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Thursday, May 22, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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Patna Takht panel chief declared ‘tankhaiya’
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 21
The five Sikh high priests of Takht Patna Sahib today declared Mr Mohinder Singh Romana, president of the Takht Patna Sahib Management Committee as ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) for allegedly denigrating the prestige of the Takht and its Jathedar.

The ‘hukamnama’ (edict) issued by the Sikh high priests, including Jathedar Iqbal Singh, Bhai Rajinder Singh, Head Granthi and Bhai Baldev Singh, Bhai Nihal Singh and Bhai Dalip Singh — both priests of Takht Patna Sahib — stated Mr Romana denigrated the ‘maryada’ (Sikh tradition) of the Takht while delivering a speech at Chicago on April 27. Mr Romana used derogatory language against the ‘Dasam Granth’ and Jathedar Iqbal Singh.

In a hard-hitting language, the edict warned any member who supported Mr Romana would also be summoned at the Takht.

It is for the first time that a president of Takht Patna Sahib Management Committee has been declared ‘tankhaiya’. Mr Romana, SGPC member and senior Akali leader from Faridkot, was elected president of the committee on October 15, 2001.

Mr S.S. Ahluwalia, MP and former president of the Takht management, while talking to TNS on telephone alleged that nobody from Takht Patna Sahib or Takht Hazoor Sahib could tolerate any word against the ‘Dasam Granth’ or the jathedars. He said Mr Romana had also released the Nanakshahi calendar in America without taking the management of Takht Patna Sahib which had already rejected the calendar.

Akali unity: clergy to meet soon

Amritsar, May 21
The Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, is expected to convene a meeting of Sikh high priests within a week to discuss the letter of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, president of the SAD. Jathedar Vedanti has asked his fellow high priests not to proceed on leave in the coming days in the wake of the development.

Sources close to Jathedar Vedanti disclosed that though Mr Badal had feigned ignorance about the violation of ‘hukamnama’ (edict) issued by Bhai Ranjit Singh on December 31, 1998, for maintaining truce among the warring Akali factions till the celebrations of the birth anniversary of the Khalsa Panth, he (Mr Badal) is likely to be summoned for undergoing ‘mild tankhah’. TNS