Chandigarh: The Punjab government initiated a major police crackdown on the leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar (Mann) and United Akali Dal (UAD) in bid to foil their gathering near Talwandi Sabo under the nomenclature of ‘Sarbat Khalsa’. Heavy police deployment and restrains prevented people from reaching the venue of the gathering to a large extend.
However, as per information, people in small groups were able to reach the venue during wee hours ,whereas others who tired to reach the venue after day rise were prevented from reaching the spot and many of them, including leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar (Mann) were arrested by the police.
SAD (Mann) leader Prof. M. P. Singh told Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) over phone that acting Jathedars – Bhai Dhian Singh Mand, Bhai Amrik Singh Ajnala and Bhai Baljeet Singh Daduwal along with S. Simranjit Singh Mann and others were arrested by the Punjab police when they tried to enter into the Punjab from Haryana this morning.
“We were arrested by the police when we entered into Punjab from a village near Talwandi Sabo. We are not released yet and I am speaking to you from the police custody. We are in a police bus and they are taking us to some undisclosed place”, said M. P. Singh.
He said that in his brief address at the time of arrest Bhai Dhian Singh Mand announced to excommunicate Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal from Sikh Panth holding them responsible for repeated incidents of beadbi of Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab. On being asked that if some written edict is issued in this regard, M. P. Singh told SSN that the announcement was made in verbal message that was recorded in phone and could be available over social media.
WATCH VIDEO: Bhai Dhian Singh Mand’s Video Message Dated: December 08, 2016
On being asked that whether the announcement excommunicating Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Badal was made in consultation with Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara, M. P. Singh said: “The announcement regarding excommunication of Badals is made by Bhai Dhian Singh Mand but this is in my personal knowledge that this decision was taken in consultation with Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara”.
“Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara is 100% aware about this decision as this decision, along with other resolutions (that are not yet announced), were finalise with his consultation”, maintained M. P. Singh.
Reactions from Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) or other Sikh organization were awaited at the time of writing this news. It may be noted here that there were differences among the Sikh groups about the nature and modus operandi of December 8 gathering at Talwandi Sabo.