Chandigarh, Oct 24 (IANS): The Shiromani Akali Dal;s (SAD) Working Committee on Thursday decided not to contest the November 13 bypoll for the four Assembly seats in Punjab, following the debarment of its chief Sukhbir Singh Badal by the Akal Takht.

The Working Committee of the SAD, in a statement here, said it has unanimously decided not to contest forthcoming in keeping with ‘panthic’ interests and ‘maan-maryada’ of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

This unanimous decision was taken at a meeting of the Working Committee, district presidents and constituency in-charges, which was presided over by the party’s working President Balwinder Singh Bhunder.

Briefing the media, senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema said: "At today’s meeting, there was an overwhelming feeling that party President Sukhbir Singh Badal had taken moral responsibility for all acts of omission and commission during the erstwhile SAD government on behalf of the party. It was felt by the Working Committee, district presidents and constituency in-charges that since the head of the family -- party President Sukhbir Badal -- had been forbidden by Sri Akal Takht to participate in the by-elections, they too could not participate in the exercise."

"Everyone felt they should consider themselves as part of the SAD President’s family and act accordingly."

Asserting that SAD was completely beholden to the Akal Takht and was resolute in its determination to obey all directions of the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, Cheema, said: "We also understand that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state, the Central government and the BJP and the RSS have hatched a conspiracy to make the SAD leaderless. This conspiracy, under which Sikh institutions like Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib Trust have been snatched from us and a separate gurdwara body has been formed in Haryana, is ongoing with attempts being made to influence the forthcoming elections to the President and executive committee of the SGPC in favour of the Sudhar Lehar group."

Asserting that the working committee had decided to stand up to save Sikh institutions, he said: "For us, morality comes before any political activity. SAD is not a political shop but represents a glorious heritage of sacrifices for the ‘panth’. The party President has submitted himself completely to Akal Takht Sahib in true ‘Gurmat’ tradition. This has been done to stop the false propaganda being spread against the party by the complainants in the case -- Sudhar Lehar leaders who were part and parcel of erstwhile SAD governments as well as all decisions made by the government and party."

The Working Committee also passed a resolution which detailed all steps taken by the party president following the complaint filed against him by the Sudhar Lehar leaders as well as the meetings held by SAD delegations with the ‘Singh sahiban’.

The resolution also reiterated its utmost respect for Akal Takht Sahib, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs.

In a far-reaching development, SAD chief Sukhbir Badal was on August 30 indicted by the Akal Takht for religious misconduct by the party from 2007-17 when it was in power in Punjab. After a meeting of five Sikh head priests, Giani Raghbir Singh, the Jathedar of Akal Takht, had declared Sukhbir Badal ‘Tankhiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) and asked him to appear before Akal Takht Sahib in Amritsar within 15 days as a common Sikh.

Responding to the Akali Dal's decision, Jathedar Giani Raghubir Singh on Thursday clarified that only Sukhbir Badal was debarred to contest the polls.