Dera's support to SAD in 2017 polls 'exposed ties' between the two: Punjab Cong chief

Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday said the Dera Sacha Sauda representatives' statement that they had supported the Akali Dal in 2017 assembly polls have "exposed the ties" between the SAD and Sirsa-based sect. "The statement of Dera representatives that they had extended support to Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal in 2017 elections has exposed the ties between the two," Jakhar told reporters here.

Days after jailed Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Ram Rahim Singh was named in the 2015 theft of a copy of Guru Granth Sahib from a gurdwara in Faridkot, Dera representatives on Monday had claimed that they were possibly being "targeted" for supporting the SAD in 2017 assembly polls, Jakhar alleged that under the "deal" struck between the SAD and Dera Sacha Sauda, the Akalis had got the sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh pardoned in a blasphemy case, got his film released and "influenced" investigation into sacrilege incidents. "In lieu of this, Dera followers supported Akali Dal in 2017 assembly elections," claimed Jakhar.

Punjab Congress chief accused SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal of "backstabbing the 'panth' by "hobnobbing" with the Dera to remain in power. He alleged that Badal's "anti-Sikh" face has been exposed by the Dera itself. The candid admission by the Dera followers that they had supported the Akali Dal in 2017 assembly polls reflects the "strong bond" between Dera and Akali Dal, he added. "The people of state in general and Sikhs in particular would never forgive Badal for this sin, which has pushed Punjab into turbulent times," said Jakhar.

Meanwhile, the SAD hit back at the Congress, accusing it of teaming up with Dera to take on the SAD with the "sole aim" of polling Dera votes in its favour in the 2022 assembly elections in lieu of giving a "clean chit" to Dera. Senior SAD leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundur, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Sikander Singh Maluka said the Congress government was in the process of "weakening" the sacrilege case as part of an "understanding" with the Dera. "The Congress first scared Dera Sacha Sauda and has now teamed up with it to use it for its political purposes against the SAD. However, by doing so, it has only served to expose its friendship with the Dera," they said.

Senior leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said the Congress party was trying to "cover up" its failures and was resorting to "cheap" politics. He said SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had already done 'ardas' (prayer) that nothing should remain of those who had indulged in the acts of sacrilege as well as of those who were behind it. He also made it clear that the SAD had never taken the support of the Dera during the 2017 assembly elections. "Some SAD candidates solicited the Dera support in their individual capacity. These leaders however presented themselves before Akal Takth Sahib to seek forgiveness for this act," he said. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had been named as a conspirator by the Special Investigation of Punjab police in a case relating to the theft of the Sikh's holy book Guru Granth Sahib in 2015.

The Punjab police special investigation team (SIT) is probing three sacrilege cases. These are theft of a ''bir'' (copy) of Guru Granth Sahib from a Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara on June 1, 2015, the case of putting up of hand-written sacrilegious posters in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala on September 25 and that of tearing and scattering pages of the holy book at Bargari on October 12, 2015 in Faridkot. The sacrilege of religious scriptures had taken place during the previous SAD-BJP regime. The Akali government had handed over the probe to the CBI.

Amarinder Singh-led government withdrew these cases from the central investigating agency and gave it to the Punjab police SIT. PTI CHS VSD RAX RAX.

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