Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of the Sikhs, on Saturday again extended an open offer to Dera Sacha Sauda to come forward and tender an apology for the alleged blasphemous act of its Chief Sant Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh.
SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar echoed the views and asked the Dera chief to submit an 'honest apology' to resolve the stand off.
Talking to the media persons here at the Secretariat of Akal Takht after meeting a 15-member delegation from Sirsa in Haryana, its head priest Joginder Singh Vedanti said if Sant Gurmit came forward and tendered an apology the burning situation of Punjab and Haryana could be normalised.
Vedanti said that mere apology will not heal the wounded hearts of Sikh community and that is why Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has to give an assurance to Sikh community that in future he would never repeat the blasphemous act, which has hurt the Sikh sentiments.
Talking about the earlier two apologies sent by the Dera Sacha Sauda, Vedanti described them as mere 'press notes' and alleged the language used in the text was not proper.
At Fatehgarh Sahab, Makkar told reporters that if the Dera Chief submitted an honest apology, the stand off could be resolved.
"Sant Gurmit is playing petty politics," Makkar said, adding that the Khalsa Action Committee, a group of some hardliner Sikh leaders, was also trying to take political advantage out of the situation.
Vedanti said that the way the Dera chief has distributed 'Amrit' (nectar) while attired in a dress similar to that of Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh he has hurt the sentiments of entire Sikh community.
He said that the delegation from Sirsa, the Dera headquarter, met him and asked to find out a peaceful solution of present crises, which has disturbed the peace of Punjab and Haryana. But none of the members in the delegation were from the Dera, he added.
Vedanti has said that delegation members have also procured the signatures of one lakh people who are the residents of Haryana and want immediate peace in Haryana and Punjab for economic growth.
He said that the delegation also assured him that they will interact with Gurmit Ram Singh and make him ready for apology in proper manner for the larger interest of humanity.
The five Sikh high priests have earlier rejected the apologies tendered by the Dera for the alleged blasphemous act.
