Akal Takht Jathedar condemns police deployment on Baisakhi

Talwandi Sabo/Amritsar, April 14

On the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Divas, Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh asked Sikhs to be “shastradhari”. He was at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo.

The Jathedar said, “The Gurus have given us the gift of kirpan to protect us from oppression. People who do not know Sikh history are talking about imposing restrictions on kirpan. It is very important to have a kirpan in every Sikh’s house.”

He condemned the deployment of a heavy police force in Talwandi Sabo on Khalsa Sajna Day and Baisakhi. He said that despite such obstacles, devotees reached the gurdwara in high numbers.

He said, “There is a conspiracy to propagate the idea of Punjab being a disturbed state, but that is wrong as people here a living in love and peace. The conditions of a state are considered bad if there are riots between different communities and the situation is worse if there is a conflict against the government over an issue.”

“There may have been deaths and loss of blood due to firing of bullets, but nothing like that is happening in Punjab,” the Jathedar said.

In Amritsar, the security was beefed up around the Golden Temple amid speculation that pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh may appear here.

Police Commissioner Naunihal Singh held a meeting with police officials and supervised the security arrangements at the shrine.