Not planning to ban political rallies at Maghi Mela: Akal Takht jathedar
AMRITSAR: Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh on Sunday said there is no plan to ban political conferences at the annual Maghi Mela to be held in Muktsar on January 14. The move comes a day after the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) declared that they won’t hold conferences during the fair.
The highest temporal seat of the Sikhs had banned political conference sat Sh a he edi J or Mel a in Fatehgarh Sahib following a campaign against the practice launched on social media.
Maghi Mela which is organised to commemorate the martyrdom of“C hal iMuk te ”, the title awarded to 40 brave Sikhs who laid down their lives fighting the Mughals near Khidrana, the old name of Muktsar, on December 29, 1705. But over the years, it has also become a platform for politi- cal rallies. Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday said the Congress is a secular party and will refrain from using religious events such as Mag hi Mel a for political purposes. However, the Akal Takht jathedar made it clear that the ban on the political rallies was confined to J or Mel a at Fatehgarh Sahib only.
Giani Gurbachan Singh said the Sh a he edi J or Mel a and Mag hi Mela have different historical
contexts.
“Though both the events are organisedtoremembermartyrs, there is difference between the two. Chali Mukte attained mar-
tyrdom while fighting 10,000 Mughals. Younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh were executed for not accepting the condition of joining Islam,” he said.