NEW DELHI: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has taken his political battle with Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal to a new level.  Hitting out at the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, which is largely believed to be predisposed towards the SAD, Singh on Tuesday not only accused it of disfiguring Sikh shrines in the country but has even admitted to have advised Islamabad against giving any role to the SGPC in the renovation of shrines in Pakistan.

The CM's comments have confirmed the Akali Dal's accusation. Badal has been raising objections to Singh's open criticism of the SGPC in Pakistani Punjab during his recent visit.

Amarinder, in a statement, admitted that he had advised his Pakistani counterpart, Choudhary Pervez Elahi, against handing over the 'kar seva' to the SGPC in particular and instead suggested the involvement of devout Sikhs from across the world.

Singh alleged that the SGPC had been ``demolishing the original structures of historic gurdwaras in the guise of ˆikar sevaˆr in India''. He also accused the SGPC of ``failing to preserve the orignal architectural grandeur of the Sikh shrines''.

The Chief Minister went a step further and accused the SGPC of erasing history by ``raising big buildings after demolishing the ancient shrines''.

Singh, meanwhile, showered praise on Sikh shrines in Pakistan. He said the Panja Saheb, Nankana Saheb and Dera Saheb gurdwaras in Pakistan had retained their original architechture and grandeur, and ``there should be no attempt to tamper with their orignality''.

The SGPC has been asking the Pakistan Government to include its nominee in the Pakistan Sikh shrine board.