SAD rejects the appointment of jathedars in an ‘autocratic’ manner

The leadership of the ruling Akali Dal and radical Sikh groups in Punjab seem to be heading for a face-off after Shiromani Akal Dal (SAD) on Wednesday rejected outright all the resolutions passed — including the appointment of Jagtar Singh Hawara, the assassin of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, as the jathedar (chief priest) of the Akal Takht — at the Sikh congregation organised by hardline groups in Amritsar.

The core committee of SAD held a meeting on Wednesday and rejected all the resolutions that were passed by the radical groups at an event held at Chabba village near Amritsar on Tuesday.

“SAD rejects the illegal and illegitimate appointment of so-called jathedars in an autocratic manner without gaining legitimacy through a mandate from the Sikh community. This action is the height of arrogance and haughtiness of these elements which runs contrary to the message of humility and submission before the Sangat as taught to us by our great Guru Sahiban,” the SAD’s resolution said.

SAD members accused the Congress of engineering a conspiracy and said that the (Sikh congregation) gathering was the direct outcome of this conspiracy. “There is enough proof of the involvement of the Congress party people in organising the function (Sikh congregation) which served to create panic in the minds of peace loving Punjabis,” they said.

The core committee said the resolutions accepted by the radical groups were a part of a deep-rooted conspiracy to disturb the hard-earned peace and communal harmony in Punjab and to push the Sikhs and the whole of Punjab back into the dark era of bloodshed.

“As representative body of all Sikhs and the Punjabis on the whole, the Shiromani Akali Dal accepts the responsibility to expose this conspiracy and protect the people of Punjab,” the resolution said.

Members of SAD said in the meeting that the action by the hardliners was an attempt to scare away investments in Punjab, hence they were guilty of playing with the future of Punjabi youth by trying to block fresh employment opportunities and this was all being done at the behest of the Congress. The Congress was resorting to the same conspiracy which it had adopted in the 1980s and 90s and for which the Punjabis, and the Sikhs in particular, had to pay a heavy price.