Jathedar breaks silence, says Cong allegations false
AMRITSAR : A month after Patti Congress MLA Harminder Singh Gill alleged, in the state Vidhan Sabha, that Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh had allowed the Badal family to use his office for political ends, the jathedar has broken his silence and said the charges were false.
The MLA had even claimed that the Badals had helped the jathedar’s family, especially his son Manjinder Singh Bittu, in business. “If a tea seller Narendra Modi can become the Prime Minister of the country, why can’t the son of a jathedar become a businessman? Anyone who works hard can achieve high status in society. Is achieving high status with hard work a crime? If it is so, I ask Captain Amarinder Singh government to put all my family members behind bars,” the jathedar said, in response to a question from HT, in his office.
“By making these false charges, he (Gill) has not cared for the sanctity of the Akal Takht. The issue will be discussed at a meeting of the Panj Singh Sahiban (the presidium of Sikh clergymen that the jathedar leads),” he added.
“As far the business of my son is concerned, he worked hard. He started by running a readymade clothes shop in partnership. Then, he struggled as property dealer. He constructed his hotel on bank loan and in partnership,” he said. Replying to query on the Ranjit panel report, he claimed that it had failed to expose the truth behind the conspiracy of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib. On the apology granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim for blasphemy, he added, “This has been made a political issue to attack opponents.”