Amarinder 'defying' edict of Akal Takht: SAD chief on Punjab govt's event on Prakash Purab

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has challenged the supremacy of Akal Takht by "defying its edict" on joint celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Badal's remarks came hours after an all-party meeting held at the residence of Singh decided to jointly celebrate the occasion at a state-level function being organised by the Congress government on November 12 at Sultanpur Lodhi.

The SAD veteran charged Singh with trying to create a joint front against the highest temporal seat of Sikhs by calling a "so called all party meeting which was attended by its B team- the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)".

"Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has revealed his true colours and finally come out in the open to challenge the supremacy of Akal Takht by defying its edict to participate in the joint celebration of the 550thParkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev being organised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the representative body of the Sikh community," Badal said in a statement here.

He alleged, "After playing hide and seek for more than two months and even claiming that he (Amarinder) would abide by the directives of the Akal Takht, the chief minister had put in action the Congress party's sworn policy to desecrate the highest temporal- religious body of the Sikh 'Panth'".

The all party meeting was attended by Harbans Singh Kandhola (SAD - 1920), Bhupinder Sambhar and Hardev Arshi (CPI), Gurparamjit Kaur Taggar (CPI-M), Sewa Singh Sekhwan (SAD Taksali), Baba Sarbjot Singh Bedi (Sant Samaj), BSP state president Jasbir Singh Garhi, Manjit Singh Bilaspur (AAP) and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema.

Badal said that it was unfortunate that these parties joined hands with the Congress to "challenge" the authority of Akal Takht due to their "vested interests".

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh as well as his co-Jathedars had directed that there would be only one stage for the main event of the 550th'Parkash Purb' celebrations that of the SGPC.

They had also asked everyone, including the state government, to join the main event being organised by the SGPC.