Slogans against Maluka at Takht Damdama Sahib

BHATINDA: Facing the heat over distortion of the Ardas (prayer) at the opening of his election office, Punjab minister and Shiromani Akali Dal candidate from Rampura Phool assembly constituency Sikander Singh Maluka on Tuesday had to face the ire of the activists of SAD (Amritsar).
As per the directions of the five Sikh high priests, Maluka had gone to perform atonement service at Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo when SAD (Amritsar) activists raised slogans against him.Maluka had to be taken out from the back gate of the takht.
Malukla had inaugurated his election office at Rampura on December 26, 2016, where Ardas was distorted. Taking note of the incident, five Sikh high priests led by Akal Takhat jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh had found Maluka guilty of religious misconduct on January 8 and directed him to perform atonement ‘sewa’ at the Golden Temple and Takht Damdama Sahib.
“Followiing directions of the Sikh clerics,Maluka had reached Takht Damdama Sahib on Tuesday and performed ‘sewa’ of cleaning utensils and distributing langar. When he was about to come out, nearly 20 activists of SAD (Amritsar) reached outside the takht and started raising slogans against him. Maluka’s son and Bathinda zila parishad chairperson Gurpreet Singh Maluka came out of the takht and the protesters tried to gherao his car. Both sides exchanged slogans. Concerned over it, the supporters of Maluka and police took him out from the rear gate,” said eyewitnesses.
SAD (Amritsar) chief of Talwandi Sabo block Gurcharan Singh and Pipal Singh of Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal said, “The religious sentiments of Sikhs were hurt with the distortion of the Ardas in the presence of Maluka. We want Maluka should be expelled from Sikh panth after high priests had found him guilty of misconduct”.
On the other hand, Gurpreet Maluka denied his father faced protests. “Nothing happened at the site and no one protested against us,” he said.
Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) Swapan Sharma said both sides had some altercation, but the situation was controlled by the police and no case was registered against anyone.