On his resignation from CONWARE, Kang said, “That is for the party to see. They will take a decision.”
Earlier, during the day, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian had said that Sukhi’s resignation would be discussed in a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The government, meanwhile, sent the delegation to the shrine “looking to placate both the gurdwara management and Sukhi,” a source privy to the developments said.
“Sukhi resigned as he felt that he was not being heard. He had met the CM at his residence. He protested openly against CM’s statement by saying there was no violation. Yet, there was no clarification from the government side on the issue. The AAP leaders were getting restive. That is why it was decided that a delegation be sent to the Gurdwara,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties hit out at the AAP government.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, “After Finance Minister’s official statement that all the records of ‘saroops’ at gurdwara are accurate, CM Mann has lost all moral authority to continue and must resign”.
On Maghi Mela, the CM claimed 169 missing saroops were traced but now his own minister terms it a “miscommunication” between the SIT and the govt, said the Akali leader. “Why is the SIT reporting to the CM instead of a court of law? What will happen to the FIR registered in this matter? Who will be held accountable for misleading the public and hurting the sentiments of lakhs of devotees? All these are serious questions which must be answered by the CM,” said Daljit Singh Cheema.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanded an apology from Mann for misleading the Sikh community.
“Now that the Finance Minister and AAP have made a complete U-turn on their earlier allegations…I urge CM Mann to tender a public apology for misleading the Sikh community over a sensitive matter like the missing saroop of Guru Granth Sahib. It is now abundantly clear that the AAP govt is not at all serious to resolve the issue just as it has dragged its feet over justice in the Bargari & Behbal Kalan killings,” said Khaira in a post.
Punjab Police is probing into the 328 missing ‘saroops’. The police had registered a case in Amritsar against 16 people, including SGPC’s former chief secretary and the CA in connection with the disappearance of ‘saroops’ in 2020.
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