SAD Core Committee Deliberates Over Akal Takht Jathedar's Remarks
Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) core committee on Wednesday held a four-hour meeting to deliberate on its response to Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj's declarations against Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann.
After the meeting, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the core committee would meet again on Thursday before announcing the party's final decision and future course of action.
Stepping up his attack on Mann, Badal said, "This is a very serious issue. It is a major attack by these broom-wielders on the Sikh Panth. I believe Bhagwant Mann has committed the biggest act of sacrilege and what is even worse is that he is challenging Sri Akal Takht Sahib."
Asked whether Mann should apologise, Badal said, "It is not about apology." Alleging that the chief minister had committed acts of disrespect on earlier occasions as well, he said, "Such a lowly and disgraceful person cannot continue as the chief minister of Punjab. The people of Punjab will no longer tolerate this."
Badal said Mann did not deserve to remain chief minister "even for a single minute".
Referring to Punjab government's anti-sacrilege law, Badal said action should be initiated against Mann under the same law. The SAD chief also appealed to the Sikh 'sangat' (community) to boycott the chief minister in line with Akal Takht's directive. "No one should attend his programmes," he said.
Among prominent SAD leaders absent from the meeting were SAD general secretary Bikram Singh Majithia, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami and Sikander Singh Maluka.
