Akal Takht is supreme for Sikhs: Jathedar Vidanti

Amritsar, May 25: Even as Dera Sacha Sauda today approached the Supreme Court seeking protection to its properties and its followers, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vidanti asserted that the "Akal Takht was supreme for the Sikhs".

" The Sacha Sauda issue is a religious matter concerning all Sikhs", the Jathedar said when mediapersons informed him that Sacha Sauda had filed a petition in the apex court seeking protection to the properties of the Dera and its followers across the country in view of an ultimatum issued by the Akal Takht.

The apex court would hear the petition on May 27, the deadline fixed by the Akal Takht for the closure of all Sacha Sauda 'deras' in Punjab. The petition was filed by Abhijeet Bhagat, Trustee Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa (Haryana), Mr Gurdas Singh of Ganga Nagar (Rajasthan) and Ompir Singh of Meerut (UP).

The petition said there were 160 branches of Deras spread over 13 states, having a following of about three crore people. It was contended in the petition that since the Punjab government had turned a blind eye to the May 27 ultimatum, the petitioners were forced to approach the apex court seeking protection of their fundamental rights under article 21 of the Constitution.

The Jathedar made it clear that the directive issued by the Akal Takht for the closure of all 'deras' by May 27 stood. " There is no shift in our stand", he asserted.

The Jathedar indicated that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandik Committee (SGPC) would seek the views of legal experts on the petition filed by Sacha Sauda.

UNI
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