Akal Takht jathedar cites history to defend SGPC chief Longowal

Once Maharaja Ranjit Singh was also given punishment by Akal Takht. After he served it and vowed not to commit any mistake, he was accepted by the Panth again. GIANI GURBACHAN SINGH, jathedar

AMRITSAR: Amid opposition of new Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Go bind Singh Long ow al by some Sikh bodies over the issue of seeking votes of Der a Sac ha Saud a followers, Akal Takhtja the dar G ia ni G ur bach an Sing hon Saturday cited history to defend Longowal.

With the issue also making a buzz on the social media, the jathedar issued a detailed statement seeking to justify the election of Longowal.

“As per Pant hi ctr ad it ions, any person who apologises before Ak al Tak ht Sahib for committing any mistake and vows not to repeat that mistake, is pardoned and acceptable in Pan th ”, he said.

The jathedar had so far kept mum on the issue, except making a short comment while responding to a HT query over phone on Thursday, a day after Longowal was elected.

Notably, various Sikh bodies are opposing the election of the former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA as chief of the supreme Sikh body, saying he had approached the Sirsa-based dera to seek votes ahead of the assembly elections and was declared ‘tankhaiya’ for his act.

The jathedar, however, maintained that the controversy over the election of Longowal is not fair. “Once Maharaja Ranjit Singh was also given punishment by Akal Takht Sahib. After he served it and vowed not to commit any mistake, he was accepted by the Panth again,” he said.

He added such an incident also took place in the life of Sikh warrior and Ramgarhia misl chief Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia. “During recent times, Bab a Santa Singh was also taken back into the Panth after he followed the same norms of undergoing punishment(for a mistake),”he said.

Unlike Longowal, who now claims he never visited the Sirsa dera to seek votes, the jathedar did not deny the SGPC chief’s “mistake ”, saying he under went ‘tankhah’ (punishment) at the Golden Temple in April, along with other politicians of SAD, Congress and A AP. He said ,“All of them were pardoned and accepted by the Panth after they followed the order of the Akal Takht Sahib.”