AMRITSAR SAHIB: Former minister and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Majithia today used the money donated by Sangat in historic Gurdwaras for taking political mileage in his constituency Majitha. He handed over a cheque of Rs. 1 Lakh to the family of the farmer martyred in farmers’ movement on behalf of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) which manages the gurdwaras.
The SAD leader visited the family of Gurjant Singh at Pandhar Khurd village who was martyred during the ongoing Kisan Andolan. He expressed his deep condolences with the grieving family and also presented them a cheque of Rs one lakh on behalf of the SGPC.
Even as the SGPC senior vice president Surjit Singh Bhittewad and member Jodh Singh Samra accompanied him during the visit but Majithia did not ask them to hand over the cheque. In a way, he took credit for the aid himself and did not hail the SGPC for this humanitarian service. Names of the SGPC members were nowhere in the press release issued by the SAD media advisor Jangvir Singh in English.
This was not the first instance of the SAD leaders using resources of the SGPC controlled by them to take political mileage in Sikh masses. They usually organize political rallies, party meetings and other activities using the resources of the SGPC. The money donated by the Sangat in the gurdwaras are the resources of the SGPC.
To keep them alive politically in the Sikh masses, the SAD honchoes—Badal-Majithia family—also use events of the SGPC. In November, last year, the SGPC celebrated its 100th foundation day at Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall in the complex of Sri Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple). The organization of the SAD used this function for their political benefits. The SAD president Sukhbir Badal exhorted the Sangat to support the party headed by him.
Even, the SGPC president Jagir Kaur and its other functionaries hailed Sukhbir on the occasion and felicitated him especially. The SGPC-appointed Akal Takht Sahib acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh also asked the Sikh masses to recognize the SAD as their sole representative party. He faced backlash from the community for this act. The SAD brought its cadre on buses from different parts of Punjab for this function.
Similarly, Sukhbir also did so when the SGPC organized a grand event to mark 100th anniversary of Saka Nankana Sahib at village Godharpur in Gurdaspur district.
The SGPC makes all the arrangements including Langar during the party meetings held at Bhai Gurdas Hall near Sri Harmandar Sahib in Amritsar.
The Akali Dal is the social and community organization of the Sikhs. It was formed by Jews to get Sikhs killed in Gurudwara reform movement. The Sikhs wrestled away the control with their blood and sweat and technique. After that the conspirators formed the SGPC for Gurudwara’s and made the Akali Dal into a political organization. The Sikhs refused to accept SGPC and refused to accept Akali Dal as a political organization. These 2 organizations were captured by Sikhs when Tohra became head of SGPC and Gurnam Singh Gill became the 1st Chief Minister of Punjab. Both organizations were in hands of conspirators for 40 to 43 years and achieved nothing because the Sikhs made them unworkable. The real history of Sikhs 1920-1970. Majithia can do that because he is a senior leader of a political party that fought for Sikhs. It is his right to as you say it,take advantage of it.