Punjab News Express/ Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: By issuing threats to political rivals of Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD), the Sant Samaj is not doing any service to Sikh community and nor it is fighting for the honour of Sikhs. Sant Samaj is just a mouth piece of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal who sees major threat from AAP in the 2017 assembly elections.
Unable to counter AAP on political level, the SAD is preparing ground to engage Kejriwal and other AAP leaders in religious tangle. SAD and its supporter Sikh bodies are trying to blow political issues out of context and giving religious colour to them. Such gimicks are unlikely to work when the focus of people is on other major issues like drug menace, rising crime and gang culture, mafia control on mining and liqour, rampat corruption, monopoly of ruling family on the transport business and non-existance of health, education and civic facilities.
Harnam Singh Dhuma head of Damdami Taksal who is also Chairman of a faction of Sant Samaj is patronised by Badal family and he is targeting Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) to for political purpose.Dhuma has threatened Kejriwal to face the wrath of Sikh community, if he and his associates failed to apologise for the anti-Sikh acts. It is indeed fanatic that SAD is engaging Hindu and Sikh organisations in Punjab, sponsored and promoted by them, to hound AAP leaders. A little known Hindu organisation has also summoned Kejriwal to appear at 'Hindu Takht' in Patiala though no such place exists on this part of the earth.
Dhuma incidently is heading the religious organisation once headed by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala who fought for the honour of Sikh Panth. Unlike his predecessor, Dhuma is toeing the line of ruling political party for his own convinience. Sant Samaj and Dhuma had extended support to SAD in the 2012 assembly elections.The Sant Samaj was obliged by the SAD controlled SGPC by changing the dates of religious festivals in the Nanakshahi Calender. It is also alleged that Sant Samaj leaders are in league with RSS which opposed the Nankshahi calendar.
Ruling SAD is protecting the interests of Dhuma who was named as key conspirator in the murderous attack on Sant Ranjit Singh Dhadhrianwala. Dhadhrianwala escaped the attack but one of his associated was killed. About seven assailants all members of Damdami Taksal were arrested. Dhadhrianwala had named Dhuma as the main accused but he was not questioned even once.
Dhuma has chosen to ignore the incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari and 13 other places. He never issued any ultimatum to the SAD-BJP government to arrest the culprits. He never launched attack on SAD and Akal Takht Jathedar for giving pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh.
Sant Samaj is raising the fake issues created by SAD to discredit AAP and involve AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister in religious tangle. SAD has raised fake issues like demolition of Piau outside Gurdawaa Sis Ganj in Delhi and accusing AAP for the demolition whereas it was razed by Delhi MCD headed by BJP. AAP has no sake in the MCD. Instead of targeting its alliance partner BJP for the demolition of Piau, SAD has accused AAP for it without any substance. Sant Samaj has put its thumb on it.
The AAP leaders have apologised for the manifesto gaffe and Arvind Kejriwal is to visit Golden Temple July 18 to perform 'sewa' for seeking pardon. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh had issued a warning to Kejriwal not to use religion for political gains. It would have been better if Akal Takht Jathedar had issued same warning to SAD too. The high post of Jathedar is not meant for brow beating political rival of ruling party.
SAD had earlier tried to link AAP with Satluj Yamuna Link Canal though even a child in Punjab will tell that SYL Canal issue is creation of SAD and Congress to garner votes in Punjab and Haryana as per their convinience. BJP the alliance partner of SAD has not supported Punjab in the Supreme Court where a petition is filed. None of SAD, BJP and Congress are interested to resolve the issue. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal must answer this question to people of Punjab why he cant resolve the issue when SAD and BJP have governments in Punjab, Haryana and at center. Even earlier SAD and its friendly party Indian National Lok Dal(INLD) had governments in neighbouring states. AAP was not even existance when the SYL canal was constructed.
SAD has also blamed Kejriwal for financing the Udta Punjab movie which highlighted the drug issue in the state. SAD opposed the release of movie and accused AAP for defaming Punjab. There was also a move by SAD-BJP government to ban the screening of Udta Punjab but their hands were tied after High Court and Supreme Court cleared the movie.
What could be more filmsy that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has equated the printing of broom with Golden Temple picture on AAP manifesto with the attack by Indira Gandhi on the Sri Harmandir Sahib. It shows sheer frustration in the mind of Chief Minister whose government has failed to arrest accused of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. There are many skeltons in the cup board of SAD. The ruling alliance shall accept the AAP challenge at political level and desist from using religious bodies against political rivals. It is unethical and dangerous as well.