Balbir Singh 'ardasia' who refused siropa to Badal joins AAP

Chandigarh: Bhai Balbir Singh 'ardasia' (priest) of Harmandir Sahib who had denied 'Siropa' (robe of honour) to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal last year, on Friday joined Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here in the presence of senior party leaders.

Bhai Balbir Singh said that he refused 'siropa' to Badal because he was upset over repeated incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, an AAP release quoted him as saying.

"My protest was against failure of government to arrest those guilty of sacrilege," he said.

He also said that he would work to maintain the respect of Guru Granth Sahib and AAP leadership has given him an assurance to punish those guilty of sacrilege of the holy scripture.

He said that every Sikh or anybody who follows the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib, feels the pain of sacrilege incidents.

Before formally joining AAP, Bhai Balbir Singh had earlier announced his support to Jarnail Singh who is contesting against Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi constituency.

Sanjay Singh, national General Secretary of AAP and in-charge of Punjab and Gurpreet Singh Waraich, AAP state convener, welcomed Bhai Balbir Singh into the party fold.

Bhai Balbir Singh had refused to honour Badal with the traditional 'siropa' when the latter visited Golden Temple to pay obeisance on December 12, 2016.