In letter to Dhami, Takht Patna Sahib clergy accuses Gargaj of conspiracy
Sikhism
's highest temporal seats deepened on Saturday, with the clergy of Takht Patna Sahib accusing acting Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, of conspiring against them and warning of disciplinary action if further challenges continue.
In a strongly worded letter to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, the five senior-most priests (Singh Sahiban) of Takht Patna Sahib said Gargaj, along with Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Tek Singh Dhanaula, was ignoring edicts issued by Patna Sahib and attempting to undermine its authority. "We have come to know that Bhai Kuldeep Singh Gargaj is conspiring against the Singh Sahibans and the managing committee of Takht Patna Sahib.
The five Singh Sahiban don't want a clash or controversy between two Takhts," the letter reads.
The missive — signed by head granthi and Jathedar Giani Baldev Singh, additional head granthi Gurdial Singh and three others — comes amid a power struggle that has roiled Sikh clerical politics since May. That month, Akal Takht barred Baldev Singh and Gurdial Singh from all Panthic (community) duties over alleged non-compliance with a Dec 2022 directive.
In retaliation, the Patna Sahib clergy declared Gargaj and Dhanaula 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) and even summoned Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, accusing him of meddling in the matter.
The clergy warned that if Gargaj and Dhanaula persisted, Takht Patna Sahib would respond as Panthic traditions dictate. They also accused the SGPC leadership of not ensuring compliance with Patna Sahib's decisions and reiterated that the directive to summon Sukhbir remained in effect.
The deadline, extended multiple times, now stands at July 1. The Akal Takht's directive, meanwhile, asserts that Baldev Singh is "unfit" for any religious role and had ordered both priests and the Patna Sahib management to present their case — a call that has gone unheeded.
Further complicating matters, influential Sikh institution Damdami Taksal has thrown its support behind the Patna Sahib clergy. At a June 6 event commemorating Operation Bluestar, Baldev Singh and Gurdial Singh were seated prominently next to senior religious figures and they addressed the congregation, while Gargaj's presence was opposed openly. The confrontation between two major Sikh temporal authorities has raised serious concerns about religious cohesion, with no resolution yet in sight.
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