Made appeal to Sikhs to come for Baisakhi, request media to not confuse it with call for ‘Sarbat Khalsa’: Akal Takth Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Bathinda, April 7

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday lashed out at Punjab Government for creating an unnecessary hype over their event held at Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo.

While addressing a special gathering at Takht Damdama Sahib, Akal Takth Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said national media was wrongly covering them. “National media covering this event is running news that Amritpal will be arrested today in the event,” he said.

Alleging that 4th pillar of democracy was under threat under present dispensation, Jathedar said, “I want to clarify that Akal Takth will stand against injustice with journalists who are exposing the governments. Today efforts are been made to suppress press, which is the fourth pillar of the democracy.”

While asking media to show the correct news and not tweak his words Jathedar said, “Yesterday flag march was taken out here where Baisakhi is celebrated every year. Heavy police has been deployed in a bid to create fearful atmosphere. I made an appeal to Sikhs to come for Baisakhi and I request media to not twist my words and run a news that I gave a call for ‘Sarbat Khalsa’”.

Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh while upholding their right to raise their voice said, “No government can suppress our voice.  We don’t want war with government, we want Samwad (discussion).75 commitments have been done with us before, but till date not one have been implemented. If you will suppress us, we will speak from Haryana, Bengal, US, nobody can suppress our voice”.

He also asked Punjab government to ‘stop creating panic’ among people of Punjab. “To track anti-Sikh or anti-Punjabi phobia, we will constitute a strong group to keep tab on news running against us in a bid to defame our community. We want to tell Punjab government to stop this panic created by removing huge force from here as due to which devotee are turning up here. This is not only defaming Punjab or Punjabis but the party ruling in the state. Now government is creating panic that on Baisakhi day, Amritpal will come here.

He also said that he was sad as SGPC didn’t get an FIR registered against police officials who ‘termed Sikh flag as extremist flags in a bid to defame Punjabis’.

Earlier SGPC officials Mandeep Punia, Hamir Singh and Jaspal Singh alleged that one-sided stories were being run in a section of media to present Sikhs as extremists. They cautioned that the media should present the story after getting facts from both sides.

The SGPC officials also condemned the withholding of social media accounts of journalists and police action against them.