Kejriwal will not seek 'pardon' from the Sikh temporal authorities, says HS Phoolka

Senior AAP leader H S Phoolka said that Kejriwal has already apologised along with two other party leaders including Ashish Khetan after the alleged sacrilege controversy.

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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on July 18 will render a day long service to show his respect for the Sikhism. (Photo: PTI)

In Short

  • Kejriwal on July 18 will render a day long service to show his respect for Sikhism.
  • HS Phoolka said that the Punjab team made the mistake not Arvind Kejriwal.
  • AAP Spokesperson Ashish Khetan has been booked for hurting religious sentiments.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday clarified that party's National Convenor and New Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on July 18 will render a day long service to show his respect for the Sikhism instead of seeking any pardon from the Sikh temporal authorities.

ALL APOLOGIES

Senior AAP leader and Supreme Court lawyer HS Phoolka, who performed a similar service on Sunday at Golden Temple Complex, said that Kejriwal has already apologised along with two other party leaders including Ashish Khetan after the alleged sacrilege controversy.

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Phoolka, who tendered his apology at Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple complex), claimed that the comparison of party's Youth Manifesto with Guru Granth Sahib by Ashish Khetan was inadvertent.

"We have already tendered apology. It was not Arvind Kejriwal but the Punjab team which made a mistake. He (Kejriwal) will visit Darbar Sahib for service only," H S Phoolka said.

Phoolka washed utensils at Guru Ram Das Langar (free kitchen) ,cleaned shoes of the visitors and the floor as part of the apology. He offered his prayers and sought pardon from the Sikh gurus for the 'mistake' made by party's leaders including Ashish Khetan.

"I am a true Sikh and a faithful party worker. I came here to tender my apology for the mistakes which were unintentional," Phoolka said.

SACRILEGE CONTROVERSY

While, other party leaders including Punjab in-charge Sanjay Singh and State Convenor Sucha Singh Chotepur were absent, Phoolka confirmed that they will visit the complex along with Arvind Kejriwal on July 18.

AAP Spokesperson Ashish Khetan while reading out party's Youth Manifesto on July 3 in Amritsar had said that the document was as pious to them (AAP) as Bible,Quarn, Geeta or Guru Granth.

Khetan has been booked under section 295A of IPC for hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs on the basis of a complaint filed by All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad. He is facing arrest as the offence is cognizable and a non-bailable

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