Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab MLA and Kisan Wing State President Kultar Singh Sandhwan strongly condemned Harsimrat Kaur Badal for comparing Shiromani Akali Dal’s (Badal) election symbol ‘takkadi’ with the ‘Takkadi’ of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He said that comparing the scales of Badals with the scales of Baba Guru Nanak Dev ji was a transgression of Indian electoral code and also a violation of the sentiments of all Guru Nanak Dev ji’s followers. Sandhwan appealed to Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht to summon Harsimrat Kaur Badal to the Akal Takht for tampering with the religious sentiments of the Sikh Sangat and to apologize immediately.In a statement issued from the party headquarters on Wednesday, Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that Biba Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Lok Sabha member of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and wife of Sukhbir Singh Badal had used 'Takkadi of Jagat Guru Nanak Dev Ji' for her political agenda by saying, "For us, this takkadi (election symbol of SAD) is no less important than the ‘Takkadi’ of Guru Nanak Sahib.
This takkadi reminds us that if people believe in this with Baba Nanak's takkadi then their faith is returned hundred folds.” Sandhwan accused that the takkadi of Badals is responsible of the sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth sahib then killing Sikhs who were seeking justice, drowning the youth of Punjab in drugs and destroying Sikh customs. No comparison can be drawn between the blood soaked takkadi of Badals and holy Takkadi of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji.Kultar Singh Sandhwan said, “Sri Guru Granth Sahib’s sacrilege happened during the tenure (government) of Shiromani Akali Dal Badal party. The members of Sikh community seeking justice were openly shot. The party leaders have been accused of drugs mafia and ruining the youth of Punjab. They have used the great status of Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib for their personal gain and satirized the Sikh customs. It is a great crime committed by Harsimrat Kaur Badal to compare the election symbol of her party with the takkadi of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. This has deeply hurt the hearts of Guru Nanak Naam Leva Sangat living in the country and abroad”, he said.
Sandhwan said that all the people of Punjab and Sikh Sangat had lost their faith in Shiromani Akali Dal Badal and its leaders. As a result, these Akali leaders have resorted to the use of Sikh creeds and practices for their own political gain in order to manipulate the religious sentiments of the Sikh voters. He asked Harsimrat Kaur Badal, “What good has the Badal family done to Punjab by taking over the Shiromani Akali Dal for 50 years? On what issue has the Sikh tradition been firmly guarded? Who plunged Punjab into debt? Who has misused the institutions and resources of the Sikh Panth? Who had sold panth to anti-guru people and put them on various positions?Kultar Singh Sandhwan appealed to Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib to summon Harsimrat Kaur Badal to the Takht Sahib for the crime of tampering with Sikh sentiments and to take strict action as per Panthic custom. He also demanded from the Chief Election Commissioner and the Punjab Election Commissioner to take stern legal action against Harsimrat Kaur Badal for using religious sentiments for political gain.