Amarinder blames Badal for erosion of Akal Takhat authority

Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh today blamed Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for "erosion" of Akal Takhat's authority and credibility.
"With due deference and reverence for the supreme authority of Akal Takhat and its edicts, as a humble Sikh, my only concern is the erosion of its authority and credibility for which only Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is to be blamed," he said in a statement issued here.
"Over the years a perception has been reinforced, and rightly so, that Badal has been misusing the Akal Takhat for his own personal and vested interests and the consequences are before all of us that people have started openly defying the edicts which is sad and unfortunate", he said.

"For the first time in the Sikh history there has been open defiance of the Akal Takhat hukumnama", he said.
Commenting on the recent edicton on Dera Sacha Sauda sect Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, the former Chief Minister pointed out, it is so characteristic of Badal to change his colours according to his political interests.
"In 2007 Badal got an edict issued as it suited his interests that time and now after eight years in a complete u-turn he has got another edict issued with obvious intentions," he pointed out.

Appealing for peace and restraint, the former Chief Minister maintained that he understood and shared the concern of people over the erosion of the authority of Akal Takhat, which must not be allowed to happen at any cost.

"Akal Takhat is the supreme institution whose sanctity and authority must be preserved and maintained at all costs," he remarked.
At the same time, he observed, it is the duty and responsibility of the five Singh Sahibaan (five head priests) to realise that the community has not only vested supreme authority in them, but also reposed faith in their wisdom and judgement which they must use discreetly and ensure that justice is not only done but is also seen to be done.
"And unfortunately today that faith and trust appears to have been compromised," he said.
Uneasy clam prevailed in the Sikh community after the recent edict of Akal Takhat exonerating the Dear head of his alleged blasphemous act of imitating Guru gobind Singh in 2007 that sparked violence in Punjab and Haryana.