Veteran Akali leader S Manjit Singh GK rejoined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) along with his entire Jago party team and vowing to work in tandem with Delhi SAD president Paramjit Singh Sarna to strengthen the party in the national capital as well as work for resolution of all pending Sikh issues.
This development occurred after SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal visited Manjit GK’s residence today along with the Delhi SAD president and the senior leadership of the party. Earlier Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) member and former councilor Paramjit Singh Rana also rejoined the SAD.
Manjit GK said the SAD president had shown immense grace by coming to his residence to appeal for panthic unity and announced that he was rejoining the SAD along with his entire Jago party team unconditionally. He also asserted that he was impressed by the heartfelt apology rendered by the SAD president before the Akal Takht. “Unity is the need of the hour and is needed to resolve our pending issues be it freedom for Bandi Singhs, amendment of Article 25 (clause-2b), restitution of gurdwaras – Sri Gian Dodri Sahib and Sri Dongmar Sahib, stopping interference in Shiromani Committee affairs and dilution of Punjab’s right over Chandigarh”. He also castigated the union government for going back on its commitment to release all Sikh detainees on the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji and accused it of following double standards by raising excuses to deny freedom to Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana but releasing Bilkis Bano’s rapists.
Speaking on the occasion, Sukhbir Badal while welcoming GK back into the party fold, said “it is my fervent wish to effect panthic unity and it is a source of happiness that this has been achieved in Delhi”. He also recollected the huge contributions made by GK’s father Jathedar Santokh Singh towards the cause of the Panth as well as the latter’s proximity with former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. The SAD president said with all panthic factions in Delhi becoming one; he would also strive for the same in Punjab. “Some persons have already returned back into the SAD fold and I appeal to all those who are left to return to their mother party”.
Badal also spoke on how there were two laws in the country and that Sikhs were still not getting justice while reflecting on how the perpetrators of the Delhi genocide of Sikhs were yet to be punished even forty years after the horrific episode. “Resolution of all issues concerning the community will be achieved once we are all united again”, he added.
Delhi SAD president Paramjit Singh Sarna while welcoming GK back into the party fold, said history would not forgive the Sikh community if it did not unite as one. “Else we will face discrimination”, he asserted. Sarna also made it clear that the SAD president had twice proffered an apology to the Sikh community – once at Sardar Parkash Singh Badal’s ‘bhog’ ceremony and again at Akal Takht. “There is no scope of nit picking about the nature of the apology”, he added.
Senior leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundar and Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra also spoke on the occasion and asserted that soon the entire Sikh world would be behind the SAD.
