Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, along with SAD leaders and workers, at the dharna against the Congress in Amritsar on Thursday. (Photo by Rana Simranjit Singh)
Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) started their 48-long hour dharna in Amritsar on Thursday against the alleged distortion of history of the Sikh gurus in PSEB textbooks.
Both SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal will sit for 24 hours each at the dharna site. SAD(B) leaders along with Sukhbir Badal first gathered at Akal Takth, where they performed ‘ardas’, and then they went to the Town Hall where they began their dharna to demand immediate apology from the Congress government for showing disrespect to Sikh gurus in school books.
They also demanded registration of cases and arrest of all those who compiled and distributed the history books in question. Serving a two-day ultimatum to the Congress government to take action against the guilty, the SAD president said, “In case the government does not take requisite action the party would launch a public movement to make the deaf government heed the voice of the Sangat. It was clear that repeated distortions had been introduced as part of a Congress conspiracy to ensure future generations do not take pride in their heritage.”
He added, “This conspiracy has the blessings of the 10 Janpath Gandhi family…We on our part will not allow this conspiracy to succeed. We will not allow anyone to use derogatory words like Guru Arjan Dev ji was not martyred and merely “fined” and that Guru Gobind Singh ji had “quietly” left the battle field at Chamkaur Sahib instead of doing so after offering a challenge on the advice of the Panj Pyaras.
We have been taught that Guru Gobind Singh ji was Sarbans Daani and Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was Hind Di Chadar. The Congress government would have us believe otherwise. We can’t tolerate this at any cost and are ready for any sacrifice to protect the honour and dignity of our gurus and our religion.”