Damdami Taksal chief calls for Panthic gathering at Anandpur Sahib tomorrow

The Damdami Taksal has strongly opposed the removal of Takht Jathedars and appointments made in violation of the ‘maryada’ in a hush-hush manner by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which is under the control of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa ‘Dhuma’, the head of the Taksal, has given a call for a Panthic gathering at Panj Piyara Park, Damdami Taksal premises, Gurdwara Gurdarshan Prakash (Sri Anandpur Sahib), on March 14 at 1 pm to lodge a protest against the “disrespect” shown towards Sikh principles, the Takhts and

Panthic traditions.

In a video message, Baba Harnam Singh did not specifically name any SGPC official or SAD leader, but attributed the existing Panthic chaos as an attempt to save ‘one family’.

“Come out to teach them a lesson for the decisions taken just to satisfy the ego of some individuals at the cost of Panthic principles and institutions. All representatives of the Sant Samaj, Sikh Dal, Nihang Singh organisations, Sikh institutions and the entire Sikh sangat are humbly requested to participate in it,” he said.

The SGPC, which is the authority to appoint Takht Jathedars, had terminated the services of Giani Raghbir Singh as Jathedar of the Akal Takht and Giani Sultan Singh was as Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj was appointed the Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and was entrusted with the officiating charge of the Akal Takht. He had quietly assumed the charge of both Takhts on Monday.

Once headed by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the Damdami Taksal had proximity with the SAD and the SGPC in the past. The Taksal generally supported their decisions, including the 2015 controversial exoneration to the Sirsa dera chief. Their ties grew stronger especially after the SAD-SGPC permitted the construction of a memorial gurdwara as a mark of respect to the Sikh martyrs killed in Operation Blue Star, adjacent to the Akal Takht on the Golden Temple complex. The move had not gone down well with the SAD’s then alliance partner, the BJP.

The political equations, however, changed with the passage of time.

The Taksal tilted towards the BJP after the SAD-BJP alliance was officially terminated in 2020 on “agrarian cause”. Baba Harnam Singh gave a surprise by extending open support “on behalf of Sikh Samaj, Maharashtra”, to BJP-led Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP) in the Maharashtra Assembly elections held in November last year. This was largely criticised by a section of religio-political leadership, including SAD and the SGPC.