No 'Sarbat Khalsa' on Baisakhi, clarifies Akal Takht Jathedar; slams media for running ‘fake news to target Sikhs’

Tribune News Service

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Bathinda, April 7

Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpeet Singh today clarified that “Sarbat Khalsa” has not been called on Baisakhi. He made these remarks at a “special gathering” called by him at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, to discuss the role of Sikhs and Punjabi journalism in the state.

Nobody can suppress us

No government can suppress our voice. We don’t want war, but discussion with the government. I want to clarify that Akal Takht stands against injustice meted out to journalists who are exposing the governments. Giani Harpeet Singh, Akal takht jathedar

The Jathedar made an appeal to the masses to visit Talwandi Sabo on Baisakhi and requested the media not to twist his words.

He said attempts had been made to create the “atmosphere of fear” by deploying heavy police force. He said devotees reach Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in large numbers ahead of Baisakhi, but the turnout was low this year due to the fear factor.

The Jathedar slammed national media for targeting the Sikh community. He said the media had been running news that Amritpal would surrender today at Talwandi Sabo.

To track anti-Sikh and anti-Punjabi coverage, he announced to constitute a group, which would keep tabs on fake news.

He said, “I want to clarify that Akal Takht will stand against injustice meted out to the journalists who are exposing the governments. Today steps are being taken to suppress media, which is the fourth pillar of the democracy.”

He said, “Social media handles of many Punjabi journalists had been withheld in India on the complaint of the government.”

He said, “No government can suppress our voice. We don’t want war, but discussion with the government. If the government will try to suppress us, we will raise our voice from Haryana, West Bengal and the US.”

The journalists alleged that one-sided stories were being run by a section of media to present Sikhs as “extremists”. They cautioned that the media should publish the stories after getting facts from both sides. They also condemned the withholding of social media accounts of journalists and the police action against them.

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