In letter to Akal Takht, Sukhbir Badal seeks pardon for Akali govt’s dera head, Sumedh Saini ‘mistakes’
Neeraj Bagga
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
Amritsar, August 5
In a written clarification submitted in a sealed letter at Akal Takht on July 24, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had apologised for several mistakes, including favouring Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, appointing Sumedh Singh Saini as the DGP and other anti-Panthic decisions taken by his party and his government during a 10-year stint in the state. This was revealed today when Akal Takht placed the letter in the public domain.
Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh may call a meeting of the Panj Singh Sahibans (five Sikh high priests) to discuss the matter and take a decision.
In the clarification — Sukhbir was summoned by the jathedar to respond to allegations made by SAD rebels — he tendered an unconditional apology, stating that “Parivar da mukhi haun de nate das (servant) sariya bhullan nu apni jholi vich paonda han (Being the head of the family, I own the responsibility of whatever mistakes and unpleasant incidents that occurred during my government)”. He made it clear that the mistakes were committed from 2007 to October 2015. The SAD had formed a coalition government with the BJP in the state from 2007 to 2017.
Earlier, the SAD rebels, in a letter submitted at Akal Takht on July 1, had blamed Sukhbir for four major decisions taken during his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister, which included revocation of the blasphemy case against Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim for imitating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007, failure to punish perpetrators of the Bargari sacrilege and police officials for the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents, appointment of controversial IPS officer Sumedh Singh Saini as DGP and others. The rebel Akali leaders wanted the SAD and the SGPC to make their clarification public.
Sukhbir submitted that he and his party leaders would abide by any decision taken as per the Gurmat tradition by Akal Takht. He also offered “ardas” to Akal Purkh for the welfare of the Panth and Punjab.
Along with the clarification, Sukhbir submitted a copy of the letter of atonement written by the then Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, to the then Akal Takht jathedar on October 17, 2015. Parkash Badal had submitted the letter in person at Akal Takht, expressing his remorse at the unfolding of events that hurt the sentiments of the community. He said he bowed to the Gurus and sought power and blessings from Waheguru.
The SGPC’s role had also come under the scanner for publishing advertisements at a cost of about Rs 90 lakh in newspapers, saying that the five Sikh high priests, at a meeting on September 24, 2015, had accepted the written apology of the Dera Sirsa head and pardoned him.
What Party rebels wrote on July 1
On July 1, SAD rebels, in a letter submitted at Akal Takht, had blamed Sukhbir Badal for four major decisions taken during his tenure as Deputy CM. These included revocation of the blasphemy case against the Dera Sacha Sauda head for imitating Guru Gobind Singh, failure to punish perpetrators of Bargari sacrilege and police officials for the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents and the appointment of Sumedh Singh Saini as DGP
