SAD undermined authority of Akal Takht, alleges Jakhar
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday asked the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to do self-introspection before casting aspersions on others.
The statement came a day after Sukhbir Singh Badal, soon after being re-elected as the SAD president, alleged that previous Jathedars of Sikh Takhts (temporal seats) “were under the control of the BJP-led Centre” and the SGPC executive “ended the conspiracy” to finish his party by removing them.
Sukhbir said the conspiracy started when the party parted ways with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over now-repealed three central farm laws. During its executive body meeting on March 7, the SGPC had removed the temporal heads of the Akal Takht and Takht Kesgarh Sahib.
Earlier, on February 10, the SGPC had sacked Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh.
In a scathing attack, Jakhar condemned the SAD for “undermining” the authority of the Akal Takh. He said it had deeply hurt the sentiments of Punjabis across the world.
“While Akali leaders rush to deflect blame on to the BJP with baseless accusations, they cannot obscure their own transgressions,” he asserted, accusing the party of attempting to gloss over its misdeeds.
Jakhar highlighted the Akali Dal’s “failure to atone for past mistakes”, noting that the party has instead compounded its errors with fresh offenses.
He referred the decision by the Akal Takht to revoke the ‘Fakhr-e-Qaum’ (Pride of the Community) title given to former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
“A humble appeal for reconsideration could have been made,” Jakhar said. “Instead, by passing a resolution to oppose the verdict, the Akali Dal has brazenly challenged the Akal Takht’s authority—a grave and unforgivable sin,” he said.
Reflecting on the Akali Dal’s legacy, Jakhar noted that the party was founded to champion Panthic interests and safeguard Punjab’s ethos.
Dismissing the Akali Dal’s allegations against the BJP as unfounded, he said, “Before pointing fingers, the Akali Dal must answer for the questions swirling around it. Its leaders owe the people clarity about their actions,”
