Accusing RSS of meddling in gurdwara affairs, Akali Dal skips NDA meet

NEW DELHI: A day after Akali leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused the BJP of meddling in the affairs of gurdwaras, the Punjab ally stayed away from the NDA meeting called to discuss the strategy for the Budget Session, alleging "interference" by RSS in Sikh matters.

SAD leader Naresh Gujral.

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 31

A day after Akali leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused the BJP of meddling in the affairs of gurdwaras by trying to install its own persons in its managements, the Punjab ally stayed away from the NDA meeting called to discuss the strategy for the Budget Session, alleging "interference" by the RSS in Sikh matters.

According to senior SAD leader Naresh Gujral, there were three main reasons why the party did not participate in the meeting. "First, direct interference by the RSS in Sikh matters. The Akali Dal is a predominant Sikh party and we have been telling them to keep away for issues related to Sikhs."

Gujral said the Akali Dal had also been demanding that the government should announce "liberal package for the farmers". "Afterall, farmers are in distress and as a farmers' party we have been demanding that the government should announce relief for the distressed agrarian community, " he told The Tribune.

Also accusing "BJP motormouths of giving irresponsible statements and creating fear in the minds of minority", Gujral said the Akali Dal is a minority party and it does not like this. "India is a country which respects all minorities and we believe in the teachings of our Gurus who taught us tolerance and peace," he added.

Notably, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has warned the BJP and its ideological fountainhead the RSS against interference in Sikh religious affairs. In a series of tweets, SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused the BJP of meddling in the affairs of gurdwaras by trying to install its own persons in gurdwara managements.

"We can sacrifice the alliance but cannot tolerate interference in the religious affairs of the community. Sikh minorities across the world are feeling agitated over attempts by the BJP to try and interfere in Gurdwara Patna Sahib. We stopped that by petitioning BJP chief Amit Shah. Now attempts are being made by the BJP-led Maharashtra government to install their own person as head of the board of Gurdwara Takht Hazur Sahib, Nanded."

"This cannot be tolerated. Let the BJP be warned. For us MLA/MP posts are not important. For us, the service of the community is important. If they don't stop meddling in our religious affairs, we will be forced to take the extreme step," Sirsa had said yestersday.