Sukhbir Badal surrenders before court in case of dubbing Akhand Kirtani Jatha ‘terrorist’ group

CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Former Deputy Chief Minister and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) president Sukhbir Badal surrendered before Chandigarh district court on Wednesday (December 9, 2020) in case of dubbing Sikh religious organization Akhand Kirtani Jatha a “terror” group. Sukhbir was later granted bail.

The case was filed by Akhand Kirtani Jatha leader Rajinder Pal Singh in 2017 over Sukhbir’s alleged controversial statement in which he termed the group as a terrorist organisation. Sukhbir had allegedly issued the statement after the complainant met with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal three years ago at his house.

The SAD (B) president faced several bailable warrants issued against him earlier, but he did not appear before the court ever.

Badal’s advocate Munish Dewan informed the court that the high court had stayed the warrants against him and he had sought 10 days time to appear before the court. However, the complainant’s counsel Amandeep Singh had moved the application and the court had already issued the non-bailable warrants against him.

After the complainant filed the petition under Section 499 (defamation) of IPC, the summons was issued after the Chandigarh Police submitted an inquiry report in the court on November 28, 2019. 

As per the petition, on January 4, 2017, Kejriwal visited Singh’s house and this visit was covered by various newspapers. Reacting to this visit in a rally held in Jalalabad constituency, Badal branded the Akhand Kirtani Jatha as the political front of Babbar Khalsa International, which was widely published in the newspapers.

“…Kejriwal comes to Punjab and starts liaisoning with radicals. The day before yesterday, he was having breakfast with Akhand Kirtani Jatha, which is the political front of Babbar Khalsa International, which is the biggest terrorist organization…,” the petition mentioned Badal as saying in a press statement.

RP Singh filed the defamation case against Sukhbir on the basis of the newspaper coverage. The reports published by the newspaper were found correct by the Chandigarh Police in a status report filed in a local court here a few months ago.

The report mentions that during the course of the inquiry, statements of both Badal and Rajinder Pal Singh were recorded. While Rajinder Pal stood by his complainant, Badal denied the allegations. The police, in the report, said that they verified reports published in an English newspaper and two vernaculars and found them to be correct.

The case exposes the real character of Sukhbir who calls the party led by him as the sole representative party of the Sikhs but terms their religious organization which only organizes Kirtan Samagams as “terror” organizations just to garner the support of the Hindu community of Punjab in the elections by creating fear among them.

It may be recalled that Badal’s wife and the then Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal called those killed by the Indian army during the attack on Akal Takht Sahib as “terrorists” during the anniversary of the attack last year, while they are hailed as “martyrs” by the Sikh community.