AAP questions SGPC chief for seeking votes in Jalandhar bypoll

Jalandhar, May 1 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday raised questions over Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami campaigning for the Akali Dal-Badal candidate in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha byelection.

Senior AAP leader and Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the SGPC's job is to propagate Sikhism, not to promote any political party. Therefore, the SGPC chief should not do anything to hurt the dignity of his position, he added.

He said the top leadership of the Akali Dal, for whom Dhami is campaigning, has faced serious allegations like sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and firing at Sikh sangat.

By propagating such a party, he has hurt the sentiments of the Sikh sangat, Dhaliwal said.

Questioning the SGPC head, he said: "Why does he remain silent on the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and the incident of firing on Sikh sangat in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan?"

Dhaliwal said Dhami has not spoken anything on this matter till date and always kept his silence, while both these incidents have hurt the Sikh sangat deeply.

He said the duty of the SGPC is to provide religious and social education to the children of Sikh community and to protect Sikh culture. "It is wrong to use such an organisation for political gains."