M A I N   N E W S

Vedanti under pressure
Invitation from Talwandi to attend ‘path bodh’
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 24
Even as Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar, Akali Takht, is reportedly under tremendous pressure to attend the concluding function of “path bodh” at Takht Damdama Sahib on June 28, the Sikh clergy has not taken any decision in this regard so far.

Giani Man Singh, Head Granthi, Damdama Sahib, has already resigned in protest against the organising of the “path bodh samagam” on the plea that the function was in gross violation of the maryada established by Akal Takht and the SGPC about 70 years ago. Mr Jaswinder Singh, a ruling party SGPC member and close confidant of Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar, Damdama Sahib, was the first person to object to the “path bodh samagam” held by Damdami Taksal (Bhinderan).

The Sikh clergy is reportedly annoyed with Mr Talwandi as the resignation of Giani Man Singh was accepted by the executive committee as he had rushed to the Press against the “samagam”. The Sikh circles feel that if it was a sin to approach the Press, then why no action was taken against Mr Talwandi for criticising the mild tankhah to private publishers of Guru Granth Sahib by Akal Takht. Mr Talwandi had criticised the Sikh clergy as he was of the view that the publishers should have been excommunicated from the Sikh Panth for violating the hukmnama.

Jathedar Vedanti is reportedly in a dilemma over the verbal invitation extended to him by Mr Talwandi for attending the concluding functions of the “path bodh”. Though it is being held at Damdama Sahib, its Jathedar (Giani Kewal Singh) has not attended it so far for obvious reasons. Instead, Giani Kewal Singh expressed his deep anguish over the violation of maryada by various deras in an article published in a leading Punjabi daily.

Sources say if Jathedar Vedanti and Giani Kewal Singh participate in the function, it will endorse the maryada of Jatha Bhinderan which varied from that approved by Akal Takht and the SGPC. Mr Onkar Singh Sharifpura, an executive member of the SGPC, said the Sikh maryada was approved after more than eight months in 1936 and hence no Sikh could tolerate its violation.

Another volatile issue which may lead to a confrontation between the Sikh clergy and Mr Talwandi is that the latter had not constituted any committee (as directed by Akal Takht on June 6) to look into the status of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale. On the eve of “ghallugara divas”, Jathedar Vedanti has directed Mr Talwandi to constitute a committee within 15 days as there was a lot of confusion on the Bhinderanwale issue. While Damdami Taksal had been claiming that Sant Bhinderanwale was still alive, many other Sikh organisations had performed the antim ardas of Sant Bhinderanwale in front of Akal Takht.

Mr Sharifpura confirmed that Mr Talwandi evaded the question on constituting the committee when raised by some members during an executive committee meeting held at Patiala on June 21. Mr Sharifpura said it was unfortunate that an SGPC chief continued to ignore the directives of the Sikh clergy. Mr Kanwarpal Singh, spokesman for the Dal Khalsa, alleged that the role of Mr Talwandi remained “negative” till the performance of antim ardas of the Sant. “Now by disobeying the directives of Akal Takht, Mr Talwandi had set a wrong precedent”, he said.

Meanwhile, several organisations have submitted a memorandum to Jathedar Vedanti through his personal assistant Prithipal Singh at the Akal Takht secretariat. In a separate memorandum submitted by the Khalsa Panchayan, Chandigarh, and Akal Purkh ki Fauj (Gurdaspur unit) the immediate intervention of Jathedar Vedanti has been sought to stop the “path bodh”. The Khalsa Panchayan has reportedly sought action against Mr Talwandi for according sanction to Jatha Bhinderan for organising “path bodh”.