Sukhbir mum on Jathedar’s charges

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Lambi (Muktsar), April 20

Akali Dal chief and former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal today refused to comment on Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Gurmukh Singh’s allegations that the SAD and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) top brass had put “undue pressure on him for political gains”.

In a video, Giani Gurmukh Singh had said that SAD leaders had repeatedly asked him not to speak against the SAD over seeking support from Dera Sacha Sauda in the recent Assembly elections.

Talking to mediapersons at Tarmala village, Sukhbir said, “This is an SGPC matter. All Sikh religious issues are handled by the SGPC.”

The former Deputy CM visited the village to attend the bhog ceremony of SAD worker Gurdev Singh, who died recently during a police raid. He presented a turban to the deceased’s son.

On the Congress government’s decision to scrap university status accorded to Amritsar’s Khalsa College, he said, “The new government is resorting to vendetta. The university status was given after due deliberations. When other universities can come into existence, why not this one?”

He accused the government of targeting SAD workers. Sukhbir assured the cadre that the party leadership would stand by them in their toughest times.

“We have formed panels of advocates in districts and the state capital to deal with cases of political vendetta,” he added.