’84 riots anniversary: Akalis pray at all 5 Takhts for punishment to guilty

PANTHIC CARD Cornered by oppn over sacrilege, Badal family leads prayer at Akal Takht

AMRITSAR: Cornered by the opposition on the sacrilege issue, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders on Thursday performed ‘ardas’ (prayer) at all the five Sikh takhts and prayed to the Guru for punishment to the guilty of the 1984 riots that followed the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Notably, several senior Congress leaders, including Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, were made accused in various riots cases.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal led the prayers at the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs.

Hundreds of SAD workers gathered at the takht in the Golden Temple premises to attend the bhog ceremony of ‘akhand path’ (non-stop recitation) conducted by the Badal family to commemorate those killed in the anti-Sikh violence in Delhi and other parts of the country.

During the ardas, SAD leaders also sought punishment to the guilty of 1984 riots, besides those who indulged in sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib as well as those who distorted the Sikh history in Class-12 text books of the Punjab School Education board.

The ‘path’ started on Tuesday behind the Akal Takht, wherein ‘kirtan’ was performed by ‘hazuri ragis’ of Sri Harmandar Sahib.

It was followed by the ‘ardas’ in the presence of Golden Temple head granthi Giani Jagtar Singh. Sukhbir was also given ‘siropa’ on the occasion.

KEEP MUM ON BJP-LED CENTRAL GOVT’S ROLE

Though they held the Gandhi family and the Congress responsible for the riots, the SAD leaders kept mum on the role of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the previous BJP-led NDA government in taking action against the perpetrators of the riots.

Replying to a query on the role of the BJP, the alliance partner of the SAD, senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia said, “The matter is pending in the Supreme Court. Secondly, the Congress remained in power at the Centre for more time. It also ensured the inclusion of the culprits in the Union cabinet, besides their entry into the Parlament. So, the Congress is the sole guilty in this regard.”

Apart from former minister Majithia, former speaker of Punjab assembly Nirmal Singh Kahlon, SAD spokesperson Virsa Singh Valtoha, former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, former minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, former minister Tota Singh and various members of the SGPC were also present on the occasion.

The SAD workers who gathered at the Akal Takht mainly belonged to the Majha region.

Similarly, ‘ardas’ was performed at all other Sikh takhts— Takht Patna Sahib, Takht Hazur Sahib, Takht Kesgarh Sahib and Takht Damdama Sahib, Sukhbir told mediapersons after the prayers at the Akal Takht.

Notably, the SAD has already announced that it would hold a dharna at Jantar Mantar at New Delhi on November 3 seeking justice for the victims of riots.

THE SAD WORKERS WHO GATHERED AT THE AKAL TAKHT MAINLY BELONGED TO THE MAJHA REGION