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AMRITSAR: Under immense pressure from all Punjab political parties on the caving in of police resulting in the freeing of Khalistan sympathiser and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh’s aide, Lovepreet, aka Toofan Singh, Punjab CM CM Bhagwant Singh broke his silence on Saturday and condemned the misuse of the Sikh holy book as “a shield” by supporters of Amritpal during their recent protest at Ajnala police station.
Pressure had begin mounting ever since Punjab police had taken back the FIR against Lovepreet Toofan, resulting in him being set free.
“Those who take the Guru Granth Sahib to police stations as a shield cannot be called ‘waris (the heirs)’ of Punjab and Punjabiyat in any way,” Mann tweeted in Punjabi, but did not not mention Amritpal by name.
The action of Amritpal’s supporters carrying the “Bir (copy)” of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib to Ajnala police station has been strongly criticised by a wide spectrum of people and has raised the question of where the holy book can be taken so that its status is not impacted.
Perturbed by the controversy, the officiating jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh, constituted on Saturday a sub-committee to look into the dos and don’ts of where the Sikh holy book can be taken so as not to impinge on its status and honour.
According to a release issued by the Akal Takht, the sub-committee will comprise members from various Sikh sects, Sikh groups and intellectuals. The sub-committee is to submit its report within 15 days, following which the five Sikh high priests will decide the course of action.
Defending the state government, Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the AAP government had shown respect to the Guru Granth Sahib, and that the police acted with great restraint during Thursday’s clash with Amritpal’s supporters.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal was vociferous in his criticism of Amritpal and his followers for the alleged sacrilege committed by them at Ajnala on Thursday. The group used the Guru Granth Sahib as “a shield for their selfish motives” and even took the sacred scripture to the police station, Sukhbir pointed out. “This is shocking, unbelievable and unforgivable. Never in Sikh history has anyone ever shown such brazen disrespect to the Guru Granth Sahib Ji as was done at Ajnala,” he said.
Punjab BJP general secretary Jeevan Gupta urged the Akal Takht and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take action against Amritpal for showing disrespect to the holy book.
Congress accused the BJP-led Centre and the AAP government in Punjab on Saturday of being responsible for the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state and alleged they were working in collusion. Punjab CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa termed the Ajnala episode as a “complete failure of the AAP government.”
Even Sarbat Khalsa-appointed jathedar Dhian Singh Mand said the holy book should not have been taken for personal reasons.
Former SGPC secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhurakona said in the past people used to take the holy book to marriage palaces for solemnising marriages despite the blatant consumption of liquor and meat in these places. They would also bear it on dusty roadsides to recite “paath”, and many times such a place was found to be controversial and used for taking possession of land.
To prevent any possible disrespect to the holy book, the five Sikh high priests had issued an edict on March 16, 1998 directing the Sikh sangat, especially the granthis, ragis and management, to not attend any “Anand Karaj (Sikh marriage)” function or ceremony at any marriage palace or hotel. The then jathedar of the Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, had also warned that strict religious action would be taken against anyone found violating these directions.
Pressure had begin mounting ever since Punjab police had taken back the FIR against Lovepreet Toofan, resulting in him being set free.
“Those who take the Guru Granth Sahib to police stations as a shield cannot be called ‘waris (the heirs)’ of Punjab and Punjabiyat in any way,” Mann tweeted in Punjabi, but did not not mention Amritpal by name.
The action of Amritpal’s supporters carrying the “Bir (copy)” of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib to Ajnala police station has been strongly criticised by a wide spectrum of people and has raised the question of where the holy book can be taken so that its status is not impacted.
Perturbed by the controversy, the officiating jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh, constituted on Saturday a sub-committee to look into the dos and don’ts of where the Sikh holy book can be taken so as not to impinge on its status and honour.
According to a release issued by the Akal Takht, the sub-committee will comprise members from various Sikh sects, Sikh groups and intellectuals. The sub-committee is to submit its report within 15 days, following which the five Sikh high priests will decide the course of action.
Defending the state government, Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the AAP government had shown respect to the Guru Granth Sahib, and that the police acted with great restraint during Thursday’s clash with Amritpal’s supporters.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal was vociferous in his criticism of Amritpal and his followers for the alleged sacrilege committed by them at Ajnala on Thursday. The group used the Guru Granth Sahib as “a shield for their selfish motives” and even took the sacred scripture to the police station, Sukhbir pointed out. “This is shocking, unbelievable and unforgivable. Never in Sikh history has anyone ever shown such brazen disrespect to the Guru Granth Sahib Ji as was done at Ajnala,” he said.
Punjab BJP general secretary Jeevan Gupta urged the Akal Takht and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take action against Amritpal for showing disrespect to the holy book.
Congress accused the BJP-led Centre and the AAP government in Punjab on Saturday of being responsible for the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state and alleged they were working in collusion. Punjab CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa termed the Ajnala episode as a “complete failure of the AAP government.”
Even Sarbat Khalsa-appointed jathedar Dhian Singh Mand said the holy book should not have been taken for personal reasons.
Former SGPC secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhurakona said in the past people used to take the holy book to marriage palaces for solemnising marriages despite the blatant consumption of liquor and meat in these places. They would also bear it on dusty roadsides to recite “paath”, and many times such a place was found to be controversial and used for taking possession of land.
To prevent any possible disrespect to the holy book, the five Sikh high priests had issued an edict on March 16, 1998 directing the Sikh sangat, especially the granthis, ragis and management, to not attend any “Anand Karaj (Sikh marriage)” function or ceremony at any marriage palace or hotel. The then jathedar of the Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, had also warned that strict religious action would be taken against anyone found violating these directions.
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