Longowal no longer guilty, says Akal Takht jathedar

IN SUPPORT Says he might have submitted clarification after ‘tankhah’ was given

Longowal has accepted his guilt and performed sewa assigned to him. As per Sikh maryada, he is now a Sikh without guilt and can be accepted into the sangat. GIANI GURBACHAN SINGH , Akal Takht jathedar

AMRITSAR : Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh on Thursday said there is nothing wrong in the election of Gobind Singh Longowal as the new president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

This was in response to the opposition by some Sikh bodies who are arguing that Longowal cannot hold the post because he has served ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) that was ordered by the Akal Takht for visiting Sirsa Dera Saccha Sauda to seek votes during the last assembly elections.

“Once a person accepts his guilt and serves the punishment awarded to him, he no longer remain guilty,” said Giani Gurbachan Singh, under whose supervision Longowal was awarded the punishment.

He added that since Longowal has accepted his guilt before the Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) and performed the sewa assigned to him, “as per the Sikh maryada, he is now a Sikh without any guilt. He can now be accepted into the Sangat”.

Responding to the demand of the Sikh bodies who are opposing Longowal’s election as SGPC president, he said these charges are not valid.

Replying to a query on Longowal’s claim that he had submitted a written clarification stating that he never visited the Sirsa-based dera, he said, “Longowal might have submitted the clarification after the ‘tankhah’ was announced.”

LONGOWAL HAS QUESTIONABLE CONSCIENCE, SAYS DAL KHALSA

Meanwhile, Kanwar Pal Singh, spokesperson of Dal Khalsa (a Sikh body), on Thursday said, “Even if Gobind Singh Logowal has completed the tankhah, his inner conscience is questionable because he visited the antipanthic cult (Sirsa-based dera) for votes and compromised with all ethics and tenets of Sikhism.”