AMRITSAR SAHIB—Stressing on Panthik unity at this critical juncture, Dal Khalsa head H S Dhami appealed to leaders of the Sant Samaj to be sensitive towards the Sikh situation and avoid controversial issues including calendar that have a potential of creating divisions amongst the community.
He termed the demand made by members of the Sant Samaj before the Jathedar of the Akal Takht to revert to the Bikrami calendar as an attempt to derail the morcha launched by Sikh activist Gurbakash Singh to seek the release of 6 Sikh detainees, who had served their legal prison terms.
In a statement to the media, he said the issue of the calendar has potential to divide the community and the timing chosen by the Sant Samaj to rake it up, smells that “there was more to it than meets the eye”.
He claimed that a large number of youth and Panthik groups were rallying behind the cause of Gurbakash Singh, who is fast unto death since Nov 14. “Wittingly or not, Sant Samaj has brought the controversial issue to fore to divert the attention of the Sikhs from the main issue”.
Detesting the claims of the Sant Samaj leaders that Nanakshahi calendar had created confusion, he said the mixing of Nanakshahi with Bikrami led to the very confusion and division.
While accepting that Sant Samaj members has a right to say anything what-so-ever they had in mind, Dal Khalsa leader said they must wait till the issues raised by Gurbakash Singh’s was resolved.
Taking strong exception to the British Court ruling convicting three Sikh men and woman for carrying out a revenge attack on Lt Gen K S Brar, Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh said, “In the name of justice, injustice has been done to them. Their case should not have been viewed as a criminal act as they tried to avenge the wrong of Gen Brar. The British Government must relook on their sentence sympathetically.”
