A day after Punjab Congress party affairs’ in-charge Harish Rawat courted controversy by casually describing the state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu and the four working presidents as panj piyaras (Sikh Guru’s five beloved ones), Uttarakhand's former chief minister on Wednesday tendered an immediate apology while announcing to sweep a Gurdwara floor to atone for his “mistake”.
The state’s opposition parties — Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and also the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), besides the Shiromani Gurudwara parbandhak Committee had demanded action against Rawat for his remarks.
Rawat had reached Chandigarh, the state capital, on Tuesday evening to resolve the prevailing crisis within the Punjab Congress unit, especially the power struggle between the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Sidhu.
After meeting Sidhu, PPCC general secretary (organisation) Pargat Singh, two working presidents Kuljit Singh Nagra and Pawan Goel at Punjab Congress Bhawan, Rawat had maintained that it was his duty to meet the PPCC chief and his team. “They are panj piyare,” said Rawat casually. Soon, Rawat’s remarks led to a major hue and cry giving enough ammunition to the opposition parties, especially SAD, to make it a political controversy against the ruling Congress.
Notably, as per the Sikh religion, ‘panj piyare’ is a very term used for “five beloveds” of the Sikh Guru. Sikhs’ last of the 10 Gurus, Guru Gobind Singh, had initiated five men into the order of ‘Khalsa’ (pure). ‘Panj Piyare’ is the name given to five baptised Sikhs who perform a baptism ceremony to initiate Sikhs into the order of the ‘Khalsa’.
SAD leader and former Minister Daljeet Singh Cheema asked the Congress Government to lodge a case against its own leader Harish Rawat for “hurting Sikh sentiments”. “He should know that Panj Pyare holds significance in Sikhism, should apologise for his remarks, it's not funny,” said Cheema.
Sensing the trouble, Rawat quickly went into damage control and tendered an apology on social media.
“Sometimes by expressing respect, you use such words which are objectionable. I too have made a mistake of using the word ‘Panj Pyare’ for my honourable president and four working presidents,” said Rawat.
Saying that he was a student of history, Rawat acknowledged that the leading position of 'Panj Pyare' could not be compared with any other. “I have committed a mistake. I apologise for hurting the sentiments of people,” he said adding that he will sweep the floor in the Gurdwara in his state as atonement.
I always had a sense of dedication and respect to Sikh religion and its great traditions, said Rwat while listing out all the development works or efforts he had made towards the Sikh religion and its institutions during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Uttrakhand.
REGISTER CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST RAWAT: SAD
Demanding registration of a criminal case against Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat for hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikh community by terming some Congress leaders as ‘Panj Piyaras’, SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema on Wednesday said that it was shocking that Rawat had equated Congress leaders with the ‘panj piyaras’ who occupied a very high position in Sikhism.
“Such kind of atrocious statements which are an insult to Sikhs worldwide will not be tolerated at any cost. Rawat should be taken to task immediately,” he said.
Cheema also asked the Congress leader to withdraw his statement immediately and offer an unconditional apology to the Sikh community. “Rawat is also advised not to play with the sentiments of the community in this manner by treating the institution of the ‘panj piyaras’ who symbolized the spirit of supreme sacrifice in such a jocular manner”.