Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appeared earlier than the Akal Takht secretariat in Amritsar on Thursday after being summoned over his alleged remarks on Sikh traditions and tenets, and stated that he would obey no matter directive was issued.
Officiating Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj stated Mann admitted to having made sure statements associated to Sikh traditions and spiritual establishments throughout public appearances which, he acknowledged, shouldn’t have been made.
Flanked by Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Tek Singh, Giani Gargaj stated Mann assured the Sikh clergy of refraining from expressing private views on Sikh faith and its establishments sooner or later. He stated the Chief Minister’s rationalization could be positioned for consideration earlier than the subsequent assembly of the 5 Sikh excessive clergymen.
Mann remained on the secretariat for 70 minutes, although the officiating Jathedar arrived 20 minutes late. Previous to his look, the Chief Minister supplied prayers on the Golden Temple. He later informed reporters that he had submitted his clarification to the Jathedar. He stated he appeared earlier than the Akal Takht secretariat as a religious Sikh to supply his clarification and would obey no matter directive was issued.
Accepting that an apostate or ‘Patit’ Sikh (somebody who doesn’t observe core Sikh ideas) couldn’t be pronounced punishment from the ‘fasil’ (façade) of the Akal Takht, Giani Gargaj stated spiritual punishment might be given solely within the type of instructions to the Sikh sangat.
On the CM’s non-observance of unshorn hair and beard, he stated Mann was given two necessary books associated to the Sikh Rehat Maryada and the Gurdwara Act “to assist him higher imbibe the spiritual values of the Sikh religion”.
About an objectionable video purportedly exhibiting Mann with the photographs of Sikh Gurus, either side agreed to get its authenticity checked from forensic labs.
Throughout his practically 25-minute-long media briefing within the forecourt of the Golden Temple, Mann stated he supplied an in depth clarification on his earlier statements. “As a humble Sikh, I’ll settle for each choice taken by the Akal Takht. My look has given me immense contentment, interior peace and satisfaction,” he stated.
The CM additionally denied there was any tussle between the Akal Takht and the Punjab Authorities, calling it a false narrative. “There isn’t any query of difficult or weakening the authority of the Akal Takht, which is supreme for all Sikhs,” he stated.
On the structure of a particular investigation crew, the CM clarified it was not a political transfer however confined strictly to the tracing of lacking ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib in order that they weren’t misused. He sought the intervention of the Jathedar to direct the SGPC to assign distinctive codes to every saroop revealed by it to facilitate tracing of the lacking saroops.
Mann stated the Punjab Police and the state authorities would hint the saroops and inform the Akal Takht and the SGPC about their location, making certain additional motion strictly as per Rehat Maryada. “The police have already been instructed to not enter the premises of spiritual locations the place the saroops are traced,” he stated, including that the Jathedar knowledgeable him that previous to 1998, the printing of Guru Granth Sahib had been carried out at a number of locations.
