Akal Takht Secretariat Denies Entry to AAP MLA Giaspura Over Past Remarks, Rejects Caste-Discrimination Allegation

Amritsar, October 12 , Kanwar Partap Singh/ Tajeemnoor Kaur-Some Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab legislators and politicians belonging today visited the Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to submit a complaint regarding incidents associated with Gurdwara Sri Bangla Sahib amid the ongoing protest in Delhi. Bagicha Singh, in-charge of the Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, respectfully received the complaint letter from the legislators. They were informed that the letter would be placed before the Jathedar for appropriate action.

However, AAP’s MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura, from Payal in Ludhiana district, who had accompanied the other legislators, was denied entry into the Secretariat on the directions of Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj over his objectionable remarks against Sikh personalities and institutions in the past.

Addressing the media, Jaskaran Singh, media adviser at the Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, strongly condemned and rejected Giaspura’s statement to the media alleging that he had been denied entry on the grounds of caste-based discrimination.

Jaskaran Singh said the Secretariat functions in accordance with the principle of Sri Darbar Sahib’s doors being open to people of from all four directions, allowing everyone to visit. He clarified that Giaspura was stopped because of his past derogatory, highly objectionable and threatening remarks against the respected Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Sikh institutions.

He pointed out that the delegation also included AAP MLAs Dalbir Singh from Baba Bakala Sahib and Kulwant Singh Pandori from Mehal Kalan, who belong to the same community as Giaspura but they were not stopped from entering the Secretariat.

Jaskaran Singh said that even today Giaspura had made highly objectionable remarks about Sri Darbar Sahib and the Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and said strict action would be taken against him. He said Giaspura should apologise to the Sikh community for false and misleading propaganda. If he failed to do so, strict action would be initiated against him by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, he said.

He termed it highly shameful that Giaspura had made false statements and spread misleading propaganda at a central Sikh religious institution. He added that there is no caste-discrimination in Sikhi and described the conduct as particularly condemnable because Giaspura himself is an Amritdhari (initiated) Sikh.

Regarding the entry of protesters and police into Gurdwara Sri Bangla Sahib in Delhi, Jaskaran Singh, speaking on behalf of Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, said that gurdwaras have an established maryada (religious code of conduct) that cannot be violated.

He said political activities and protests inside gurdwaras are not permissible unless they are part of struggles rooted in Gurmat (Guru’s wisdom) philosophy and Sikh principles. He added that no one should enter a gurdwara carrying banners or placards related to a protest. If the police entered the gurdwara premises, it was the responsibility of the gurdwara management to prevent such entry, he said. He held the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee primarily responsible for the incident, stating that it was its duty to uphold the prescribed maryada within the gurdwara. He added that Sri Akal Takht Sahib had received further complaints and letters regarding the matter, which would be examined.

Jaskaran Singh reiterated that the doors of gurdwaras are open to everyone and all visitors are welcome, provided they respect the prescribed maryada. However, gurdwaras cannot be used as platforms for political activities, sit-ins or protests, he said. 

He said all parties should keep their political activities away from gurdwaras and appealed to Sikh leaders to refrain from unnecessary statements amid the ongoing protests.

He further said that officials at the Secretariat had asked Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, who was leading this delegation, to clarify to the media outside that no discrimination had taken place against any of the legislators. However, Dr. Nijjar failed to make this clarification while addressing the media, which Jaskaran Singh described as highly condemnable.

According to Jaskaran Singh, the government had not obtained a prior appointment for the legislators’ visit to the Secretariat. The visit was communicated only by telephone at around 9.30 am on October 12 by Inderjit Singh Harpura, Amritsar’s public relations officer. He said the government had also not shared a list of the legislators expected to visit. He added that had the government provided the list in advance and included Giaspura’s name, the concerned officials could have been informed beforehand that he would not be permitted to enter the Secretariat .