Pardoning Dera head betrayal with Sikh community: Sikh leaders

Sikh leaders today expressed their displeasure over the pardoning of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion, calling the move "politically motivated" as well as a "betrayal with Sikh community".
The leaders said that the letter of apology given by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh should have been made public before taking any decision with regard to pardoning the chief of Sirsa headquartered sect.
"This decision (of pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda Head) has hurt the principles of Akal Takht and it is a betrayal with the Sikh community," Former Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti told PTI today.

Vedanti as Akal Takht Jathedar had issued the 'Hukamnama' (edict) in 2007 against Dera Sacha Sauda head for attiring himself as the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.
He noted that representatives of all Sikh organizations, scholars and intellectuals should have been consulted, just like it was done in 2007, before taking the decision to pardon the Dera chief.
"Representatives of Sikh organisations should have been called at Akal Takht and taken into confidence before announcing the decision," Vedanti said, adding that any apology that comes from a clean heart could always be considered for forgiveness.
"The letter of apology should be made public to let people know about its contents," he stressed, adding that this decision was "politically motivated".

Vedanti claimed that his Hukamnama issued in the year 2007 cannot be cancelled, stating that the present Akal Takht Jathedar was also part of that decision as Head Granthi of Golden Temple in 2007.