Harsimrat’s claims on Akal Takht irresponsible: Punjab CM

Chandigarh, Sep 10 (IANS) Terming her remarks as "totally irresponsible and provocative", Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday lashed out at Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal over her allegations that his government was trying to undermine the authority of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

No true Sikh can ever think of showing disrespect to the prestige of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, he said, hitting out at the Akali Dal leader for "trying to demean the authority of Sri Akal Takht with her reckless remarks".

Amarinder Singh termed Harsimrat Kaur "the most ill-informed woman he had ever come across", and with "the habit of making irrational statements without knowing the facts".

Talking to media persons in Sultanpur Lodhi town after a review of the progress of the works undertaken to mark the 550th Prakash Parv of Guru Nanak Dev, he said not only was his government fully committed to celebrating the historic occasion in a befitting manner but it was also totally open to accepting the proposal of Sri Akal Takht to constitute a joint commemoration committee.

As per the proposal, two members each from the government, the SGPC and a Sikh scholar - being a neutral member - would be drawn into the committee to evolve a broad consensus on this issue.

The Chief Minister also lambasted Harsimrat Kaur for her remark that Punjab did not require any agricultural project, wondering how she worked in Delhi without any sense of the ground reality.

"How can she ever claim that Punjab, an agrarian state, does not need an agricultural project," he asked.

In response to a query, the Chief Minister said that religion was always supreme to politics.

He reiterated his appeal to all to cut across party lines to jointly celebrate the historic event and to refrain from interfering in religious affairs.