Gurbani row: Sidhu apologises to Takht

Amritsar, Former Amritsar Member of Parliament (MP) Navjot Singh Sidhu today tendered a written apology to Akal Takht over the ‘Gurbani’ row. He allegedly distorted a hymn while speaking at a public function in Ludhiana last month and earned the wrath of Sikh organisations.Sidhu’s letter was handed over to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh by his aides Sukhdev Singh Chahal and Aman Sharma this morning. The letter reads: “I am a humble Sikh and being in public life, I have stated something which has not gone down well with the Sikh Sangat. For this I apologise to the Sikh Sangat. I have moved ahead in my life by having faith in the religion and seeking direction from Sri Guru Granth Sahib. I bow my head before the Sikh Gurus every morning and I am dedicated to Akal Takht.” After receiving the letter, the Akal Takht Jathedar said the matter would be discussed at the next meeting of the Sikh high priests. He did not specify any date.Various Sikh organisations and the ruling SAD had accused Sidhu of distorting ‘Gurbani’. Some of them had urged Akal Takht to initiate action against him. Sidhu was targeted twice while he was campaigning for the BJP in Jammu. His cavalcade was pelted with stones by Sikh youths, for which Sidhu had blamed the SAD. The former MP alleged that those who had attacked his convoy were proclaimed offenders from Gurdaspur, the constituency of senior SAD leader Sucha Singh Langah. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had condemned the attack, vehemently denying that the SAD had any role in it.Sidhu has been at loggerheads with the SAD leadership for the last more than a year, accusing the latter of having scuttled his pet projects in Amritsar. Sidhu recently took on the SAD leaadership while campaigning in Haryana, where the SAD had a pact with the INLD, and then again in Jammu.