Amritsar – Sikh sangat performs ‘ardas’ at Sri Akal Takth Sahib praying to almighty to give strength to the panth to defeat central and State forces trying to weaken the Panth.
(SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami and SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal lead two Khalsa Marches from Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo to Sri Akal Takth Sahib)
(Sukhbir S Badal gives clarion call to centre and Cong and AAP parties not to disturb the peace of the border State by conspiring to break the SGPC)
The Khalsa Ros March culminated at Sri Akal Takth Sahib today with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Harjinder Singh Dhami and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal performing ‘ardas’ along with thousands of Punjabis and prayed to the almighty to give strength to the ‘panth’ to defeat central and State forces who were trying to weaken the Sikh community by breaking the SGPC.
Sri Akal Takth Sahib Head granthi Giani Malkit Singh performed the ‘ardas’ in the presence of SGPC and SAD leaders besides ‘sangat’ which had collected here from all constituencies of the State.
Speaking to newsmen after the ‘ardas’, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal said the central government as well as other parties including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were targeting the SGPC by becoming a party to the validation of the Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Act, 2014 by the Supreme Court. He said the Sikh quam by coming out in thousands across the two routes of the Khalsa Ros March which started simultaneously from Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Sri Damdama Sahib had proved that they would not allow this conspiracy to succeed at any cost.
The SAD President also gave a clarion call to the centre and other parties not to disturb the border State and its people who had not only done their utmost to protect the borders of the country but had also contributed the most to the nation’s food basket. He also made it clear that the SAD was committed to the principles of the Guru Sahiban who had stood for ‘sarbat da bhala’. “The SAD is committed to take everyone along in this fight for secure the rights of the SGPC and stop direct interference in the religious affairs of the Sikh community. We are committed to peace and communal harmony”, he added.
Sukhbir Badal also urged Punjabis to become aware of the conspiracy which had been unleashed against their religious organization which had managed their religious shrines with utmost care and without any controversy since the last 102 years when the gurdwaras were freed from the control of the Mahants. “We cannot let the sangharsh of our forefathers in creating the SGPC go to waste and will fight to retain its unique character”.
Badal also thanked the ‘sangat’ for the overwhelming response to the March, saying it was clear that the Sikh community was anguished by the divide and rule conspiracy unleashed against the Panth by recognising a separate gurdwara management committee for Haryana.
Earlier in the morning SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami and Sukhbir Badal performed ‘ardas’ at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib and Takth Sri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo before the simultaneous start of the two Khalsa Ros Marches from the two Takths. Lakhs of Punjabis joined both Marches even as thousands greeted the two Marches at various stops waving ‘kesri’ flags to express solidarity with the Panth and black flags to express their anguish at the injustice being done unto the SGPC. The sangat raised slogans including “Dharam te dhakka hon nahi dena. Degh Tegh Fateh and Panth ki Jeet”.
Senior leaders participating in the March included Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, Balwinder Singh Bhundur, Bikram Singh Majithia, Janmeja Singh Sekhon,Bibi Jagir Kaur, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Gobind Singh Longowal, Hira Singh Gabria and Virsa Singh Valtoha besides district presidents and the party rank and file. SGPC members from Haryana including Raghujit Singh Virk, Harbahjan Singh Masana, Baldev Singh Kaimpur and Jagsir Singh Mangeana also participated in the March.
