Chandigarh, Aug 6 (PTI) The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, on Tuesday announced that a meeting of five Sikh high priests has been called in Amritsar on August 30 to discuss important “Panthic” matters.
The information was shared by the Akal Takht Secretariat in a statement.
The meeting of five “Singh Sahibans” (Sikh high priests) will be led by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.
Though the statement did not specifically mention the issues to be discussed on August 30, it is being expected that the five Sikh high priests may take up an explanation submitted by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and an apology letter of rebel Akali leaders.
Badal has sought “unconditional forgiveness” for “all mistakes” committed when the SAD was in power in Punjab.
Badal submitted his explanation on July 24, after the jathedar asked him to appear before the highest temporal seat of Sikhs in person, following allegations levelled by the rebel leaders.
Rebel SAD leaders, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, appeared before the jathedar on July 1 and handed the apology letter to the latter.
They sought forgiveness for “four mistakes” during the SAD regime between 2007 and 2017, including the failure to punish those responsible for 2015 sacrilege incidents and pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.
They also held the then deputy chief minister Badal responsible for the “mistakes”.
A section of SAD leaders revolted against Badal, asking him to step down as the party chief following the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab.
In his letter, Badal said he was a humble servant of the Guru and always dedicated to the Guru Granth Sahib and the Akal Takht.
“Whatever has been written against us, I present myself before the great throne of the Guru, seeking unconditional forgiveness from ‘Guru Sahib’ and ‘Guru Panth’,” he said.
“Whether these mistakes are from the party or the government, I am seeking forgiveness for all these mistakes, which took place knowingly or unknowingly,” Badal wrote in his letter.
He and his companions will accept with humility every order issued by the Akal Takht according to “Gurmat” traditions, he said.
Referring to the 2015 sacrilege incidents, the rebel SAD leaders had said the then government could not ensure punishment to the guilty.
They had also mentioned the 2007 blasphemy case registered against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly imitating the 10th Sikh guru, Gobind Singh.
Badal allegedly used his influence to ensure that the Dera chief was pardoned in the blasphemy case, they said.
The rebel leaders had also alleged that the SGPC spent nearly Rs 90 lakh on newspaper advertisements to justify the decision to pardon the Dera chief.
In 2015, the Akal Takht pardoned the Dera chief based on a written apology. However, bowing to pressure from the Sikh community and hardliners, it annulled its decision. PTI CHS RC
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