Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Chief Whip and MLA Baljinder Kaur on Wednesday questioned Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal over their silence on the serious questions surrounding the Bahrain woman who stayed at an SGPC sarai at Sri Anandpur Sahib.
Baljinder Kaur said the SGPC is an institution deeply connected with the hearts and religious sentiments of Sikhs and nobody can separate it from the Sikh community. However, she said the entire Punjab and the world also know that whenever the SGPC president has been appointed, the Badal family has retained complete control and influence over the institution. She said that if there has been one family’s complete dominance over the SGPC, it has been the Badal family, and that Sukhbir Singh Badal himself has effectively remained the ultimate authority behind its functioning.
She said that an ordinary pilgrim often has to make repeated calls to SGPC members and seek recommendations even to get a room in an SGPC sarai, but serious questions have now emerged over how a woman from Bahrain was able to stay for an entire year at the sarai in Anandpur Sahib. “Who paid for her expenses? Who provided her accommodation? Who gave her VIP treatment? Who provided her a driver? Who was behind her and who was supporting her?” she asked.
Baljinder Kaur said the circumstances have now raised questions over the maryada at the Takht Sahib and have brought a major issue before the Sikh community. She questioned how such a situation could arise in an institution where, according to her, nothing moves without the approval of the Badal family.
Taking direct aim at Sukhbir Singh Badal, Baljinder Kaur said it was surprising that despite such a major issue and such serious questions, he was still sitting completely silent. She said that if the Badal family has had such control over the SGPC, then Sukhbir Badal must come forward and explain what is behind the entire matter.