Amarinder expresses concern over Akal Takht jathedar's remarks over safety of Sikhs

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday slammed Akal Takht's acting jadar over his reported remark that Sikhs are t safe in country, telling him to ask Akalis to sever ties with ruling BJP if he felt this way.

Giani Harpreet Singh, jadar (leer) of supreme temporal body of Sikhs, on Monday reportedly condemned Gurdwara Nankana Sahib attack and killing of a Sikh youth in Peshawar, saying, "I do t feel Sikhs are safe anywhere. In India, Sikhs are being uprooted in Mhya Presh and in Shillong also, y are facing eviction. In Pakistan, Sikhs are also scared after incidents of killing of a Sikh and Nankana Sahib (gurdwara)".

Reacting to remarks, chief minister asked jadar to pressure Akalis to sever all ties with ruling alliance at Centre, which h been "unable to ensure a sense of safety among mirities in country".

Amarinder Singh said he did t agree with Akal Takht jadar's remarks.

Re: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh targets Akali Dal, asks m to leave NDA

He said "if jadar did feel that way, he should take up matter with Shiromani Akali Dal (S) and ask m to leave BJP-led coalition government at Centre, of which y are a part".

Punjab chief minister, in a statement here, said that unlike Pakistan, India h always taken pride in being a secular nation, with discrimination on religious grounds. "Any feeling among Sikh community that y are t secure here is a matter of grave concern," he said.

In his remarks, jadar h also appealed to Sikh community to come toger so as to contain such attacks.

Re: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh asks Pak PM to intervene over Nankana Sahib mob attack

While in Mhya Presh, re were reports of some Sikh families being evicted from ir houses in Sheopur district, in Meghalaya capital Shillong, Sikh families were last year asked to prove y were settled legally, he said.

Amarinder Singh said, "If Sikhs are feeling insecure in country, as stated by acting jadar, n it is dispensation at Centre which is to blame".

"Given that Akalis claim to be custodians of Sikh religion, and community, y should take a stand on issue, and S chief Sukhbir Singh Bal should also ask his wife Harsimrat Kaur Bal to resign immediately as a Union Minister," chief minister said.

He said while some incidents here and re could t be construed to be a case of Sikhs t being safe in India, "perception is as important as reality".

" Sikhs h lived through a very dark period in 1980s and any feeling of being at receiving end in any way would revive ir sense of fear, which would be detrimental to community's interest, as well as that of nation," chief minister said.