Punjab Congress lashes out at SGPC chief for fomenting communal tensions in state

Chandigarh, July 5, 2017: The Punjab Congress on Wednesday lashed out at Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) chief Kirpal Singh Badungar over his repeated attempts to vitiate the state’s peaceful atmosphere, warning him against fomenting communal strife in Punjab.

Reacting to Badungar’s statement on the Sikh Forum for Justice (SFJ) 2020 referendum posters, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) leaders said the posters were trash, which had failed to impact the people of Punjab, but by highlighting their content, the SGPC president was trying to fan unrest in the state.
His irresponsible statements were the latest in the SGPC chief’s recent actions that had unequivocally endorsed his political ambitions, and the nexus between the religious body and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), said PPCC leader Kuljit S Nagra, Gurpreet S Kangar, Kushaldeep S Dhillon and Kuldeep Singh Vaid.

Badungar had proved, time and again, that he was willing to compromise on the state’s peace and security to further his personal agenda, they said. Just three days ago, the SGPC had hailed Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a `warrior’ at a function, which was also attended by the Badals, the Congress leaders pointed out, adding that the incident clearly exposed the SGPC’s unhealthy nexus with the SAD and also showed its ugly intentions to create disharmony in the state.

It is more than evident that there is a larger game-plan, spearheaded by the SGPC at the behest of SAD, which is at work, said the PPCC leaders, adding that SGPC’s open support to SAD’s anti-Congress dharnas in the state last month was another glaring example of their nasty collaboration.

The PPCC leaders further said Badungar, who clearly wanted to usurp the SAD leadership, had no qualms about triggering communal unrest in the state, but asserted that his government would not allow that at any cost.

Politicisation of religion has never helped the cause of any state or nation and had no place in a democratic and secular polity like India’s, said the Congress leaders, pointing out that such activities were highly detrimental to the interests of Punjab and its people, and no person or organization should be allowed to do anything to plunge the state into communal turmoil in order to further their own interests.