The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday urged the Punjabis to unite against extremist forces who were attacking Sikh religious institutions as well as the SAD-BJP Government to destabilise the hard won peace of Punjab.
“Extremist forces are working to dilute the authority of both Akal Takht as well as the SGPC,” said senior SAD leaders and MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, in a joint statement,
“They are simultaneously targeting the SAD so that all panthic institutions are destroyed in Punjab ensuring the earlier turbulent times return to the State,” they said.
The leaders asserted that the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib was planned to fan religious passions which were now being directed against the very religious institutions as well as the party which had always stood steadfast to protect the interests of Sikhs and Sikhism.
Reminding Punjabis that earlier more than decade long spell of terrorism had also started with provocative actions like recent desecrations of Guru Granth Sahib, the leaders said that even then the first institution to be attacked was the SGPC with many of its members being killed by extremist elements.
Presently also, extremist forces were spreading hatred against SGPC members and the five Sikh head priests and inciting people against them, they said adding that in the current scenario, it was the need of the hour to unite as one to reject all extremist elements who wanted to disturb the peace of the State.
The leaders also urged the Sikhs to have faith in both the SGPC and the Akal Takth and work with the Sikh institutions to tackle and resolve the issue of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib. They also asked the community to understand why these desecrations had taken place and who was behind them.
Coming down heavily on the people trying to get political mileage out of the dastardly act, the leaders said that while on one hand, the psyche of every Sikh was tormented due to this inhuman crime, on the other, the opposition and some extremist groups were trying to score brownie points by unleashing a malicious propaganda against the State Government.
Urging the people to uphold the sanctity and supremacy of Sikh institutions - Akal Takht and the SGPC, the leaders said that these foundations had remained steadfast even after the planned attacks of wicked forces inimical to the Sikh panth.