Dal Khalsa to hold conclave in Dharamkot on Baisakhi, focus on sacrilege issues

The Dal Khalsa has announced a conclave to be held on April 13 at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Dharamkot town of Moga district, commemorating the martyrdom of 13 Sikhs on Baisakhi in 1978.

According to party leaders, the event is dedicated to those who were killed while opposing sacrilege and upholding the supremacy of the Guru Granth Sahib and the concept of Shabad-Guru. The 1978 incident, in which 13 unarmed Sikhs were killed in Amritsar, is remembered as a significant moment in Sikh history.

Dal Khalsa leader Paramjit Singh said the conclave would also address ongoing incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib saroops and stress the need for a stringent anti-sacrilege law.

The event coincides with a special session of the Punjab Assembly, where the government is expected to bring stricter provisions under the existing sacrilege law.

The party’s Secretary for Political Affairs Kanwarpal Singh said merely toughening laws would not be sufficient unless concrete steps were taken to prevent such incidents. He emphasised that Sikh history reflected resistance whenever the sanctity of the Shabad-Guru had been challenged.

Leaders said the conclave would also deliberate on raising awareness against forces perceived to be acting against Sikh doctrines and reiterate the need to safeguard religious values.