CHANDIGARH: Facing a vertical split in his party, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday “accepted” all allegations leveled against him by rebel leaders and sought “unconditional forgiveness for all mistakes.”The rebel leaders have accused Badal of favouring Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and influencing the Akal Takht to pardon the sect chief. Badal is also accused of defending the controversial former state police chief, Sumedh Singh Saini.Akal Takht (the highest temporal body of Sikhs) released a letter that Sukhbir Badal wrote to high priest Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh in response to the allegations. Badal’s letter read: “I am praying before the Guru with a true heart without indulging in a debate. Whatever written is held against us, the servant apologises to Guru Sahib and Guru Panth unconditionally by appearing at the Akal Takht Sahib. Being the head of the family, the servant accepts all mistakes. I seek forgiveness.’’Before making Sukhbir’s letter public, Akal Takh Jathedar Raghbir Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Harpreet Singh and Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Sultan Singh held an informal meeting at the Takht secretariat. “The clarification letter has been made public to end all confusion. The final decision will be taken at the next meeting of the Sikh clergy (Panj Singh Sahiban),” said Talwinder Singh Butter, media adviser of the Akal Takh Jathedar.In the first part of his letter, Sukhbir reproduced the atonement letter submitted by then chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal to the Akal Takht on October 17, 2015. Sukhbir said his father had submitted the letter to express his pain by appearing before the then jathedar.On July 1, rebel SAD leaders including former MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Jagir Kaur, former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, senior leaders Gurpratap Wadala and Surjit Singh Rakhra appeared before the Akal Takht Jathedar and apologized for their “mistakes”.
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