AAP leader Phoolka performs ‘sewa’ at Golden Temple
A week after AAP came under attack from the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance and the Congress for printing its symbol, the broom, with the image of the Golden Temple on its youth manifesto and equating it with Guru Granth Sahib, party leader HS Phoolka performed ‘sewa (service)’ and apologised at the Akal Takht on Sunday.
Phoolka, who reached the shrine in a simple white kurtapyjama and sky blue turban at 3am, went straight to the ‘langar ghar (community kitchen)’ and washed utensils for 45 minutes.
He washed the floor of the langar hall for an hour with a broom to atone for the “unintentional mistake” of hurting Sikh sentiments.
At 5am, Phoolka, who is fighting for justice for victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, headed for the Akal Takht. After paying obeisance, he apologised on behalf of the AAP.
He said, “Our leader Arvind Kejriwal is not at fault but as the party leader, he will also be performing sewa on July 18. The manifesto cover was an unintentional mistake of the Punjab AAP team. The Akali Dal is politicising the issue.”
“Today, the Akalis are demanding Kejriwal’s resignation as Delhi CM but where were they when Punjab cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia distorted the ‘shabad (sacred verse)’ of the 10th Sikh Guru while canvassing for Amritsar BJP MP candidate Arun Jaitley in 2014? Did Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal apologise or resign? Was a case registered against Majithia? Wasn’t it a more serious lapse,” he said.
Majithia apologised after the issue led to a row in the run-up to the parliamentary elections.
At 11.30am, Phoolka was back at the Golden Temple’s Joda Ghar (place where devotees leave their shoes) to perform sewa. After cleaning shoes for an hour in the humid afternoon, he left the Golden Temple sweating.
He was accompanied by about 60 AAP volunteers. No leader from the Delhi or Punjab AAP team was present.