Greater than a decade after the 2015 blasphemy controversy and the following police firing in Behbar Kalan village in Faridkot district, the difficulty is as soon as once more on the middle of political debate in Punjab.
On June 10, former Akal Takht jathedar Gianni Raghbir Singh recorded a press release earlier than the Particular Investigation Group (SIT) probing the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing case. Giani Raghubir Singh has reportedly mentioned in a press release that in the course of the Akal Takht’s personal authorized proceedings in December 2024, SAD chief Badal was chargeable for the blasphemy incidents and police firings that befell in the course of the SAD-BJP authorities. On the time, the Akal Takht imposed non secular punishment on Badal and different senior Akali leaders for being unfit to steer the Sikh neighborhood. Akal Takht is the best temporal seat of Sikhism.
Sources mentioned Gianni Ragbir Singh informed investigators that the confession fashioned a part of the premise for the Akal Takht’s declaration of non secular punishment towards the SAD management. In keeping with Giani Raghubir Singh, the confession was made publicly within the presence of Sikh clerics, witnessed by the Sangat and media, and was additionally recorded on video.
The event triggered a political and non secular storm, reopening previous wounds that formed Punjab’s electoral politics in 2017 and can proceed to reverberate in 2022.
Though the 2027 parliamentary elections are nonetheless a good distance off, the difficulty of blasphemy appears removed from disappearing from public reminiscence. The difficulty has resurfaced amid experiences of behind-the-scenes talks between Sukhbir Badal’s Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP to resume their alliance, though each events have publicly denied any talks.
What occurred in Behbar Kalan?
Behbar Karan’s dismissal has turn out to be one of the crucial politically delicate occasions in Punjab’s latest historical past. On October 14, 2015, two anti-sacred demonstrators had been killed in police firing throughout an indication towards the alleged desecration of Shri Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari village two days earlier. The difficulty outlined the political narrative of the 2017 meeting elections and contributed considerably to the defeat of the then SAD-BJP authorities. The difficulty will stay a key challenge within the 2022 elections, with the Aam Aadmi Get together (AAP) promising motion towards these chargeable for the dismissals.
The continued political relevance of the difficulty was made clear earlier this yr when the Punjab Meeting unanimously handed the Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Modification Act throughout a particular session on April 13, proposing harsher penalties for blasphemy-related crimes. The invoice was deliberate by the AAP authorities as a significant step in the direction of making certain justice and defending the sanctity of Shri Guru Granth Sahib. The regulation was signed by the governor and applied by the Punjab authorities in April.
AAP took little time to reap the benefits of the newest developments. The social gathering’s nationwide convener Arvind Kejriwal has repeatedly known as SAD the “Beesbi (blasphemy) social gathering” in public conferences. Punjab AAP media in-charge Bhartej Panu mentioned the revelations uncovered makes an attempt by the Akali management to evade duty.
Pannu on Friday referred to Gianni Ragbir Singh’s assertion and claimed that Badal accepted duty for firing Behbar Karan and sought forgiveness earlier than the Akal Takht. “Punjab has not forgotten the firing incident, the blasphemy incident and the function performed by the then Akali Bharatiya Janata Get together authorities,” he additional mentioned, alleging that video recordings of the alleged confessions had been stored within the Akal Takht and that SAD leaders at the moment are making public statements opposite to what was sanctioned earlier than the best Sikh secular authority.
Nevertheless, the assertion additionally triggered a parallel debate in regards to the sanctity of Sikh Maryada (the code of conduct adopted by Sikhs) and Akal Takht proceedings.
Former Akal Takht Jathedar Jani Harpreet Singh, now chairman of Akali opposition SAD (Punar Surjit), mentioned: “This trial was a part of our non secular norms and ideas. It was carried out in Akal Takht and can’t be a part of the proof.” Gianni Harpreet Singh was amongst those that attended the December 2024 lawsuit.
The SAD went additional and accused Gianni Raghubir Singh of violating the established Akal Takht protocol. Get together chief Badal alleged that “a recent effort has been launched to implicate him in false circumstances.” “No matter I mentioned, I mentioned it in entrance of everybody. It doesn’t matter what occurred in the course of the time period of our authorities, whether or not it was finished by our staff or by our staff or anybody else, as social gathering chief I took duty for it.”
“Proper now, Gianni Raghubir Singh is behaving like an energetic AAP employee. However let me inform you, I’m not afraid of a case being registered towards me and I’m not afraid of going to jail,” Badal added.
Senior SAD chief Daljeet Singh Cheema mentioned on Friday that Giani Raghubir Singh had violated the Akal Takht’s ‘hukamnama’ (divine edict), which prohibits the usage of impartial procedures in court-related circumstances. “Former Jathedar Jani Joginder Singh Vedanti had issued an edict that the takht proceedings shouldn’t be produced as proof in court docket. Strict directions got to the Sikh Sangat to make sure this was adopted in letter and spirit,” Cheema mentioned.
He termed Gianni Raghubir Singh’s look within the SIT as “extremely reprehensible” and alleged that the previous Jathedar had turn out to be a “stooge” of the AAP authorities.
Criticism just isn’t restricted to the Akali Dal. Former Takht Shri Patna Sahib Jathedar Jani Ranjit Singh Gohar-e-Maseenen additionally accused Jani Raghbir Singh of violating the Sikh Maryada. “The incorporation of Akal Takht procedures into police data is reprehensible,” he mentioned, asserting that such actions threaten the sanctity and independence of the group.
