Chandigarh, Oct 17 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said his government will take “severest of severe action” against those who are trying to “demean” the authority of jathedar.
Mann’s statement came a day after Giani Harpreet Singh announced to quit as the jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib after accusing former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesperson Virsa Singh Valtoha for “targeting” him and his family.
Mann slammed the Akali leaders for trying to “demean” the position of Jathedar Takht Sahib and said, “The state government will take severest of severe action against the accused of this sin in case of any complaint.” In a statement, the chief minister said, “For centuries, Jathedar Takht Sahib had been a supreme temporal authority of Sikhs. However, for the last few hours, the entire humanity has seen the shameful face of Akali leaders who are trying to demean the authority of jathedar sahib for their vested interests.” Mann alleged that the Akali leaders have “shamefully” shown “grave disrespect” to the authority of jathedar Takht Sahib which is unwarranted and undesirable.
“The agnostic and haughty attitude of Akali leaders just to appease their political bosses from one family is highly condemnable. This family has already done irreparable damage to Punjab in general and the Sikh community in particular,” alleged Mann without naming anyone.
The Punjab chief minister observed that the recent “act” of Akali leadership has “bruised” the psyche of Sikh community and the people responsible for this “heinous act” will never be forgiven.
“Threatening jathedar sahib and passing casteist comments against him and lewd remarks against his family members is intolerable,” said the CM.
“Though the state government does not interfere in this matter, but in case Punjab government gets any complaint, the people involved in this heinous crime against jathedar sahib or his family will not be spared,” Mann said.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa wrote to Punjab Director General of Police, seeking registration of FIR against Valtoha and the SAD chief on the basis of Giani Harpreet Singh’s statement.
Giani Harpreet Singh had accused Valtoha of targeting him by continuously indulging in his “character assassination”.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Thursday said he has rejected Singh’s resignation.
Takht Damdama Sahib is one of the five takhts or seat of temporal authority of Sikhs and it is located in Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district. PTI CHS KSS KSS
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