Will appear before Akal Takht, if asked: Amritpal Singh

GS Paul

Amritsar, March 3

Amid criticism for carrying a “saroop” of Guru Granth Sahib during a clash with police personnel at the Ajnala police station on February 23, Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh today met Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh at the Takht secretariat.

Though Amritpal refused to divulge the details of the closed-door meeting, he said the discussion mainly centred around drug abuse and Panthic issues. He said he had come to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple and it was not a pre-planned meeting with the Jathedar.

In the wake of the Ajnala incident, a 15- member panel had been formed by the Jathedar, comprising chiefs of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Damdami Taksal, Sant Samaj heads and intellectuals, to look into the protocol of carrying the saroop at protest sites. The panel will submit its report on March 6.

Amritpal said, “My supporters and I will appear before Akal Takht to clarify our stand on the Ajanla incident, if asked. We have historical evidence and will put forth our views on ‘maryada’. If we are proved principally incorrect, we will have no hassle to bow down.”

“The problem lies when others with ‘half knowledge’ try to define Sikh principles,” he said. Reacting to the allegations of various political leaders over his remark of “not being an Indian citizen”, he said, “Those who are not ‘Punjabis’ should go out. I am a citizen of Punjab not on the basis of ‘papers’, but our ancestors have done sacrifice for this soil. So, why should I go out of my land? Those who are not ‘Punjabis’ should leave it,” he said.

On the reports of threat to his life, he said, “The life lasts as long as the Almighty desires. Threat to life can only be from the ‘agencies’.”

Responding to statements that he was a “terrorist”, Amritpal said, “If anyone who fights against drug abuse is a terrorist, then I have no objection to being called a terrorist.”