2015 sacrilege: ‘Parallel’ acting Jathedar summons cabinet ministers, MLAs to Akal Takht

GS Paul
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, July 23

Dhian Singh Mand, the ‘parallel’ acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, has summoned two Punjab ministers and three MLAs to the Akal Takht on August 2 for explaining why the promises made to end the ‘Bargarhi Morcha’ protests over the 2015 sacrilege and the subsequent police firing were as yet unfulfilled.

Mand, who was named acting jathedar during the controversial 2015 Sarbat Khalsa and had spearheaded the protest, condemned the Punjab government under Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh for not keeping their word. The Bargarhi protests lasted six months from June 1 to December 10, 2018.

Mand, who paid his obeisance at the Akal Takht here, asked two ministers in the Amarinder Singh government, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, and three Congress Members of Legislative Assembly Harminder Singh Gill, Kulbir Singh Zira and Kushaldeep Singh Kiki Dhillon to appear before the Akal Takht on August 2 at 11 am.

“The government has betrayed the Sikh Panth. These ministers and MLAs were directed to appear in person at the Akal Takht to explain the constraints of not fulfilling the promises. The issue related to Sikh sentiments and there could be no place for leniency and negligence,” Mand said.

All five were in a government panel set up to hold talks with organisers of the protest. The protest ended after the panel promised to bring those behind the sacrilege and the police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan to justice.

The morcha had also demanded the release of Sikh detainees languishing in various jails or their transfer to those in Punjab.

‘Panj pyaras’ Baba Nachchattar Singh, Bhai Gurbhej Singh, Bhai Gurwinder Singh, Bhai Gurjinder Singh, and Bhai Buta Singh were present. Also in attendance was Jarnail Singh Sakhira, one of the main organisers of Sarbat Khalsa.