AMRITSAR: Days after Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh asked the Sikhs to keep licensed modern weapons in a legal manner, Punjab Police on Saturday withdrew his security partially.
The Police took back three of total six personnel guarding the jathedar. “We have no problem with the withdrawal of the security. We have also asked the Police to take back the remaining three guards as we don’t need them. Khalsa Panth and Sikh youths are there to guard us”, said Giani Harpreet Singh, reacting to the move of the Punjab government.
On May 23, the jathedar released a video message to the community on the occasion of the 416th anniversary of ‘Gurgaddi Diwas’ (anointment day) of the sixth Sikh master Guru Hargobind. He said: “Every Sikh should try to keep licensed weapons, because the time that is coming, and the circumstances which are going to prevail, demand it. The Sikh youth should be skillful in gatka (Sikh martial art) and shooting.”
The Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann fumed over this statement and reacted to it in an insulting manner. “Honourable, Jathedar Sri Akal Takh Sahib ji, your statement about weapons… Jathedar ji, you should send across Gurbani’s message of ‘sarbat da bhala’ (welfare of all) to every house instead of that of possessing weapons. Jathedar sahab, we should give messages of peace, brotherhood and modern development rather than of modern weapons,” the chief minister tweeted.
Watch Akal Takht Jathedar’s reaction to Punjab government:
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