M A I N   N E W S

Patna Jathedar threatens to declare Vedanti tankhaiya
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 4
The Panthic crisis deepened further even as Giani Iqbal Singh, Jathedar, Takht Patna Sahib, threatened to declare Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar, Akal Takht as tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) if he failed to dissociate himself from Giani Gurdit Singh, author of the controversial book “Mundavni”, before December 10.

Talking to The Tribune here today, Jathedar Iqbal Singh alleged that a top religious personality of the Sikh community had threatened to shoot him in full public view if any action was taken against Giani Gurdit Singh. He said he would disclose the name of the top religious personality of the Sikhs at an appropriate time. He said he was not a coward and would not backout from the edict issued against Giani Gurdit Singh .

While Jathedar Iqbal Singh said he would not attend the meeting of the Sikh clergy, proposed to be held at Akal Takht on December 8 to discuss the case of Giani Gurdit Singh, Jathedar Vedanti, while talking to The Tribune, pointed out that serious action could be taken against the clergy of Takht Patna Sahib.

Jathedar Iqbal Singh said he and Jathedar Vedanti would jointly attend a religious function tomorrow at Ludhiana, where Jathedar Vedanti could give him in writing that he had nothing to do with “Mundavni”. In case he failed to do so, the Sikh clergy of Takht Patna Sahib would pronounce an edict, declaring Jathedar Vedanti as tankhaiya, on December 10.

When told that there was no precedent in Sikh history to declare Jathedar of Akal Takht as tankhaiya by the Sikh clergy of any other Takht, Jathedar Iqbal Singh said Sikh clergy were not above Guru Granth Sahib. The book “Mundavni” had created confusion in the Sikh Panth so far as Guru Granth Sahib was concerned, he alleged and said Jathedar Vedanti was party to the ‘blasphemous’ acts committed in “Mundavni”. The author had challenged the “Raagmala” which was an integral part of Guru Granth Sahib, he said.

Jathedar Iqbal Singh alleged that Jathedar Vedanti was not impartial and had been performing his duty in a biased manner. He alleged that Mr Parkash Singh Badal was given a clean chit despite Jathedar Iqbal Singh’s dissenting voice . He said while the then Chief Minister, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, was directed by Akal Takht to complete his tankhah by visiting all five Takhts, Mr Badal was not given any religious punishment for violating the edict of Akal Takht.

He further alleged that Jathedar Vedanti had failed to summon Ms Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of Mr Badal, despite concrete proofs that she had visited the “dera” of Ashutosh in violation of the “maryada”. He said she was not directed to submit her clarification on summoned to Akal Takht.

He further said no action was taken against Mr Sucha Singh Langah, an SGPC member, for organising 501 “Paths” of the Ramayana. There were senior functionaries of the SGPC who were defaulters and had failed to clear the outstanding amount against their wards who had got admission to the SGPC-run Medical college, he added .

Jathedar Iqbal Singh alleged that Jathedar Vedanti was being misguided by his personal assistant, Mr Prithipal Singh Sandhu, who was earlier a communist. When asked that he himself had given in writing that Akal Takht was supreme and other Takhts would be dealing with regional matters only, Jathedar Iqbal Singh said this decision stood null and void when Jathedar Vedanti was found ‘guilty’ of violating “maryada”. He alleged that Giani Gurdit Singh was ready to submit a written apology, but he was stopped from doing so by Jathedar Vedanti.