Chandigarh, June 18 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday announced a “Dharam Yudh Morcha” from Sri Akal Takht Sahib on July 19 to remove Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who has been declared guilty of “committing heinous sacrilege”.

SAD President Sukhbir Badal declared that the Dharam Yudh Morcha would be launched under the Chhattar Chhaya (overall spiritual patronage) of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

Badal told the media that what Bhagwant Mann had done against the Guru Sahiban and established Sikh heroes was intolerable. He said Mann had tested the patience of the devout Sikh community for too long, and this was now the limit.

He appealed to all religious organisations, Sant Samaj, religious figures, Sikh scholars, intellectuals, socio-religious organisations and all political parties, including Sikh leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to join the Dharam Yudh Morcha to collectively fight against what he termed a “Guru Dokhi and Panth Virodhi” Mann.

The Akali chief has constituted a five-member coordination panel headed by senior Akali leader Sardar Balwinder Singh Bhunder. The panel, which includes Mahesh Inder Singh Grwal, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Daljit Singh Cheema and Amarjit Singh Chawla, will meet and request all to be part of the collective Dharam Yudh Morcha against Mann.

Badal also declared that Akali legislators would not attend the Vidhan Sabha as long as Mann remained Chief Minister.

He alleged that Mann’s own family, including his daughter, had accused him of violating the sanctity of Sikh shrines by visiting them drunk.

He further claimed that Mann had brought disrepute to the Sikh quom by going to Parliament and the Vidhan Sabha.

The SAD President also mentioned that earlier in January 2024, Mann was declared guilty of police firing in the Sultanpur Lodhi gurdwara by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

–IANS

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