Amritsar: Sikh organizations, the Dal Khalsa and the Akali Dal Panch Pardhani, issued a written statement today regarding 10 November panthic gathering. The statement did not term the event as “Sarbat Khalsa”. Both parties criticized the government for creating fear psychosis. They said also criticized the ruling party for it’s propaganda against the gathering. They said that they won’t be the part of the decision making process in any way but they would witness the gathering as a humble Sikh.
The statement issued jointly by both Sikh groups reads as follows:
Amritsar: Condemning the state government for interfering in religious matters of Sikhs, the Dal Khalsa and SAD (Panch Pardani) today said the Sikh congregation scheduled to be assembled at Taran Taran road on Nov 10 was not anti-panthic as alleged by Badal Akali Dal.
Clearing their position, both the organizations said they won’t be part of the event as we disagree with the venue, procedure and the manner in which the event has been called.
In an emergency meeting of senior leaders of both the groups, they decided that though they won’t be part and parcel of the decision making process. However, they were critically against the government’s terror tactics to block the people to participate in it as “we believe people have every democratic right to attend it without any external fear”.
Respecting people’s aspirations and sentiments, we would take part in the congregation as Sangat (humble Sikh) without involving ourselves in the decision making process, said Bhai Daljit Singh patron of SAD Panj Pardani. Dal Khalsa head H S Dhami said our disagreements with organizers is purely on principle grounds. We would keep keen watch on the developments and decide and comment about the proposed decisions and resolutions after the event.
We would take decisions in the larger interest of the Panth, said he.
Spokespersons of both the groups Harpal Singh Cheema and Kanwar Pal Singh said Sikhs were passing through critical phase and their religious institutions were under seize by anti-Sikh forces through their agents Badal family. Both strongly took exception the manner in which the government through its propaganda machinery was creating fear psychosis in the minds of general masses vis-a-vis Sikh congregation.