Akal Takht Pardons Dera Chief

In an unprecedented development, the five Sikh high priests, Panj Pyaras of the Akal Takht today asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to remove the Jathedars of five Takhts (seats of Sikh religion), alleging that they had "created furore and restlessness in the community".

Amid pressure from the Sikh community and hardliners, the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, today withdrew its edict pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.

The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) party today opposed the decision of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat for Sikhs, to pardon Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of blasphemy charges, saying the Dera chief does not deserve exoneration.

Accusing the Sikh clergy of bowing before Akali Dal leaders, particularly of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, radical Sikh leaders today tore a copy of the Akal Takht's order "pardoning" Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, to register their protest.

Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda sect, whose chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was pardoned by the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs the Akal Takht, today asked its followers to withdraw criminal cases lodged against Sikhs.

Amidst strong objection by Sikh leaders to the pardon granted to Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by the Sikh faith's highest temporal seat, the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) today urged the community to accept the decision, saying that the Akal Takht's supremacy cannot be challenged.

A section of Sikh leaders are unhappy over the pardoning of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion, calling the move politically motivated as well as a betrayal with their community.

The Akal Takht -- the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion - today said it has pardoned Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh following a written apology from him.

In an unprecedented development, the five Sikh high priests, Panj Pyaras of the Akal Takht today asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to remove the Jathedars of five Takhts (seats of Sikh religion), alleging that they had "created furore and restlessness in the community".

Amid pressure from the Sikh community and hardliners, the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, today withdrew its edict pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.

The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) party today opposed the decision of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat for Sikhs, to pardon Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of blasphemy charges, saying the Dera chief does not deserve exoneration.

Accusing the Sikh clergy of bowing before Akali Dal leaders, particularly of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, radical Sikh leaders today tore a copy of the Akal Takht's order "pardoning" Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, to register their protest.

Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda sect, whose chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was pardoned by the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs the Akal Takht, today asked its followers to withdraw criminal cases lodged against Sikhs.

Amidst strong objection by Sikh leaders to the pardon granted to Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by the Sikh faith's highest temporal seat, the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) today urged the community to accept the decision, saying that the Akal Takht's supremacy cannot be challenged.

A section of Sikh leaders are unhappy over the pardoning of Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion, calling the move politically motivated as well as a betrayal with their community.

The Akal Takht -- the highest temporal seat of the Sikh religion - today said it has pardoned Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh following a written apology from him.