Taking note of the reported "objections" of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) to his alleged "interference in religious affairs", Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today said the maintenance of law and order in the state was his foremost responsibility, which he was committed to fulfilling.
In a letter to SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal, the chief minister said threatening one another was not acceptable in a civilised society and he did not approve of such actions, either as chief minister or as an individual.
Citing newsreports regarding the apprehension expressed by Longowal on the differences between the Damdami Taksal and Sant Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, the chief minister, in the letter, said if there was any difference of opinion amongst various Sikh sects, "then it is your bounden duty as Chief of the SGPC to either resolve this issue or seek intervention of the Jathedar of the highest Sikh temporal institution, Akal Takht."
Punjab has passed through extremely difficult times, and it was time now for traditional institutions such as SGPC to take the initiative to resolve such issues amicably, wrote the chief minister.
"Since you are the President of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, as such the onus lies with you to take necessary steps in this regard," said Amarinder Singh in a statement here.
Amarinder Singh's letter came in response to media reports quoting Longowal as saying that the chief minister should refrain from creating friction between religious preachers, Sant Samaj and Sikh organisations.
Longowal's statement was reportedly a reaction to the chief minister's warning to Damdami Taksal following an open death threat, on a video, by its spokesperson against Dhadrianwale.
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