Amritsar Sahib (KP)  –  Akal Takhat Sahib Jathedar, along with prominent Sikh organizations, reemphasized the need for action against Mr. Joginder Singh, Editor of the Chandigarh based Spokesman daily, who was excommunicated from the Khalsa Panth in March of 2004.  Given Mr. Joginder Singh's anti-Sikh stances and his continued defiance of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Jathedar Vedanti called for an "extreme step" to be taken against him during a meeting held in Amritsar this past week.
 
Several resolutions were made during the meeting urging action to be taken against the Spokesman daily and its affiliates.  Various Sikh organizations supported the resolution in its emphasis for the SGPC to support the Akal Takhat hukumnama against the Spokesman daily.  Demands were made for the SGPC to establish a committee of legal experts to tackle the profane agenda being propagated by Spokesman editor, Joginder Singh.  The resolutions also called upon the Registrar of Newspapers and the Panjab Government for the immediate ban of the anti-Sikh publication.  Another resolution was made which indicated that if the government did not take appropriate action against Joginder Singh, they would implicity be showing their support for him and his anti-Sikh agenda.

Joginder Singh was excommunicated for his blatant defiance of Akal Takhat Sahib and for his association with Gurbaksh Kala Afghana, a Canada based excommunicated Sikh.  Despite Panthic reprimands, he continues to push an anti-Sikh agenda in the Spokesman daily by attacking sacred institutions within the Sikh faith, and therefore urgent action is needed.  It is common knowledge within Sikh circles that the publication is actively perverting the faith by propagating views which are divergent from Sikh principles, writing against the teachings of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and denying the authority of Akal Takhat Sahib.

Former Jathedar of Akal Takhat Sahib, Singh Sahib Bhai Ranjit Singh Ji questioned why Jathedar Vedanti didn't take action against Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Mr Parmjit Singh Sarna who continued to have links with Joginder Singh even after his excommunication. Jathedar Vedanti said those who compelled him to issue hukamnamay, later failed to cooperate in implementing them.  Nonetheless Bhai Ranjit Singh Ji and Jathedar Vedanti have made it clear in the past that all Sikhs should boycott the Spokesman magazine, which entails that Sikhs shouldn’t offer any kind of help, financial or other sorts to Spokesman daily or its affiliates.

Several Sikh entities such as the Missal Shaheedan Tarnal Dal, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, DamDami Taksal and the GURSIKH organization have shown support for the resolutions for action to be taken against Joginder Singh.   In a memorandum submitted to Jathedar Vedanti by the AKJ, a call was made to boycott all products of companies that gave advertisements to the Spokesman.

Bhai Ratinder Singh of GURSIKH organization said hawkers, distributors and journalists who worked for Spokesman must be summoned at Akal Takhat Sahib.  Several other Sikh organizations have also expressed concern regarding the urgent need for action against the anti-Sikh behavior of Spokesman editor, Joginder Singh. 

Several conference attendees reiterated that the organizations that participated are demanding action not just against the Spokesman publishers, but also against other anti-Sikh elements that are flouting the authority of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, such as Parkash Badal, the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat,  various Sant-Dera followers and Kala-Afghana sympathizers.

Related links :

Shiv Sena Supports the New Anti-Panthic Spokesman Daily
http://www.panthic.org/news/125/ARTICLE/2076/2005-12-11.html

Boycott of the new Spokesman Daily ordered
http://www.panthic.org/news/125/ARTICLE/2046/2005-12-04.html

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