Sikh groups hold ‘parallel’ Panthic convention in Amritsar

AMRITSAR: Various Sikh groups and political activists on Saturday organised a Panthic convention here, being perceived as a mobilisation parallel to the one being carried out by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

Sarbat Khalsa-appointed parallel acting jathedar of Akal Takht Dhian Singh Mand and president of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (adhoc) Baljit Singh Daduwal addressed this convention jointly organised by United

Akali Dal (UAD), Lok Adhikar Lehar, Kirti Akali Dal, Akali Dal (Sutantar).

Majority of the speakers targeted former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, terming them as the cause of all the problems of the Sikhs and called for the Badal family’s defeat.

The convention also appealed to Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to help the Sikh politicians who have been abandoned by the community.

UAD leader Gurdeep Singh Bathinda and Sikh activist Pal Singh France said a camp will be organised at Fatehgarh Sahib in the coming days to take forward the efforts under this mobilisation.

Convention criticises May 11 gathering

The convention also termed the “panthic gathering” organised at the SGPC headquarters on May 11 as an event to give benefits to Badals.

Notably, during the May 11 gathering, the SAD president, SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann, Parmjit Singh Sarna, Manjit Singh GK and other leaders came together on the issue of release of Sikh prisoners. After that, a joint committee was constituted to pursue the issue.