Imbroglio of Takht Patna Sahib deepened on Tuesday as Takht managing committee general secretary Raja Singh and some members refused to accept ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) awarded by Akal Takht for violation of maryada, while the president Mohinderpal Singh Dhillon accepted it and committed to serve it. On being summoned, the committee office bearers and members appeared before the Takht. The Sikh clergy led by Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh accused Dhillon and Raja Singh of calling a member who was ‘tankhaya’ (guilty of religious misconduct), into the election meeting held recently to prove majority in their favour, which is violation of maryada.
The highest Sikh temporal seat asked the committee to cancel the decisions taken by it after the election, considering them against the constitution of the committee. Besides, they were also accused of failing to end the row of post of Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar. In hukamnama (religious edict), the Sikh clergy asked for re-election of the committee after January 15, 2023 as per the constitution of the committee.
Later in the evening, the office bearers and members called a press conference. While the president said that being a Sikh he bowed down before the edict of the Akal Takht, while others raised questions over it and refused to accept the tankhah. “The edict is one-sided and was pre-planned. Such edict was issued to ensure dominance of a political family on Takht Patna Sahib,” said Dr Gurmeet Singh, member. Raja Singh termed it “dictatorship”.
They said the political family wanted to make former SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal as president of the committee.
{{/usCountry}}They said the political family wanted to make former SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal as president of the committee.
{{/usCountry}}Moreover, in the edict, the Sikh clergy ordered to replace the officiating Jathedar Baldev Singh if he is not able to ensure implementation of maryada at Takht Patna Sahib, one of the five temporal seat of Sikhs. In another decision, a five-member committee was also constituted to aid the Patna Sahib committee. In an another resolution, Takht declared Giani Iqbal Singh ‘tankhaya’ for flouting its edict. Amid the row, the former Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar (Giani Iqbal Singh) was reappointed. The Akal Takht Jathedar on December 2 put the reappointment on hold. However, Giani Iqbal Singh did not care of the edict and appeared as Jathedar during the visit of president Ram Nath Kovind to Takht Patna Sahib.
Besides, services of Giani Ranjit Singh who was excommunicated by ‘Panj Pyaras’ (five beloved ones of Guru) for corruption charges, were terminated by the Sikh clergy for ever. Before reappointment of Iqbal Singh, he also attempted to again take charge as Jathedar of Patna Sahib with the help of security provided by Centre despite being ‘tankhaya’. In another order, Sikh clergy ordered the committee to conduct dope test and dental test of the employees of Patna Sahib administration after receiving complaints that consumption of tobacco.
******************************************ends