No Sikh candidate can be allowed to seek votes from dera followers: Akal Takht

A day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Parminder Singh Dhindsa said party leaders will approach followers of Dera Sacha Sauda individually to seek their votes in the Lok Sabha polls, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Saturday said no Sikh candidate can be allowed to do so as it will violate the ‘hukamnama’ (religious edict) to boycott the dera and its followers.

Responding to a media query on the sidelines of the budget session of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) here, Giani Harpreet Singh said, “The ‘hukamnama’ issued by the Akal Takht in 2007 is still valid. “It directed the Sikhs community to boycott the dera and its followers socially and politically. Therefore, no Sikh candidate can be permitted to seek votes.”

The ‘hukamnama’ was issued after dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was accused of blasphemy for dressing like the 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh.

Certain candidates of the Congress, the SAD and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were declared ‘tankhaiya” (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht For seeking votes from the dera in the 2017 assembly elections.

During his visit to the Golden Temple on Friday, Dhindsa Junior had said, “Though we are not supposed to visit the dera as per our party’s stand, everyone has the right to personally approach any individual, irrespective of his faith, caste and section, during the polls. Approaching dera followers individually is also part of our duty and we will definitely do so.” He was among the politicians who were declared ‘tankhaiya’ in 2017.