Dhumma's Bluestar event messaging went beyond Gargaj, had a Patna Sahib outreach

Time of India

4 days ago

Jalandhar: On the 41st anniversary of Operation Bluestar at Akal Takht, Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma-led Damdami Taksal showed it clout by not letting Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj to speak or honour the families of the "martyrs" (people who were killed in the Army action in 1984), but the messaging went beyond this.
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Damdami Taksal also made it a point to invite two Takht Patna Sahib high priests and give them prominence at a function held at its Mehta Chowk headquarters on the same day. These high priests were barred by Akal Takht on May 21 from 'panthic services'. Both priests, along with three others, retaliated on the same day by declaring the jathedars of Akal Takht and Takht Damdama Sahib "tankhaiya" and summoned Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The two high priests in question were Patna Sahib head granthi Giani Baldev Singh and granthi Gurdial Singh. Both, along with three other priests, issued another directive on June 1, giving Sukhbir an extension and asking him to appear before them on June 10 to present his side, warning him with "stringent action" if he failed to do so.
To communicate the message further, both were made to stand next to Darbar Sahib head granthi Giani Raghbir Singh when he addressed the congregation.
Two others who were made to flank him included Darbar Sahib granthi Palwinderpal Singh, a former student of taksal, and a representative from Takht Hazur Sahib.
Baldev Singh also addressed the congregation.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami also addressed the function, while quite a few granthis of Darbar Sahib and leaders of different sampardas (traditional groups) attended the gathering.
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A press statement issued by the taksal mentioned Raghbir Singh as "jathedar", while former Kesgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Sultan Singh, who is now working as granthi at Darbar Sahib, was mentioned as Kesgarh Sahib jathedar. Both Raghbir Singh and Sultan Singh were unceremoniously sacked from their posts of jathedars in March, and their removal led to a big controversy.
Taksal chief Baba Dhumma has been agitating against their removal and has been objecting to Gargaj's appointment and taking charge as jathedar, arguing that 'maryada' was not followed.
At the June 6 function at Akal Takht, Gargaj gave his message through the 'ardas'. While Baba Dhumma got an upper hand as his point prevailed, Gargaj, after the function, gained some sympathy from the community members. The tradition of Akal Takht jathedar not giving his message on that day was broken to avert a clash.
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Clash between Akal Takht and Patna Sahib clergy
Five Sikh high priests at Akal Takht, including Akal Takht acting jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj and Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Tek Singh Dhanaula, in their meeting on May 21 held that an earlier directive by Akal Takht on Dec 6, 2022, about Baldev Singh and Gurdial Singh was not complied with, and barred them from rendering panthic services.
At that time, Giani Harpreet Singh was acting jathedar of Akal Takht.
The May 21 directive also explicitly mentioned that Baldev Singh was not fit to render services at Takht Patna Sahib or in the panthic sphere. Both priests were also asked to appear at Akal Takht and present their side. Until then, they were barred from rendering 'panthic services'.
The Akal Takht directive also asked the Takht Patna Sahib management committee to appear at Akal Takht and present its side.
Hours after this directive, the five granthis (priests) of Takht Patna Sahib, including Baldev Singh and Gurdial Singh, hit back by declaring Gargaj and Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Tek Singh Dhanaula 'tankhaiya'. They asked Sukhbir Singh Badal to appear there for "his interference and being a conspirator" in the whole affair and asked the Patna Sahib management committee to not appear at Akal Takht. They also held that from now on, no directive from Akal Takht or from any other yakht would be implemented at Takht Patna Sahib nor complied with.
When Baba Dhumma announced his opposition to Gargaj's address, to further buttress his case, he prominently cited the Takht Patna Sahib clergy declaring him 'tankhaiya'. MSID:: 121707935 413 |