Kamal Ghorui
AMRITSAR: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has expressed its gratitude to the former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Raghbir Singh, currently serving as Head Granthi of the Golden Temple, “for not yielding to pressure by refusing to say that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP were behind the Dec 2, 2024 hukamnama that granted atonement to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal.”A day after Giani Raghbir Singh told the media that, during the Taran by-election, he was pressured to issue a statement that the pronouncement from Akal Takht on Dec 2, 2024 was made under pressure from the RSS and BJP, which he refused, state BJP spokesperson Sarchand Singh said that attempts were being made to mislead the Sikh panth ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
Alleging that SAD was behind exerting pressure on Giani Raghbir Singh, Sarchand alleged, “By concocting a baseless conspiracy to blame its former ally BJP, Sukhbir Singh Badal has betrayed trust. He should publicly apologise for attempting to malign the BJP and clarify his position.” He further said that on Dec 2, 2024 itself, from the precincts of Akal Takht, Sikh clergy categorically stated that the decisions were taken unanimously in the light of Gurmat and not under any political pressure.“Therefore, subsequently attempting to attribute those decisions to the BJP or RSS is a conspiratorial move and a direct attack on the supremacy and institutional autonomy of Akal Takht, dragging it into petty political controversy,” he lamented. Instead, the BJP spokesperson said that the Dec 2, 2024 edict restored the dignity of the office of the Jathedar and revived the confidence of Sikhs in the institution. While reacting to the issuing of a notice to Giani Raghbir Singh by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ‘s (SGPC ) executive body, BJP state spokespersons said, “In such circumstances, issuing a notice to the serving Head Granthi of the Golden Temple amounts to an affront to his stature. If there was any misunderstanding, the SGPC should have resolved the matter through dialogue rather than issuing notices that cast doubts on institutional dignity.”
