The Punjab Congress leaders today demanded apology from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for denigrating supreme Sikh institutions like Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee at the 350thanniversary function of Anandpur Sahib yesterday.At same time the Congress leaders also questioned the Badal that why he forgets to raise the implementation of Anandpur Sahib Resolution, upon which Shiromani Akali Dal has done politics for years.In a statement, party legislators Rana Gurjit Singh, Sukhjinder Singh, Randhawa, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria said ignoring the high status of Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, who heads the supreme religio-temporal authority of the community, was called upon to address the conference in the beginning itself while he should have winded up the speeches of the religious leaders. Moreover, people had just started reaching the venue when he was told to address the thin gathering. They said what was highly objectionable was the fact that even Harnam Singh Dhumma, who heads comparatively much less important institution, a non-entity like Tarlochan Singh and Baba Ramdev were given precedence over the Akal Takht Jathedar and SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.
They charged Badal with exploiting this historic occasion to promote his own narrow political interests by converting it into Akali conference rather than inviting leaders like former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh from across the Sikh spectrum.They said what to talk of inviting Congress leaders, Badal did not care even to invite other Sikh leaders from other parties, states and countries. They asked whether it was a pre-condition to be Akali for being a Sikh or Panthic? They alleged Badal had been mercilessly misusing gurdwara funds to promote his vested political interests, which was a serious religious offence.They also asked the CM to clarify that why he fails to take up issue of implementation of Anandpur Sahib resolution from same historic city, where Akali Dal had framed it. It has proved beyond doubts that Badal had always used Panthic issues to garner vote banks; otherwise he would have pressed the NDA for implementation of Anandpur Sahib Resolution. And secondly, the CM Badal must explain that what NDA has given to Punjab, announcement of which was expected from this function.They demanded that Badal must apologise to the Sikhs at large for violation of Sikh Maryada and exploiting and denigrating supreme Sikh institutions, and using event for his political gains.