Badals behind pardon to dera chief, ex-Patna Sahib jathedar tells SIT
Monday, 17/06/2019
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
JALANDHAR: The Akal Takht’s pardon in 2015 to Sirsa dera chief in a blasphemy case was “pre-decided” by the Badals, this is what former gurdwara Patna Sahib jathedar Iqbal Singh has claimed in a sevenpage statement which is now part of the charge sheet filed by the special investigation team (SIT) probing the cases of police firing on anti-sacrilege protesters.
The statement has been made part of the chargesheet filed in connection with the Kotkapura firing incident.
Giani Iqbal Singh in his statement on March 8, 2019, said the pardon to Sirsa dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on September 24, 2105, was “pre-decided” by the Badals. He alleged that former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh granted pardon to the dera chief under pressure from then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal, while former cabinet minister Daljit Singh Cheema played a key role in managing it.
In the statement, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, Giani Iqbal Singh says he opposed the decision to pardon Ram Rahim after being informed by the then Akal Takht jathedar about the agenda of September 24, 2015, meeting. “I was told by jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh that former CM and his son expressed their wish to pardon the dera chief to settle the longpending dispute. Then I realised that the decision to pardon Ram Rahim has already been taken by the Badals,” says Iqbal Singh, adding that he “continuously opposed the decision”.
He further claims that after the meeting on September 24, 2015, he was then taken to the residence of then Takht Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, jathedar Giani Gurmukh Singh where Sukhbir Singh Badal’s aide Avtar Singh Banwali was present. “Giani Gurbachan Singh and Giani Gurmukh Singh informed Sukhbir Badal over the phone that Giani Iqbal Singh was against granting the pardon,” reads the statement.
He alleges that the apology letter sent by the dera chief was edited at the Akal Takht and his (dera chief’s) signature was faked on the letter.
Also, the statement says that when he didn’t give his consent to granting pardon, he was told that “if you don’t sign or speak up against the decision in public you no longer will be the Patna Sahib jathedar”.
“After the Sikh community’s anger erupted against the pardon, another meeting was called on October 16, 2015, and the agenda was kept a secret. “Later, I was told that revoking the decision of granting pardon to the dera chief will keep the environment peaceful as people were protesting,” reads the statement.
He also says that Badals managed the pardon for the dera chief keeping in mind the votes of the Dera Sirsa followers.
When contacted, Shiromani Akali Dal spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema termed Iqbal Singh’s statement “an act to get the political mileage”. “Earlier, a similar drama was done by the Congress party during the time when Ranjit Singh Commission report was tabled in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha but nothing could be proved even as they checked all the records,” Cheema said.
