Sri Anandpur Sahib: According to Punjab news today in Punjabi, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed to the Sikh community to unite under the Akali Dal banner and reclaim control of Sikh institutions and gurdwaras that the central and various state governments had taken over. Speaking at a Gurmat event at Gurdwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib on the 350th martyrdom day, Badal said that the community must come together under one flag to protect its religious institutions.
He added that the community and the party had weakened, which led them to lose management of Hazur Sahib and Patna Sahib. Excessive interference by the central and Haryana governments caused the Haryana Gurdwara Management Committee to become separate. Badal criticized Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for merely promoting the idea of granting sacred city status. He reminded the audience that Sri Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo received sacred city status about 15 years ago from former Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal. He said the current government announcement only creates confusion.
The Akali Dal chief also accused the Chief Minister of disrespecting Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gurgajj, emphasizing that anyone who disrespects the Jathedar becomes an enemy of the entire Sikh community. He urged the community to recognize the forces that weaken them from within. During the event, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gurgajj and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami shared their thoughts on Guru Tegh Bahadur’s philosophy, as reported in Punjab news today in Punjabi.
