AMRITSAR: Following the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, the Akal Takht, the highest spiritual and temporal seat of the Sikhs, has issued a set of directives to the Shiromani Akali Dal, headed by Parkash Singh Badal.
A written statement signed by the Takht’s acting jathedar Prof Manjit Singh and four other priests here detected Badal and his party colleagues. To keep ‘panthic* (Sikh) interests uppermost in their minds while fighting the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. “The panthic principles on which the Shiromani Akali Dal was formed should not be sacrificed at any cost,” the directive to the Dal (Badal), the only Akali faction which the Akal Takht recognizes, said.
Besides Prof Manjit Singh the state, ment is signed by the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Kewal Singh, head priest of the Golden Temple Giani Mohan Singh, head granthi of Akal Takht Giani Bhagwan.
Singh and another of Harmandir Sahib Giani Joginder Singh Vidyanthi Regarding the choice of Dal (Badal) candidates, the statement said that preference should be given to baptized Sikhs and those who believed and practiced the principles of Sikhism.
Those who had made sacrifices for upholding the cause of Sikhism should also be considered, the statement said with elaborating.
‘Without making any reference to Badal’s recent statement that the Dal (Badal) not only stands for protecting the interests of the Sikhs but of the Punjabis also, the statement sought to clarify that Punjabi culture of Punjabi interests meant Sikh interests and culture, The statement while talking of Sikh interests also directed the Akali leaders to support non Sikhs in the elections.
‘The Statement also asked the Akali leaders to give due respect to their opponents in the poll arena.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 27, 1996
