Jhinda appears before Akal Takht, awarded tankhah

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 4

The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC ad hoc) president Jagdish Singh Jhinda appeared before Akal Takht to submit his clarification on the charges of dividing the SGPC levelled against him.

On the other hand, his move has invited the ire of his party leaders who termed it as a ‘conspiracy’ to scuttle the interest of Haryana Sikhs.The SGPC had filed a case in the SC and the matter is still pending.

Nonetheless, pronouncing the ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment), Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh directed Jhinda to perform Akhand Path at Gurdwara Chhevi Patshahi in Kurukshetra, cleaning dishes at Sri Guru Ram Das langar hall and offer “degh” (karah prashad) worth Rs 101 during “ardas” for atonement.

On July 16, 2014, the Akal Takht had excommunicated Jhinda, HSGMC’s senior vice-president Didar Singh Nalvi and the then finance minister Harmohinder Singh Chattha for defying the highest temporal seat and going ahead with the formation of a separate gurdwara panel in the neighbouring state.

Akal Takht Jathedar said, “Jhinda has submitted a written reply and showed his willingness to be taken in the community. The Five High Priests resolved it by pronouncing tankhah, he said.

However, Jhinda said his stand on the HSGMC had not changed. “The matter is listed for hearing on April 7. It should be kept aside from my appearance before the Akal Takht. I am here to apologise today for not adhering to the Akal Takht’s edict of 2014 as the political situation of Punjab and the SGPC were not conducive then”, he said.

Nalvi alleged: “Jhinda has ditched Haryana Sikhs and attempted to scuttle our struggle. It is a pity that being HSGMC chief he has been leading our side in the SC.”