LUDHIANA: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said Sri Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh was conducting himself as per panthic traditions and home minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa did not have any moral right to question his authority.
Addressing a press conference here, former minister Maheshinder Singh Grewal said “those who were instrumental in demolition of the Akal Takht, destruction of hundreds of gurdwaras as well as a planned massacre of the Sikh community have no moral right to speak about the actions of its Jathedar”.
Mr Grewal said Sukhjinder Randhawa, whose father Santokh Singh Randhawa had appreciated former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for the attack on the Sri Darbar Sahib should realize that it was the Congress party and its leaders alone who did not give recognition and respect to the supreme temporal seat of the Sikh community. He said when the Akal Takht jathedar had summoned 27 leaders to the Takht to explain their conduct post 2017 elections all 13 SAD leaders had presented themselves before the supreme body and accepted the religious punishment given to them. “None of the 13 Congress leaders presented themselves before the Takht and are still absconders before it”.
Mr Grewal also asked Pradesh Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu to tell from where he would get the funds to implement the promises made by him yesterday. “I am asking this because when chief minister Charanjit Channi made only a fraction of the promises announced by Sidhu the latter ridiculed him and asked him how they would be implemented”. He also asked Sidhu to tell Punjabis why he had taken a turn around from his earlier stand that he would never offer “lollipops” which could not be implemented to the people. “It seems Sidhu has also realized that the Congress game is up and he has also started distributing lollipops now”.
The SAD leader also asked the chief minister to clarify whether the promises made by the PCC chief were binding on the Punjab government. “If they are binding the government must implement them immediately”, he said while asking why Mr Channi was silent on the issue till now.
Mr Grewal also charged cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu’s wife Mamta Ashu to explain her tweet in which she said Navjot Sidhu should not try to put a price on women. He said it was shocking that Mamta Ashu was worrying about a price being put on the support of women by Mr Navjot Sidhu but had turned a blind eye towards the support being extended to a rape victim by her husband. “Everyone is aware that Mr Ashu continues to support and shelter LIP leader Simarjit Bains despite the fact that the latter has been declared a proclaimed offender”.