Akal Takht directs Shiromani Akali Dal to expel Valtoha for 10 years

Akal Takht on Tuesday took stringent action against senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Virsa Singh Valtoha for levelling allegations against the Sikh clergy and directed SAD working president Balwinder Singh Bhundar to expel him from the party in 24 hours for 10 years.

The action has been taken during an emergency meeting of the Sikh clergy, headed by Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, after Valtoha failed to produce evidence to support his public claim that the jathedars are under pressure of the central government, BJP, RSS and Sikhs living abroad in the matter of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) by the highest Sikh temporal seat for the mistakes committed by the party from 2007-17.

After being summoned over the allegations, Valtoha on Tuesday appeared before the Takht and presented his side verbally and in writing. However, the Sikh clergy which also comprised Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, found the party spokesperson guilty of character assassination of the Singh Sahiban (Sikh clergy).

In the edict, the Sikh clergy stated that Valtoha failed to produce concrete evidence to support his claims and resorted to character assassination merely on hearsay. They said he visited the house of the Akal Takht jathedar on the pretext of enquiring after his health but asked him not to take any political decision against Sukhbir. Without informing the jathedar, Valtoha recorded his conversation which is a betrayal, the edict read.

“Valtoha has tendered an apology for his mistakes. However, his media statement has damaged the respect and maryada of the Akal Takht. So, the SAD acting president is asked to expel him from the party within 24 hours and not to take him in the party fold for 10 years. If he still does not refrain from his acts, stricter action will be taken against him,” the edict read.

Valtoha shared a detailed post on Facebook on Saturday in which he questioned the delay in taking a decision by the Sikh clergy on the SAD president. “A few days ago, I shared a post in which I raised a question on why the jathedars are delaying in pronouncing tankhah (religious punishment) on Sukhbir Singh Badal. After this, I have received surprising and worrisome inputs about this from persons close to the jathedars,” Valtoha wrote in the post.

He alleged, “Pressure has been mounted on the jathedars, behind the curtains, to make the SAD leaderless besides pronouncing religious punishment to Sukhbir Singh Badal. According to sources, the Union government, BJP, RSS and Sikhs living in foreign countries, who have always remained opponents of the SAD, are among those putting this pressure. This is a great cause of concern.”

“Akal Takht Sahib has already confronted the Delhi Takht (Central government). However, as per fresh inputs, our respected personalities are accepting the influence of Delhi Takht, which is worrisome. I am sharing this truth so that sangat (community) could also come to know about this,” Valtoha had written.