Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, November 8 – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today appealed to Sikhs to understand the reject anti panthic and anti Punjab forces who wanted to destroy the institution of the Akal Takth to divide and weaken the Sikh panth.
In a statement here, SAD leaders led by party Secretary General Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and including Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said it was clear from the recent events that some vested interests were exploiting Sikh sentiments arising out of the ghastly incidents of sacrilege. “These forces must know that the incidents of sacrilege were planned and executed by anti national forces and they should not play into the hands of such forces.” the leaders said.
Asserting that the convening of the Sarbat Khalsa was a direct challenge to the Akal Takth and aimed at destroying the principles of ‘miri-piri’ established by the great sixth Guru, the leaders said it would only result in taking the State back to the earlier turbulent times. They said this was against the interest of peace loving Punjabis as well as the sikh community which did not want the return of the old dark era at any cost.
Stressing that the Akal Takth was supreme, the SAD appealed to the organizers of the congregation planned for November 10 not to do anything which would harm the great institution. “The Sikh community has protected this institution from various conquerors who wanted to destroy Sikhism by targeting the Akal Takth. No one could succeed in destroying the Sikh spirit. The leaders also asserted that the Sikh community has always united as one against oppressors. Now a situation has arisen in which Sikhs like you who are part of the community have taken upon yourselves to weaken the community. You should desist from such designs and repose your trust in the Akal Takth”, the leaders added.
The SAD leaders also urged the Sikh community and the people of the State to take into account the past history of the people who were organizing the so called Sarbat Khalsa. They said these people, who were not even maintaining the maryada for holding such a conference, had earlier in the past practiced divisive politics and even preached a hate agenda. “There is no place in present day Punjab for such an agenda as people of the State want peace and progress and want to take their State forward and not back into an age of darkness”, the leaders said.
The senior leaders said the SAD was doing its best to ensure that the incidents of sacrilege did not cause disharmony in Punjab. “We have succeeded in that with peace and communal harmony being maintained in Punjab despite the grave provocations by anti Punjab forces”. They also pointed out the various steps taken by the Punjab government including forming a judicial commission headed by a retired high court judge to look into all the incidents of sacrilege, formation of a SIT team and also handing over the case for a CBI probe. “All these steps show the intention of the Punjab government to get to the bottom of the case and ensure that those who committed these heinous crimes are brought to book”, the leaders added.
