Punjab Congress vice-president and Dera Baba Nanak MlA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawaon Sunday called upon the entire Sikh community, staying in India and abroad, to come forward and honour Bhai Balbir Singh—the former the Golden Temple priest — who had refused to give siropa (robe of honour) to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
“When the SGPC had transferred Bhai Balbir Singh as a punishment, he has chosen to quit rather than to accept this Aurangzebi orders,” said Randhawa.
Randhawa said that Balbir Singh has made a big sacrifice and has strongly stood by the voice of his conscience. “All those who love and respect ‘guru ghar’ should come forward and honour him and also that he does not have to feel any financial loss alone,” he said.
Congress MlA, who had sent a cheque of his one month salary to Balbir Singh as his humble token of respect, said that when the people who love and respect ‘guru ghar’ come forward and honour such people, others will get more strength to stand to their conscience.
Randhawa also wrote a letter to the Darbar Sahib’s head granthi (priest) in which he has stated that the action taken by SGPC is “totally unjustified”.
“In October last year, there were a number of incidents when Guru Granth Sahib was disrespected. Not even a single person has been arrested so far,” he said while lambasting Badal,
“He always claims to be a panthic leader but the maximum deterioration of panth has happened under his rule. Basically, he has denigrated Sikh qaum (community), Sikh institutions and Sikh marayadas (principles) for furthering his political and selfish motives. In other words, Badal has sold Sikh qaum for his politics,” he said while calling upon the Punjabis to understand his political motives and overthrow him in 2017.