Will join farmers’ protest at Delhi border, if need arises: Akal Takht Sahib jathedar

AMRITSAR SAHIB, Punjab—Giani Harpreet Singh, SGPC-appointed acting jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib, today stated that if need arises, he would join the farmers’ protest going on at Delhi-Haryana border against three farm laws introduced by BJP-led union government of India.

The Akal Takht Sahib is the highest Sikh temporal seat of the Sikhs and the jathedar is its head.

While addressing a press conference held here, he said, “I may not have been at the site of protest substantially, but I am there unsubstantially. The staff of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is already there to serve the agitating farmers. If the need arises, I will also go there”.

“It is very unfortunate that the farmers are forced to struggle for their fundamental rights and genuine demands. They are forced to spend nights on roads in chilled weather to ensure three farm laws introduced by the BJP-led union government are rolled back. The government should meet their demand without any delay by scrapping these laws”, said Giani Harpreet Singh.

He further said, “What we see usually is that the government introduces any law after consulting its draft with the stakeholders. However, the government did not take the farmers and other concerned sections in the loop while introducing three laws related to the agriculture sector. It did not even conduct a debate over these laws in the parliament. The government passed bills of these laws in haste. These facts give us a reason to doubt the intention of the government behind this move. So, apprehensions being expressed by the farmers are genuine”.

“I would like to appeal to the youths participating in the farmer struggle that triumph is achieved in this kind of battle with peace, patience and discipline. So, peace should be maintained during the struggle. The struggle should not lead to any conflict that is also not good for the government”, he added.

Replying to a query on tagging struggling farmers “terrorists” and “anti-national”, he said, “This is a wrong act of the government, and a section of the Indian media is also playing a role in this kind of propaganda against the farmers. This struggle has no relation with Khalistan. Linking it to Khalistan is just to derail the struggle”.  

He said, “I am very happy that Sikh Diaspora is holding demonstrations in favour of farmers in various countries.”

Responding to another query regarding Yograj Singh’s remark on Hindu community, he said, “I don’t agree with the statements which have potential to fail the struggle. We should only make the statements that favour the agitation”.