Clash inside gurudwara "most tragic": Badal

"It is very sad, I would say most tragic that such an incident took place inside a gurudwara. The attackers neither kept the sanctity of the gurudwara nor of our democracy. It was the worst thing that could have happened," Badal told reporters.

He alleged that it was a conspiracy carried out at the behest of the Congress, which, he said, "has always meddled in the affairs of the Sikhs."

"I strongly condemn the incident, in which an elected member (of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee) was attacked by those who were freely roaming with naked swords," he said.

He alleged that it was a deep rooted conspiracy to forcibly keep possession of Delhi gurduwaras illegally with the patronage of the Congress government.

While ruling SAD, of which Badal is patron-in-chief, has already demanded a high level inquiry into the "violent attack on Akali leaders", the Chief Minister said, "the recent move by the Sheila Dikshit government to recommend direct election for the post of the DSGPC President is another example of Congress meddling in the affairs of the Sikhs."

Ahead of next month's DSGPC elections, rival factions had yesterday clashed inside the premises of Rakabganj Gurudwara leaving five persons injured.