Security beefed up at Golden Temple

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 17

With the ‘parallel’ jathedars firm on reading out the ‘customary message’ on Bandi Chhor Divas (Diwali), the SGPC and the police have geared up to meet any untoward instance.

While SGPC officials today held a meeting to maintain the peace and ‘maryada’ (tenets) of the shrine, the police too were strategising security plan, taking the radical Sikhs in confidence.

As the tradition goes, the Akal Takht Jathedar delivers the customary address to the devotees on Diwali from the podium of the Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat.

Post 2015, after the parallel jathedars were appointed during a Sikh congregation at Chabba village, they carry on with activities parallel to the Akal Takht.

Intelligence sources say the 2015 Sarbat Khalsa appointed parallel jathedars, including acting jathedar of Akal Takht Dhyan Singh Mand, will leave no stone unturned to reach there and deliver a message parallel to that of Akal Takht’s Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.

“It depends on timing. The situation will be peaceful if the parallel jathedars read out their message, either earlier or later to that of Giani Gurbachan Singh. In 2015, the parallel jathedars read out their message half an hour later. However, they were taken into custody by the police later to avoid any altercation,” said sources.

Parallel jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Baljit Singh Daduwal and SAD (Mann) general secretary Jarnail Singh Sakhira alleged that the ‘undue’ restrictions imposed by the SGPC task force led to the disturbed situation.

They also invited the Sikh sangat to come and listen to Mand.

“Giani Gurbachan Singh has lost faith of the Sikh community and he has been replaced by Mand. Who can stop him from performing customs? He will read out the public message in a peaceful manner. The SGPC has been unnecessarily creating panic for no reasons,” they said.

Anticipating disturbance, Giani Gurbachan Singh had fixed the responsibility of the SGPC and the police to maintain law and order on Diwali.

SGPC’s secretary Dr Roop Singh said though no one could be stopped from paying obeisance at the Golden Temple, peace at the shrine had to be maintained at all cost.

He said the SGPC would ensure the safety of the area inside the complex, whereas the police and administration would take care of vulnerable points outside the shrine.

“We held discussions to ensure the safety and ‘maryada’ of the shrine, which is the priority of the SGPC. Duties would be assigned tomorrow in this regard. If any untoward incident happens, it will be against the Sikh tenets and principles, besides it will damage Sikh image,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Amrik Singh Pawar said radical Sikh groups were also taken into confidence to avoid any unpleasant activity.

“We are in touch with the parallel jathedars and have advised them to avoid any confrontation. On our part, we are ready to deal with any situation. Extra force will be there to maintain peace,” he said.

Ripples of discord

• Calling his continuity as jathedar of the Akal Takht a ‘bone of contention’, the Dal Khalsa on Tuesday squarely blamed Giani Gurbachan Singh and his ‘mentors’ (Badals) for the discord created among the Sikhs. 
• Party’s former head Satnam Singh Paonta Sahib said there would be no relevance of his ‘sandesh’ as such on Bandi Chhor Divas.
• He said the Sikh diaspora had rejected him two years ago. Making his party position clear, he said, “We won’t be part of any activity that amounts to undermining or defiling the sanctity and decorum of Darbar Sahib.”

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