Proud to Be Akali Dal Soldier, Says Harjinder Singh Dhami When He should be Guru Sahib's soldier: Baltej Pannu
CHANDIGARH (The Uttam Hindu): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-Charge Baltej Pannu on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami, accusing him of acting as a spokesperson of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) instead of standing with justice, truth and the Guru Sahib.
Responding to Harjinder Singh Dhami’s press conference held in Chandigarh a day earlier, Baltej Pannu said Harjinder Singh Dhami had claimed he wanted to put his version before the people through the media. “The invitation for Harjinder Singh Dhami’s press conference was issued by the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), a political party. Dhami Sahib often says allegations are made that he is a spokesperson of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). Yesterday, he himself admitted it by saying he is proud to be a soldier of the Akali Dal. It would have been better had he been a soldier of Guru Sahib,” Baltej Pannu remarked.
Taking strong objection to Harjinder Singh Dhami’s claim that SGPC does not accept FIRs and does not need the police, Pannu said this was completely misleading. “SGPC itself is constituted under an Act, which is a law. Whenever SGPC holds its general house in Amritsar, it takes permission from the Deputy Commissioner. How can you say you don’t believe in FIRs or police?” he asked.
Baltej Pannu cited multiple instances where SGPC itself approached the police. He referred to an FIR registered by former SGPC Secretary against Tek Singh Dhanaula, who is today appointed as a Jathedar. “An FIR under section 420 was registered, and even an arrest took place. So when SGPC needs it, FIRs are acceptable,” he said.
On the issue of Beadbi (sacrilege), Baltej Pannu recalled that Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, has recently demanded a strict law against beadbi. “This proposal has already come before the Punjab Assembly. A committee has been formed, meetings have been held with representatives of all parties, and inputs are being collected to frame a strong state law with the strictest possible punishment so that no one dares commit such a crime,” he said.
The AAP Punjab Media In-charge also rejected Dhami’s attempt to cast doubt on the police by citing allegations from the past. Drawing from his own two decades in journalism, Baltej Pannu said, “If we go back to 1996, Prakash Singh Badal repeatedly spoke about forming a Truth Commission. But when Akali governments ruled from 1997 to 2002 and again from 2007 to 2017, who promoted the very officers accused of atrocities on youth? Who made Sumedh Saini the DGP? Who promoted Mohammad Izhar Alam? Who brought his family into politics? Dhami Sahib seems to have forgotten all this.”
He said the core question Harjinder Singh Dhami is avoiding is simple and unchanged: where are the 328 missing Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, which SGPC has failed to trace to this day.
Referring to the Ishar Singh report, Baltej Pannu said the report clearly stated that resignations of the guilty should not be accepted, as resignations would be used to escape responsibility and push blame onto lower officials. “Despite this, Dhami Sahib accepted the resignation of Roop Singh. Not only that, his dues were settled and he was sent abroad. This was done to protect their own people,” Baltej Pannu pointed out.
Baltej Pannu further asserted that when the name of SS Kohli surfaced, a news channel linked to the party Harjinder Singh Dhami serves muted the story to prevent the truth from coming out. “Perhaps SS Kohli is sitting on big secrets. Now the SIT will uncover those secrets,” he said.
He pointed out that the Ishar Singh report clearly stated that 75% of the payment should be recovered from SS Kohli, yet nothing has happened in the last five years. “You say the matter lies with the Sikh Judicial Gurdwara Commission. What has that commission done in five years? The answer is clear, because people close to your party sit there. The head of the commission is the father of your party’s chief spokesperson,” Baltej Pannu said.
Baltej Pannu asked how SGPC failed for five years to recover money taken from the Guru’s golak. “Around ₹10 crore went to Kohli, out of which ₹7.5 crore had to be recovered. Why was it not done?” he asked.
Baltej Pannu reminded that when the theft of Saroops took place on June 1, 2015, at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala, and when sacrilege incidents followed in November, SGPC failed to take effective action. “Posters were put up, but what concrete steps were taken? Which ‘SGPC police’ arrested the culprits or registered FIRs, when you claim you don’t need the police?” he questioned.
He also referred to the Kotkapura firing, where devotees demanding justice were met with water cannons and bullets. “FIRs were registered against Sukhbir Singh Badal and others. They had to seek bail from the High Court. This is the reality of claiming to be above the law,” Baltej Pannu said.
On the issue of Gurbani broadcast, the AAP Punjab Media In-charge recalled that former Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had directed SGPC to launch a free-to-air Gurbani channel. “What happened to that order? You fear that with Kohli’s arrest, links related to overseas Gurbani broadcast channels may come out. That is why you are siding with channel owners as a soldier of a political party,” he alleged.
Concluding, Baltej Pannu issued a direct challenge to Dhami. “When you hold your next press conference, answer one question with honesty. You have a diary in which details of the beadbi cases and the 328 missing Saroops are recorded. Why have you hidden that diary? Is your presidency dependent on that diary?” he asked.
Baltej Pannu said that in the coming days, he will also make public details of all FIRs registered by SGPC so far. “Stand with justice and truth. Be a soldier of Guru Sahib, not of the Badal family,” he asserted.