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Takht Patna Sahib imbroglio: Akal Takht asks Bihar govt to rein in ‘trouble makers’
Worried over the ongoing imbroglio at Takht Patna Sahib, Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Wednesday accused Bihar government of acting as mute spectator and asked it to rein in ‘trouble makers’.
Worried over the ongoing imbroglio at Takht Patna Sahib, Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Wednesday accused Bihar government of acting as mute spectator and asked it to rein in ‘trouble makers’. He issued the fresh statement through video amid the reports that supporters of former Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh who was held ‘tankhaya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by Akal Takht for violation of its edict, is forcibly making him enter Takht Patna Sahib and creating nuisance at the premises of the one of the Sikh temporal seats. He said, “Row at Takht Sri Patna Sahib has been continuing for a long time. Finally, Akal Takht Sahib intervened in the matter on a written request of the members of Takht Patna Sahib Managing Committee and gave its verdict”.
“It has been learnt that some trouble makers have been creating nuisance there since yesterday. Today, conspiracies are being hatched to make a ‘tankhaya’ enter the Takht premises there forcibly and violate maryada. This is very unfortunate”, he said.
The Akal Takht Jathedar said, “Keeping in view of this, managing committee of Patna Sahib has written to the administration and the state government of Bihar making them aware that the trouble makers are not refraining from their acts. However, the Bihar government is not taking any action”.
“So, we would like to urge Bihar government to stop the acts of these trouble makers and contain them. If a ‘tankhaya’ enters the sacred Takht and performs the religious rituals despite ban on him, Sikhs from Punjab and other parts of India will be forced to reach there. If the circumstances turn worse there in such a situation and any casualty happens, only Bihar government and Patna Sahib administration will be responsible for that”, he said, adding, “It seems that Bihar government is asleep and wants bloodshed among the Sikhs. That is why it is not taking action to rein in such elements”.
Iqbal Singh who courted several controversies in past as the Jathedar of Patna Sahib, was reappointed by the managing committee around a week ago, however, his reappointment was put on hold by Akal Takht, highest Sikh temporal seat. Despite this, he acted as jathedar there. So, he was declared ‘tankhaya’., Iqbal Singh did not respond to repeated phone calls for a comment. Notably, besides declaring Iqbal Singh tankhaya, Akal Takht also held the office bearers and some members of the managing committee guilty of violating maryada.
