Congress Leaders Slam Anupam Kher for Quoting Sikh Guru's Words to 'Describe' Sambit Patra

Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Thursday slammed actor Anupam Kher, accusing him of using “sacred words” of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh to “describe” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra.

Kher had tweeted “Sawa lakh se ek bhida dun” while tagging Patra.

His tweet came after Patra was being trolled on social media for posting a picture of a three-year-old boy sitting on the body of his grandfather who was killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore on Wednesday.

In a statement here, Punjab cabinet minister Sukhjinder Randhawa accused Kher of using the holy 'shabad' of Guru Gobind Singh "merely to please his political master Sambit Patra”.

He also charged Kher with hurting sentiments of the Sikh community “under a well thought conspiracy” and said Sikhs will never tolerate it.

Randhawa also asked the Shiromani Akali Dal to make their stand clear on the Kher's tweet besides demanding the intervention of the Akal Takht Jathedar.

“This tweet of @AnupamPKher is highly derogatory, most condemnable. Sikhs r deeply hurt @Akali_Dal_@officeofssbadal @HarsimratBadal_ @bsmajithia should make their stand clear I demand sacking of kher, his wife from BJP Request intervention of Jathedaar Sri Akal Takht sahib,” Randhawa tweeted.

Taking strong exception to the Kher's tweet, Ludhiana Congress MP Bittu said in his tweet, “How dare @AnupamPKher use sacred words of Guru Gobind Singh ji to describe the spokesperson of BJP. It spoils the martial image of Sikhs.”

Bittu further termed it a bid by the RSS to “dilute strong tenets of Sikhism”. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should tender an immediate apology and kick out Kher and his wife from the BJP.

Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also sought action against Kher. He asked who gave Kher the right to “distort Gurbani” while saying it was not a dialogue of his film.

@PunjabPoliceInd & @MumbaiPolice this man is playing with religious sentiments of Sikh's. Kindly take immediate & appropriate action against him,” Warring tweeted.

However, the actor, whose wife Kirron Kher is a BJP MP from Chandigarh, later sought an apology for his tweet.

Activists of the Youth Congress here held a protest against Kher for allegedly hurting sentiments of Sikhs.