Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal on Wednesday submitted "explanation" in writing to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh who had recently summoned him to respond to various allegations levelled by a group of rebel SAD leaders.
Sukhbir Badal who was accompanied by senior party leaders including Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Harcharan Bains and Daljit Singh Cheema, reached Golden Temple at around 1.20 pm and first paid his obeisance at the highest Sikh temporal seat.
Subsequently, he met the Akal Takht Jathedar along with the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami and submitted his explanation as directed by the Panj Singh Sahiban (Five High Priests) on July 15 last.
It may be recalled that the development followed after a group of rebel SAD leaders including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former SGPC president Jagir Kaur, former ministers Surjit Singh Rakhra and Parminder Singh Dhindsa handed over an apology letter (``admission of guilt’’) to Jathedar listing out mistakes committed during SAD rule in 2007 to 2017 and also held party leadership - Sukhbir Badal, was then deputy chief minister - responsible for the party's political drubbing.
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They held that the mistakes included revocation of the case registered against Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for blasphemous act of imitating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007, failing to punish perpetrators of Bargari sacrilege and police officers for the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents, allowing appointments of controversial IPS officer Sumedh Saini as DGP besides giving Farzana Alam, the wife of controversial police officer Izhar Alam, the party ticket in 2012 assembly polls and appointing her chief parliamentary secretary and failing to deliver justice to the victims of the fake encounter cases.
The Five High Priests had subsequently summoned Sukhbir and said in its resolution that according to the complaint received by the Takht from some senior SAD leaders, the SAD president did not represent Panthic sentiments and has thus been asked to appear before the Akal Takht with written clarification on the allegations.
Dhami Too Submits Explanation
Meanwhile, the SGPC chief Dhami also submitted his explanation to the Jathedar; he was questioned by the rebel party leaders for an alleged misuse of Rs 91 lakh of the (golak) money offered by devotees on advertisements to justify the controversial exoneration to Dera Sacha Sauda head. According to information, the explanations would be discussed at a meeting of the Five High Priests in coming days.
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