The SGPC had claimed that it would be the third time if the state government fails to send its two requisite representatives to the next meeting slated on September 17 in Amritsar.The Punjab government Monday said it has nominated two Cabinet ministers for inclusion in the joint commemoration committee for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, even as opposition Shiromani Akali Dal accused Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of “disobeying” the Akal Takht and asked him to decide whether he wanted to hold a “Congress show” or obey the highest temporal seat of Sikhs.
It was learnt that the issue of joint celebrations was taken up in the cabinet meeting chaired by Amarinder here earlier in the day. It was decided that the Group of Ministers (GOM), comprising Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Tourism Minister Charanjeet Singh Channi, would attend the meeting.
However, Channi is on a visit abroad and it hence, only Randhawa would be attending the meeting on government’s behalf.
This come two days after SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal warned that if the Punjab government did not send its representative again for the next coordination committee meeting to finalise the programme for holy event in November, it would raise the issue with the Akal Takht.
The SGPC had claimed that it would be the third time if the state government fails to send its two requisite representatives to the next meeting slated on September 17 in Amritsar.
Sources told The Indian Express that Randhawa is likely to stick to the government’s stand of organise its own function in Sultanpur Lodhi. The government is already preparing for a massive function in the holy city. The SGPC is also organising a function at a stadium near historic Ber Sahib gurdwara, associated with the life of the Guru.
The SGPC has been asking the government for a single function. The Akal Takht too has issued a directive that the function should be organised jointly. The government on the other hand has spent crores on a waterproof AC pandal for a mega show to be attended by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a statement later in the day, Amarinder said he has once again written to Longowal to join the state government’s programme.
In his letter, the CM solicited Logowal’s support to ensure a befitting celebration for the grand occasion, “in line with the ethos and philosophy of universal brotherhood as propounded by the first Sikh Guru”.
Amarinder further mentioned that elaborate programmes had already been finalised by the state government for the main function, which would be held on November 12 in Sultanpur Lodhi.
Reacting to Harsimrat Kaur’s allegations that the state government was playing politics over the issue and was trying to “weaken” the Akal Takht, the CM accused the Union of “going all out to drive a deeper wedge” between the government and the religious body.
Calling the Union Minister “an ill-informed woman”, Amarinder asked her to “stop exploiting” the issue of 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev for “petty political gains”. He termed the “repeated attempts” to “malign” his government with “baseless” accusations” as the “brazen lies” of “an ill-informed woman”.
He said she was trying to “reduce the sacred occasion into a disgraceful saga of fibs and fabrications”.
“Instead of asking the SGPC, which was a tool in the hands of her SAD to extend support to the state-level function, Harimsrat Kaur was going all out to drive a deeper wedge between the government and the religious body,” alleged Amarinder.
“Harsimrat talks of oneness, unity and peace, but her deeds are in complete variance with her comments,” claimed the CM, pointing out that the Akalis had reduced the SGPC into a “political instrument for their short-term gains”.
His government, said the CM, had been persistently appealing to all, including the SGPC, to rise above petty differences and celebrate the lifetime event in the spirit of Guru Nanak Dev teachings. This, however, does not suit the “interests” of the Akalis, who are “hell-bent” on spreading “disinformation and disharmony” over the issue, he alleged.
Meanwhile, Akali Dal spokesperson, Daljit Singh Cheema, asked Amarinder to decide whether he wanted wanted to hold a “Congress show” or obey the Akal Takht. “The very fact that the chief minister has decided to disobey the dictum of the Jathedar has dismayed everyone. It is against the message of oneness preached by the Guru,” he said, adding that statements of the chief minister had “hurt” sentiments of the entire ‘guru naam leva sangat’.
“The chief minster should not politicise this solemn occasion. He should let the religious function remain in the religious domain. After all, the SGPC is not asking to hold a function in the state secretariat,” he added.
