SAD leaders do ‘penance’ for 2nd day
AMRITSAR: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders on Sunday performed sewa (voluntarily service) for the second consecutive day at the Golden Temple as penance for what they have termed as “inadvertent mistakes” they made during the party’s 10-year rule in Punjab.
SAD patriarch and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal along with party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, his wife and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, former minister Bikram Singh Majithia and other senior leaders attended ‘ardas’ (prayer) at Gurdwara Baba Gurbakhsh Singh near the Akal Takht.
Also, office-bearers of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) joined the sewa. The path that started on Saturday will conclude on Monday. Badal spent 10 minutes dusting and polishing shoes of devotees in ‘joda ghar’ (shoe store). Accompanied by SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal, former minister Daljit Singh Cheema and other apex gurdwara body members, Sukhbir spent an hour each in ‘joda ghar’ and langar hall. He also listened to ‘kirtan’ inside the sanctum sanctorum.
Harsimrat also cleaned and polished shoes, while Bibi Jagir Kaur, president of the party’s women wing, rolled ‘chapattis’ in the langar hall. Besides Longowal, SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh and secretary Manjit Singh Batth cleaned utensils. In the langar hall, former state minister Gulzar Singh Ranike faced protest by a man who levelled allegations of graft against him.
IT’S ALL SHAM, SAYS MP BRAHMPURA
Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, who was expelled from the party for raising a banner of revolt against Sukhbir, said the Badals are trying to mislead people but they will not succeed in their designs. “It is nothing but a sham,” he said addressing a gathering at Tarn Taran’s Bharowal village. The meeting was held to mobilise support for the rebel leaders’ plan of floating a new party on December 16.
Another rebel leader Sewa Singh Sekhwan also targeted the Badals addressing meetings of supporters in Gurdaspur.