Takht Patna Sahib ‘Panj Piaras’ reject Akal Takht edict
Amritsar, December 9
The ‘Panj Piaras’ at Takht Patna Sahib have triggered a fresh controversy by rejecting the Akal Takht edict on management board members of Takht Patna Sahib thus raising a question mark on the supremacy of Akal Takht.
The ‘Panj Piaras’— officiating head granthi Baldev Singh, senior granthi Gurdial Singh, granthi Parshuram Singh, granthi Jaswant Singh and granthi Amarjit Singh —have issued a ‘hukamnama’ against Akal Takht’s officiating Jathedar, Giani Harpreet Singh.
Terming Giani Harpreet Singh’s directions as ‘illegal and biased’, they stated that it had vitiated peace at Takht Patna Sahib. They had asked Giani Harpreet Singh to submit his reply within two days at Takht Patna Sahib.
They have raised strong objections over ‘summoning’ the Patna Sahib management board members at Akal Takht, saying it was an ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘humiliating’ move.
They maintained that as per Article 79 of Takht Patna Sahib, the management of Takht Patna Sahib stood autonomous, as Takht Patna Sahib has its own ‘maryada’ since the Guru’s period and that no other Takht could intervene in its affairs or pass directions.
Questioning the ‘tankhaiya’ decision, they said till the ‘Panj Piaras’ refer the case to Akal Takht, no ‘outside’ decision could be held valid.
They have also shown resentment against Giani Harpreet Singh for questioning the calibre of Giani Baldev Singh whose appointment as ‘stopgap’ jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib was put on hold with the directions for him to recite ‘Panj Baani Path’ (religious prayers) verbally before the ‘Panj Piaras’ and submit a video with Akal Takht.
As per Akal Takht’s directions, the Takht Patna Sahib management board members had appeared before the Five High Priests on December 6.
Meanwhile, Inderjit Singh, general secretary of Takht Patna Sahib management board, who was undergoing the punishment pronounced by Akal Takht, was attacked on the gurdwara campus today. It is learnt that when Inderjit Singh was performing the sewa, he was attacked by a group of Sikhs within the Patna gurdwara premises. The video clippings of the incident also went viral on social media.
