Amritsar, June 6
Mr Parkash Singh Badal, President, Shiromani Akali Dal, today participated in Ghallughara Divas (genocide day) for the first time after Operation Bluestar. The Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, honoured family members of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Bhai Amrik Singh and other slain militants by presenting ‘sirop as' (robes of honour).
Slogans like “Khalistan
zindabad”, “Bhindranwale zindabad” were raised by activists of the Sikh Students Federation and the SAD (Amritsar) in the presence of the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Mr Badal and senior leaders of various Panthic organisations. The Jathedar, in his speech, equated the Army operation on the Golden Temple and Akal Takht with attacks by Mughals. He regretted that the operation had not yet been condemned on the floor of Parliament. He said instead of giving punishment to those involved in the anti-Sikh riots, the Congress had inducted Mr Jagdish Tytler and Mr Sajjan Kumar into the Union Cabinet, hurting Sikh sentiments. He emphasised the need for releasing Sikh youths from various jails in the country. Jathedar Vedanti urged Sikh organisations to help in proper rehabilitation of the Sikh Army personnel who had deserted their barracks in protest against the operation.
During his term as Chief Minister, Mr Badal used to discourage the holding of Ghallughara Divas at Akal Takht. The SGPC, which virtually is being run by pro-Badal SGPC members, had never made any efforts to observe the divas at Akal Takht in the past. However, the SGPC elections seem to have forced Mr Badal to participate in the function, organised at the behest of the Jathedar of Akal Takht to woo Sikh voters.
The SAD (A) chief, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, urged the Sikh Sangat to defeat the ‘traitors of the Sikh Panth’ in the SGPC elections. He held the SAD (Badal) responsible for the SYL Canal controversy.
