Chandigarh, Aug 5 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday condemned Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema for violating Akal Takht directives by expunging the remarks of Majitha legislator Ganieve Kaur, who had espoused sentiments of the supreme temporal seat of the Sikh community.
The party urged the Takht Jathedar to take strong note of the matter.
SAD chief spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler told the media that it was shocking and shameful that the Speaker had expunged Ganieve Majithia’s remarks at the behest of Harpal Cheema. He said she had only asked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators why they had reneged on their promise to amend the anti-sacrilege Act in the presence of Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj.
“She also asked a simple question as to why the Speaker was twisting the meaning of the word ‘sangat’ to defy the directives of Sri Akal Takht,” Kler said.
Asserting that instead of realising his mistake, the Speaker had chosen to silence the voice of the SAD legislator, Kler alleged that AAP MLAs surrounded and heckled her in the Well of the House when she protested against the disrespect being shown to the Akal Takht.
“In the light of this development, the Speaker should tell whether it was right to expunge the written directives of the Takht,” he added.
Kler congratulated Ganieve Majithia for standing up to protect the dignity of the Takht, saying she had acted with courage and upheld the legacy of Mai Bhago by taking on 92 AAP legislators. He alleged that they had proved they were ready to go against Sri Akal Takht Sahib to protect their petty interests.
He also urged the Akal Takht Jathedar to take action against all AAP legislators who had participated in an ‘ardas’ after agreeing to amend the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, in keeping with the sentiments of the Takht, the Shiromani Committee and the larger Sikh community.
“It has now become clear that the Vidhan Sabha Speaker as well as AAP legislators are part of a devious conspiracy to nullify the directions of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. They have even put this plan in motion by taking on the mantle of the ‘sangat’ to prove superiority over the Takht and the Guru Sahiban. The AAP political gang can never represent the ‘sangat’, and the party should be held to account for this misconduct,” Kler added.
–IANS
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