Farmers Movement Archive

SGPC starts langar at Karnal protest site, BKU leader Charuni refutes Sukhbir Badal’s claim

With the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) starting langar and other facilities for the farmers protesting at Karnal, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni on Wednesday dismissed Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal’s claim that the farmer leader called him over phone seeking food services from the gurdwaras.“Last night, I received a call from Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Gurnam Singh Charuni who sought arrangement of langar, citing gathering of farmers in large numbers. I have given the task of making arrangements of water and langar to SGPC president Jagir Kaur and chief secretary Harjinder Singh Dhami,” said Sukhbir while interacting with mediapersons outside a Hoshiarpur court.Later, he made a similar claim in a video shared on social media. He said, “The SAD and SGPC are extending complete support to the ongoing dharna at Karnal. We have responded to Gurnam Singh Charuni’s call for arranging langar and other services for protester.”Addressing the gathering at the protest site at Karnal, Charuni ruled out any such call from his side. “The gurdwara managements are serving us langar for which we are grateful to them. But a statement of Sukhbir Badal has surfaced. I don’t know what his intention behind this statement is,” he claimed.“Gurdwara employees are coming out to serve us on their own. Why would we need to call him (Sukhbir)? He is not a thekedar (contractor) of all the gurdwaras that langar will be provided on his instructions. The head of Gurdwara Nada Sahib met me and informed that they had brought the langar from the shrine. I found the utterances of Badal absurd,” he said.He added, “Neither I called him over phone, nor I have any relation with him. I feel he wants to mislead the farmers. Actually, they have earned a very bad reputation in Punjab and the people are not allowing them to enter their areas.” Addressing a press conference in Amritsar, SGPC head Jagir Kaur said, “While the SGPC was approached by the people through Twitter for langar, the SAD chief also called me asking me to serve the protesters. I assured him that we have already made up our mind to do sewa for the farmers and he did not need to worry.”She said the SGPC will also provide other facilities to the protesters. “Our sub-office in Kurukshetra and managers of gurdwaras in Haryana have been instructed to start working in this regard with immediate effect. Also, teams have been deputed from the gurdwaras along the Haryana border. Arrangements of langar, tea, water, bedding and accommodation will be made for the farmers”, she said. The farmers are struggling for their rights and the SGPC, as the foremost body of the Sikh community, is with them, she added.

Hindustan Times

09-09-2021

Chandigarh