Amritsar, Jan. 28 -- The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex gurdwara body, on Monday facilitated a joint gathering of Punjab-based Sikh radical groups on the 40th anniversary of the 1986 'Sarbat Khalsa' (Sikh congregation), marking a rare departure from its past approach.

The gathering was convened by the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Dal Khalsa, Panch Pardhani Jatha and the Jagtar Singh Hawara Committee. Earlier in the day, the groups held a joint conference near Gurdwara Santokhsar Sahib on the Heritage Street close to the Golden Temple. The conference was addressed by SAD (Amritsar) chief and MP Simranjit Singh Mann and former militant leader Daljit Singh Bittu, after which participants marched to the Akal Takh...