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Jathedar Iqbal Singh roughed up
Takht Edict
l Akal Takht has sole right to resolve the common Panthic matters
l The other Takhts can take up regional matters only
lSangat should not raise any controversy over the hymns of the Dasam Granth
Takht Edict
l Akal Takht has sole right to resolve the common Panthic matters
l The other Takhts can take up regional matters only
lSangat should not raise any controversy over the hymns of the Dasam Granth
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib Giani Iqbal Singh (right) being stopped from attending a meeting of Sikh clergy at Akal Takht in Amritsar on Friday. Photo: Vishal Kumar
Amritsar, June 6
A piquant situation arose outside the Akal Takht secretariat here today when SGPC’s task force and some hardliners roughed up Jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib Giani Iqbal Singh and did not let him attend the meeting of the Sikh clergy.
After two hours of humiliation, the Jathedar of Patna Sahib left the Akal Takht complex in a huff. He announced that the task force and some supporters of Jathedar of Akal Takht Joginder Singh Vedanti had not only insulted him but denigrated Takht Patna Sahib.
Some of the hardliners used extremely harsh language, speaking about the personal life of the Jathedar. One of the Sikh hardliner asked Giani Iqbal Singh to immediately step down as Jathedar because he failed to keep his own house in order. He also levelled serious charges of “moral turpitude” against him.
The Jathedar of Patna Sahib, who faces charges of bigamy, was not invited to the meeting. The meeting was held after a long time for Jathedar Vedanti had gone on a foreign trip. Jathedar Iqbal Singh has been in the web of controversies for challenging the supremacy of Akal Takht.
Meanwhile, the meeting of the Sikh clergy accused Giani Iqbal Singh of misusing his authority as Jathedar. It said Akal Takht, being the temporal authority of the Sikhs, had the sole right to resolve the common Panthic matters. In a “Gurmatta”, the Sikh clergy said all other Takhts were also honourable and hence could take up the regional matters only.
In yet another setback to the Jathedar of Patna Sahib, the meeting described the controversy over Dasam Granth as unwarranted. The meeting, however, appealed the Sikh Sangat not to raise any controversy over the hymns of the Dasam Granth, being chanted at the time of “Amrit Sanchar”. They, however, warned Prof Darahsn Singh, a former Jathedar of Akal Takht, not to raise any controversy against Dasam Granth, which is integral part of the Sikh history.
The Gurmatta also urged the Sikh Sangat to ignore the directives being issued by Giani Iqbal Singh as Jathedar Patna Sahib.
By passing this resolution, the Sikh clergy have imposed an undeclared ban on the entry of Giani Iqbal Singh in the meetings of Akal Takht.
President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Parmjit Singh Sarna has welcomed the decision of Akal Takht to ban the entry of Giani Iqbal Singh for creating division in Sikh Panth through his controversial directives. He said Giani Iqbal Singh should immediately resign as Jathedar on moral grounds because he was facing serious charges of bigamy.