Punjab CM 'disobeyed' Akal Takht: SAD

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday accused Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of "disobeying" the Akal Takht by "challenging" its dictum of holding joint celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said the chief minister should decide whether he wanted wanted to hold a "Congress show" or obey the highest temporal seat of Sikhs.

"The very fact that the chief minister has decided to disobey the dictum of the Jathedar has dismayed everyone. It is against the message of oneness preached by the guru," he said, adding that statements of the chief minister had "hurt" sentiments of the entire 'guru naam leva sangat'.

Cheema said the Akal Takht Jathedar had made an appeal for the joint celebrations keeping in mind the need to present a united front before the world, leaving aside all party differences.

He said three Congress ministers had also gone to the Akal Takht and agreed to this proposal.

"Now, efforts are afoot to hold a Congress show," he said.

The SAD leader said the Congress Party knew that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee represented all Sikhs of the country and that it was an elected body.

He said the SGPC had been entrusted with holding various 'shatabdis' of the Sikh Panth in the past and had even been given this responsibility of celebrating the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in Patna.

"The chief minster should not politicise this solemn occasion. He should let the religious function remain in the religious domain. Afterall, the SGPC is not asking to hold a function in the state secretariat," he added.

Cheema also condemned the chief minister's remarks against Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

He said using such a language on such a "pious" occasion was not warranted.