Akal Takht jathedar's post supporting Giani Harpreet Singh 'forcibly' written claims SAD leader

Chandigarh, Feb 20 (PTI) SAD leader Paramjit Singh Sarna on Thursday alleged that a Facebook post by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, in which he came out in support of Giani Harpreet Singh, was written "forcibly".
    In the Facebook post dated February 13, Giani Raghbir Singh condemned the dismissal of services of Giani Harpreet Singh as the jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district.
    Replying to a question on the Facebook post, Sarna claimed, "I can only say that if you read the language (of the post) properly, you will see that it was written forcibly."
    When reporters asked who was behind the said act, Sarna refused to take any name, saying the person who told him about this had asked him not to reveal his name.
    In his Facebook post, Giani Raghbir Singh had called the manner in which Giani Harpreet Singh was removed "highly condemnable" and "unfortunate", saying it will harm the independent existence of the Takht Sahibs.
    On February 10, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had dismissed the services of Giani Harpreet Singh as the jathedar of Damdama Sahib following a report submitted by a three-member committee formed to probe allegations against him in an 18-year-old domestic dispute matter.
    Sarna alleged that the 'Panthic convention' attended by Giani Harpreet Singh at the instance of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) was "part of a conspiracy to damage the party, SGPC, and the Akal Takht at the behest of the BJP".
    Sarna along with party leader Manjit Singh GK was referring to the all-India Panthic convention organised by the DSGMC in Delhi on February 19.
    The convention passed several resolutions, including rejecting the removal of Giani Harpreet Singh as the jathedar of Damdama Sahib.
    Sarna and Manjit Singh condemned the "so-called" Panthic convention.
    No panthic issue, including the status of the National Security Act detainees and 'Bandi Singhs' whom the Central government had promised to free in 2019, were discussed 9in the convention), they claimed.
    Nor was the mistreatment of Sikh youths deported from the United States or the undue government interference in running the management of Takth Hazur Sahib and Patna Sahib, they added.
    Sarna said the purpose of such a convention was to "weaken" the Shiromani Akali Dal and reduce its bargaining power before the BJP decides to form any alliance with it.
    They claimed the BJP had been "wooing" jathedars of the Sikh Panth since long with this purpose in mind and that Giani Harpreet Singh was now "towing the BJP's line" to make this plan a success.
    Both Sarna and Manjit Singh accused Giani Harpreet Singh of working as "a stooge of the BJP all along".
    Sarna alleged that once Giani Harpreet Singh, a former Akal Takht Jathedar, had called him to the Akal Takht and asked him to resign as the president of his Akali faction.
    "Giani Harpreet told me that he was asking others also to resign so that he could run the unified Akali Dal as its president," he claimed.
    "The then jathedar of Akal Takht also told me that he enjoyed the confidence of the top brass of the BJP and that he would form an alliance with the BJP also, Sarna claimed.
    He was ready to hold a live debate with Giani Harpreet Singh on this issue at any time according to the latter's convenience, he added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)