SAD, BJP indulge in war of words over Akal Takht Jathedar's statement

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) seems to be at loggerheads over the former's reaction to Akal Takht Jathedar's statement that the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were rigged.

New Delhi: A row has erupted between the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over the former's reaction to Akal Takht Jathedar's statement suggesting that the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were rigged.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had said that an "EVM government was ruling the country".

On the 100th Foundation Day of the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee on Tuesday in Amritsar, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh gave call to the SAD to start the journey “from Punjab to Panth”.

"It is not a democratically elected government at the Centre. It is an EVM-elected government and we don’t know for how long this EVM government is going to stay in power. So it is a must for us to come and unite on one platform by forgetting small differences.”, he added.

Senior BJP leader Harjeet Singh Grewal called Singh "an employee" of a political family and termed him "mentally ill". Grewal said the Jathedar had no business making political statements or calling a democratically-elected government an "EVM government".

The Shiromani Akali Dal has termed the BJP's statement as "a dangerous and unprecedented attack on the temporal seat of the Sikhs".

"Such provocative statements can harm the law and order situation," said SAD spokesperson Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema in a video message.

Cheema said Jathedar had talked about forces that were trying to weaken the Sikh Panth and those forces stand exposed.

Shiromani Akali Dal pulled out of NDA over farm acts enacted by Union Government.

Notably, BJP's Tarun Chugh on Monday stated that party will contest solo on all 117 seats in assembly polls. Party President JP Nadda will inaugurate party offices virtually on Thursday and will be visiting Punjab in coming days.