Sukhbir apologises for sacrilege incidents during SAD regime

Tribune News Service

GS Paul

Amritsar, December 14

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal today apologised publicly for the sacrilege incidents during the SAD regime and appealed to the ‘dissident’ Akali leaders to come under one umbrella burning the differences.

Sukhbir apologised while addressing a gathering on the occasion of the 103rd foundation day of SAD at Shaheed Baba Gurbax Singh Jee gurdwara on the premises of Akal Takht.

Senior SAD leaders, including MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, former ministers Bikram Singh Majithia and Anil Joshi, and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami were among those present on the occasion.

Accepts onus for any ‘wrong’

I own responsibility for any wrong or any injustice done to any Akali worker in the past either by me or by Sardar Parkash Singh Badal or by any other leader or member of the party. I apologise to all Akali soldiers, who left the party. — Sukhbir Badal, SAD chief

After the culmination of Akhand Path bhog, the SAD leader participated in the ardas in which atonement was asked for “jaane, anjaane hoian bhulan” (mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly) while serving the Panth or Punjab and seek guidance for future.

In 2015, sacrilege incidents had occurred between June and October following the theft of the sacred Guru Granth Sahib from a gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, Faridkot, and the recovery of torn pages from the Holy Book in Bargari, Faridkot.

Sukhbir said the late Parkash Singh Badal had lived with the pain that these sacrilege incidents had occurred during his tenure as the Chief Minister and the actual culprits enjoyed immunity.

With folded hands, Sukhbir owned the responsibility of his party’s failure that failed to arrest the perpetrators of sacrilege during its regime. He said due to the ‘pressure’ then, the SAD government was compelled to refer the matter to the CBI, which too remained inconclusive.

“As a government, we should have realised the game that some elements had played to destabilise the then government and created a gap between Khalsa Panth and its warrior force SAD. It is to note that how these forces become silent on sacrilege incidents even at Golden Temple or on the police assault on Sikh shrines, including the one at Sultanpur Lodhi”, he said.

Without naming any individual, Sukhbir was also apologetic towards the Akalis, who had parted ways. He sent out a call for unity in the Panth under the Akali flag.

“Both personally and as president of SAD, I own the responsibility for any wrong or any injustice done to any Akali worker in the past either by me or by Sardar Parkash Singh Badal or by any other leader or member of the party. I apologise to all Akali soldiers, who left the party. A united and strong SAD was a prerequisite for a strong and progressive Punjab. We need to remain united to face the Panthic challenges and save the precious resources of Punjab, including river waters and control over BBMB,” he said.

Sad chief Also seeks guidance for future

The SAD leader participated in the ardas in which he sought atonement for “jaane, anjaane hoian bhulan” (mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly) while serving the Panth or Punjab and seek guidance for future

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