Congress 'meddling' in religious affairs of Sikhs: Parkash Singh Badal

LAMBI (PB): Continuing his offencive against the Congress, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today alleged that the party was resorting to its "old policy of meddling" into the religious affairs of Sikhs.

Badal alleged that the party was backing Paramjeet Singh Sarna, former head of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee, "who, through one of his aides, has filed a criminal petition in Delhi High Court challenging authority of the Jathedar of 'Akal Takht'."

'Akal Takht' is the the highest temporal seat of the Sikh community.

Badal had earlier attacked the Congress-led UPA government for "not getting invite to the foundation laying ceremony of a cancer hospital in Sangrur, a charge refuted by the Union Health Ministry.

"Sarna is the head of the B-team of Congress and their trusted agent," Badal alleged while speaking at a religious function at his constituency here.

Manjit Singh GK, head of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, had reportedly alleged that to gain the "lost political ground", Sarna had made one of his "aides" file a criminal petition in Delhi High Court, challenging the authority of 'Akal Takht'.'

Sarna, however, had trashed these charges, saying he has nothing to do with the person who has filed the petition.

Sarna had earlier filed a petition in Delhi High Court challenging a proposed memorial in Delhi's Rakab Ganj gurdwara for those killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

It was later withdrawn. "The Congress party is manoeuvring to denigrate the revered position of the Jathedar Sahib. Such tactics are totally intolerable," Badal said.