Banga MLA gives up cabinet rank amid saroop-Nawanshar shrine row | Chandigarh News
Jalandhar: Four days after Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann linked Nawanshahr’s popular Sikh shrine Rasokhana Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib to the 328 missing saroops of Guru Granth Sahib, Banga MLA Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi on Sunday announced his resignation as the chairman of Punjab State Container & Warehousing Corporation (Cownware) and said he would give up the cabinet rank given to him by the state govt. The shrine, located in Nawanshahr’s Majara village, falls in Banga constituency and is revered by people in large numbers in the area. Just hours after Mann addressed the rally AAP’s conference at Maghi Mela on Jan 14, Sukhi rushed to the shrine late in the night and clarified there was no violation of “maryada” of Guru Granth Sahib at the shrine.
On Thursday, the shrine management countered the CM while giving details about the 169 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib at the shrine and accused the CM of spreading false information. After this counter by the shrine, opposition leaders started attacking the ruling party. “I can go to any extent to honour Raja Sahib; I resign from my position as a cabinet minister and chairman of Cownware,” he wrote on Facebook while posting his video statement.“What happened in the last days and some doubts were expressed about the shrine and about the maryada of the Guru Granth Sahib. The sangat here, which included me also, felt hurt. I visited the palace on that day itself and I visited daily. I came here again and I pray that the false propaganda is dispelled. I said that my first allegiance is with Raja Sahib. I announce that I will give up the cabinet rank given by the Punjab govt and also the post of chairman of Conware. I pray that I get the strength to resolve all the differences after explaining everything to the CM and AAP leadership,” he said.Meanwhile, leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also visited the shrine on Sunday and said that the controversy was unwanted and avoidable.
