In a fresh trouble for Ludhiana Lok Sabha MP and Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal Sunday accused him of “desecrating and mocking the kesh (hairs) and dastar (turban) of the Sikh community.”
In the run-up to the Tarn Taran bypoll scheduled for November 11, Sukhbir Badal has also appealed to the Akal Takht jathedar (the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs in Amritsar) to take “strict notice and action into the incident.”
Badal posted a video on X, in which Warring can be purportedly seen touching the “joora” (hair bun) of two Sikh children, while saying in a humorous manner: “Kidhar chale hai do sardaar, toon toon toon toon? (Where are the two Sardars going?)”
Badal wrote on X: “Insulting the Sikh community and making jokes about it has become a common trait among Congress party leaders, the party responsible for massacre of the Sikhs.Guru Sahib bestowed the invaluable gift of the Kesh (hairs) upon the Sikh community, and the Kesh is one of the five Kakars granted to Sikhs by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.The painful fact is that Raja Warring, the Punjab President of the Congress, despite being born in Punjab, fails to understand the significance of Kesh and the Dastar for Sikhs.The way Warring made mocking remarks while touching the Dastars of two Sikh children at Tarn Taran Sahib is a desecration of the Kesh and the Kakars bestowed by Guru Sahib, and this has deeply wounded the sentiments of Sikhs.I strongly condemn this in the harshest terms and also appeal to Jathedar Singh Sahib Ji of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to take serious note of this and ensure strict action is taken against it.”
Badal further wrote: “I also wish to draw attention here to the fact that in recent days, Raja Warring used offensive language regarding the Dalit community, causing them grave insult, and just the next day, other senior leaders of the Congress Party disrespected Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib Ji and Bhai Ji Jiwan Singh Ji during an election campaign.All these incidents point toward a deliberate conspiracy, and all Punjabis need to remain vigilant about it.”
Warring, the Lok Sabha MP from Ludhiana and the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief, has been at the centre of several controversies in recent days, while campaigning for the party in Tarn Taran bypoll.
A major row erupted after Warring in his speech allegedly passed “casteist and offensive” remarks against late Congress leader Buta Singh, the former Union home minister who also served as Bihar’s Governor. Warring allegedly referred to Buta Singh’s “skin colour and complexion” in his speech and said that even as Buta Singh came from the “Mazhabi Sikh” community, he was elevated as the Union minister by the Congress. Although Warring “apologised” for his remarks, stating that Buta Singh was a “father figure” for him and he never meant to hurt anyone’s sentiments, an FIR was registered against him in Kapurthala under the SC/ST Act on the complaint of Buta Singh’s kin, and the Punjab SC/ST Commission also summoned him.
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In another controversial statement, while calling for “strictest possible action against gangster culture in Punjab,” Warring recently said that gangsters should be taught a lesson and their families, including parents, uncles, and grandparents, should also be charged with serious offences and put in jail.
Following the statement, Warring allegedly received “death threats” from Pakistan-based gangster and designated terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda and an FIR in the matter was registered by the Tarn Taran police.
Responding to Badal’s post on X accusing Warring of desecrating “kesh”, Jaskaran Singh Kahlon, spokesperson, Punjab Congress, said: “I would like to tell Sukhbir Badal that we can also tweet his photo in which the dastaar (turban) on his head is missing, his hair is open, and he is playing Holi. We have no issues with Sukhbir playing Holi, but being the head of a panthic party, your actions are also always under the lens. You have raised questions on Warring but have you ever introspected or questioned yourself Badalsaab? At least 328 pious saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib were stolen, Bargari sacrilege happened when you were in power, and you went all out to apologise for it.
“You elevated a person like Sumedh Saini as Punjab’s DGP. And above all, you first accepted and then dishonoured the decision of our supreme court – the Akal Takht. First, you accepted that all these incidents happened under your leadership when you were the Home Minister and the state’s deputy CM, but later you went hostile. Can there be a bigger culprit of the panth than you? Warring is a progressive man and will lead the Congress to form the government in Punjab in 2027. The culprits of sacrilege should not issue certificates to us.”
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Warring gets fresh threats
Meanwhile, fugitive gangster Gopi Lahoria, believed to be hiding in Canada, allegedly issued a fresh threat to Warring in a purported social media post on Sunday. Lahoria, a native of Moga, is named in several extortion and firing cases by the Punjab Police. In the post, Lahoria has allegedly dared Warring to “put aside his security cover and then see the consequences”.
