Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh asserted that they have been historical instances and references to prove that what they did at Ajnala was not a violation of maryada.
After being criticised for carrying the saroop (copy) of Guru Granth Sahib to Ajnala Police Station during a protest on February 23, Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh on Wednesday said he will appear before the Akal Takht if summoned by the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs over the issue.
Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh at Golden Temple, in Amritsar on Friday. (ANI)
Amritpal was reacting to Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh forming a committee to decide on the trend of carrying Guru Granth Sahib to the protest sites.
“If Akal Takht Sahib jathedar summons us and asks us to clarify the issue, we will surely appear there. We will have no hesitation in doing so. Akal Takht is our supreme court. We will have to go there on its call, irrespective of our agreement on the current management of the Akal Takht. We will go there to present our side,” said the radical Sikh preacher.
He asserted that they have been historical instances and references to prove that what they did at Ajnala was not a violation of maryada.
“We will present our side. They (the committee) will state their side. A decision will emerge in the presence of sangat,” he said, adding, “We are not against the setting up of the committee. It is the prerogative of Akal Takht to watch what is happening in the panth. We will surrender before the authority of Akal Takht.”
Hundreds of supporters of the pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and clashed with cops before storming the Ajnala police station to secure the release of the two aides on February 23. Punjab Police is yet to register any FIR in the case.
Six cops, including former Indian Hockey captain and SP-rank officer Jugraj Singh, were injured when the police tried to stop Amritpal’s supporters from entering the police station.
However, the taking of a ‘saroop’ triggered a debate. Later addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said the demonstrators used the Guru Granth Sahib as a shield and attacked cops in a cowardly manner, leaving six of them injured.
On February 25, Akal Takht set up a sub-committee to decide on the trend of carrying the ‘saroop’ (copy) of Guru Granth Sahib to protest sites.
In a communique, the jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said: “The committee has been set up to discuss carrying of saroop of Guru Granth Sahib to places of protests and demonstrations where there is an apprehension of it being disrespected.”
“The committee has representatives from Sikh sects, seminaries and Sikh scholars. It will give its report in 15 days. Panj Singh Sahiban (five Sikh clergymen presided over by the Akal Takht jathedar) will give their final verdict over this issue after considering the report,” he added.
