Akalis destroying institutions

Bajwa stated that Akali Dal leadership had first challenged the authority of Akal Takht and then sacked Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Board, beside diminishing the authority of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee SGPC. The Akalis, he said, used the religious institutes whenever it suited them and challenged them when they did not suit them politically.

He also said the Akali Dal was blackmailing Sikhs in the name of religion. He said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had, for the second time, challenged the authority of Akal Takht. Earlier, he had refused to obey the directive on Panthic unity in 1994.

Bajwa said the allegation of Congress party that Gurcharan Singh Tohra had been misusing Gurdwara funds for political purposes had now been endorsed by the Badal group and an inquiry should be held to probe the charges.

Bajwa also said Sikhs should understand the double standards adopted by Akali leaders. He said Congress party had made big sacrifices to maintain its secular image at a time when fundamentalists parties like BJP and Akali Dal had exploited religion to create their vote banks.

Lashing out at BJP and its front organisations Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena and Vishva Hindu Parishad, he demanded immediate arrest of Bal Thackrey, Ashok Singhal and Acharya Giri Raj Kishore. He also criticised the digging of the cricket pitch in Delhi. Bajwa also took strong notice on an interview by Acharya Giri Raj Kishore, alleging that conversion to Christianity had quickened after Sonia Gandhi became the president of Congress.

Bajwa also asked Badal to explain the fate of an quot;eighth wonderquot;, of which he had laid the foundation stone in Amritsar on the eve of the 400th foundation day of the city last year.