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Badal, tu Mann ya na Mann !
WSN News
 TALWANDI
SABO: Deja vu! Just a few days earlier, thousands gathered as sangat
in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib had witnessed rival Akalis
tossing each other’s turbans and brandishing swords when Akali Dal (Amritsar)
leader Simranjit Singh Mann had insisted on speaking at a function
in Amritsar.
This time, when Mann, accompanied by his supporters, barged into the
function at Takht Damdama Sahib held to celebrate the 300th
Sampooranta Diwas of Guru Granth Sahib, better sense seems to have
prevailed.
Mann was not just allowed entry but even invited on the stage. But
it was the speech that he made which the Akali Dal (Badal) leaders
may not have liked. Mann dwelt on his demand for a separate Sikh
state even as Akali leaders were seen trying to snatch away the
microphone from him and asking him not to air political views on a
religious occasion.
Not that the Badal-led leadership had not done their homework. The
SGPC men had sealed the ‘pandal’ from all sides, keeping just a
single entry and exit point. But as soon as Mann reached the venue
at 11.40 am, about 100 Akali Dal workers led by ex-minister Sikander
Singh Maluka and Akali MLA Jagdeep Singh Nakai tried to stop them at
the entry gate but they barged inside.
Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh and MP Zora
Singh invited Mann on the stage but requested him to keep his speech
apolitical. Strange as it may seem for a party wedded to the spirit
of Miri-Piri.
“While Sikh religion is free, Sikh community is yet to attain
freedom... Sikhs earlier were slaves of Muslims and the British and
now they are slaves of Hindus.” After Mann spoke about the need of a
separate Sikh state, highlighted the SGPC’s failure to curb the flux
of so called godmen in Punjab (dera-vaad) etc, it was time for
another coup.
SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar and Jathedar Nandgarh honoured him
with siropas, a move which raised the hackles of Prakash Singh Badal.
Badal condemned the clerics for honouring Mann saying “some people
disturb the entire function in ten minutes” while his MP son Sukhbir
Singh Badal asked the jathedars why Mann has been honoured.
Interestingly, former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur and MP Navjot Sidhu
stayed mum and refused to comment on Mann’s actions. Sukhbir Singh
Badal said Mann had spoiled the show on the directives of Chief
Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
What was most surprising was that no one from the jathedars later
commented on what badal had to say about their decision to honour
Mann. No one questioned the validity of statements made from the
stage that Mann was agent of Congress. The entire high drama
underlined many flaws in the way the religious functions were being
planned and it was high time the community resolved these issues.
Should SGPC not extend invitations to every one? Why should only
people belonging to one party have dominance at such gatherings? How
should be time be allocated? And who must ensure security?
On its part, Congress organised its separate function, where CM
Amarinder Singh announced setting up of the Guru Gobind Singh Rural
University at Talwandi Sabo.
He also said the existing Guru Gobind Singh Marg from Takht Sri
Keshgarh Sahib Anandpur Sahib to Takht Sri Dam Dama Sahib Talwandi
Sabo would be extended up to Takht Sri Sach Khand Hazoor Sahib (Nanded)
and modalities were being worked out with the Chief Ministers of
five states.
6 September 2006
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